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Official Timing Chain Tensioner failure thread

Thumper

Autocross Champion
Have you scanned it to see what codes it was displaying? Might be something else?

Man, I would be so on edge on the second start, wondering if it's gonna blow.....

:(
 

maxtdi

Go Kart Champion
Thread bump.

Yesterday, I went to go start my car to go to the gym. Car starts, but really rough (huffing and puffing), EPC and check engine light are blinking, then the car dies. "Fuck, here we go I think". Went to go restart the car and it starts fine.

Tell you the truth, this is not the first time that this has happened, probably the third time in the last 12 months. Every now and then the car will start, but with really low RPMs like its gonna die or something, so I rev the engine a little to help it start and stay on. So far every time that I've experienced a rough start, I'd try a second time and everything would be ok.

Starting to get worried though. I'm already at 59k miles :(.
I think you lost a coil or two or maybe a fuel pump. The tensioner really fks up the engine.
 

LightningRhod

Go Kart Champion
Have you scanned it to see what codes it was displaying? Might be something else?

Man, I would be so on edge on the second start, wondering if it's gonna blow.....

:(

I haven't scanned it yet. Haven't had time (nor do I own my own cable to scan).

Yeah, I was waiting anxiously as I tried to start it the second time. I'm afraid that the next time this happens the engine won't start (fingers crossed).

I think you lost a coil or two or maybe a fuel pump. The tensioner really fks up the engine.

Yeah, I'm thinking I should change the coils out already to the R8 ones as precaution. Once running, the engine feels fine though (still pulls like a Stage 2 car should :)).
 

Thumper

Autocross Champion
I haven't scanned it yet. Haven't had time (nor do I own my own cable to scan).

Let me know, I can scan it for you.

I would think a coil would cause it to run shitty no matter what. But a slipping tensioner should just cause 2.0L paperweight.

Weird
 

mully

Ready to race!
my car has done this several times as well. It wants to stall out then catches and runs fine. I don't think it has anything to do with the tensioner, I think it's an ecu gremlin. I think it may be a case of needing to be cranked over another .1 second that does this. As if you didn't turn the key for long enough and it's probably a fraction of a second difference.
 

littleazn248

Go Kart Champion
I've had my car die out right after turning it over. It used to happen pretty frequently like maybe once a week. Overtime the problem went away.

Golfmk6 on the go!
 

Thumper

Autocross Champion
Wasn't there a $300 battery cable junction mod that caused the car to start .00056 seconds faster? maybe that would help. :D
 

ncampos976

Ready to race!
just replaced one last week, teeth stripped on the tensioner , installed updated tensioner and reset timing, was fine after that.
 

Bimmersmith

Ready to race!
Hey guys, thinking I've just experienced this issue. Just wanted to get ya'lls thoughts.

2009 MkV TSI with 83xxx on the clock, GIAC stg 2.

The other day I was driving and popped what I'm fairly certain was my turbo outlet pipe, as I've had that one come undone before. The car ran fine, other than the obvious lack of power. I had to drive the car a pretty good distance like this, just doing my best to avoid spooling the turbo.

Everything was fine until I pulled into my driveway and came to a stop. As my rpms fell down to idle, it dropped far too low, like 4-500, and then I started getting a lot of valve noise(CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK). Shut the motor off and came back out to scan for codes, the motor then started up and idled at the correct rpm, but the noise was still there and quite loud.

The only codes I got were the P2015 I already knew about, a P0420 from my exhaust, a couple misfire codes from over 1000kms ago, a P0101 MAF implausible signal, and a P0299 from my boost leak.

Now today I went back out, checked my oil level, which was a slight bit low. So I added a bit of oil and tried starting the car again. This time it started, ran for about 3 seconds and died, still with the same loud clacking noise. Scanned again for codes, and now it's only showing the P2015. :iono:

This is the first time I've ever had any major problem with this car. I've kept up well with 5k oil changes and such, only having to replace a couple sets of coils.

I've read through a few different Tensioner threads now that this has happened and it's just giving me that horrible "your motor just ate itself" vibe. :yikes:

TIA for any and all insight ya'll could provide.
 

PrayforMojo

Go Kart Champion
It probably wasn't a good idea to drive with a huge boost leak. The turbo could be done, and it might have spit metal into the motor.
 

Bimmersmith

Ready to race!
It probably wasn't a good idea to drive with a huge boost leak. The turbo could be done, and it might have spit metal into the motor.

I understand it was far from ideal but I didn't have much choice at the time. Though doesn't it seem like I would have had some indication of the turbo letting go? I mean it was perfectly fine one second, and then as soon as the idle dropped down it went to hell. :iono:
 

RandomUserName

Ready to race!
Potentially add me to the list. I am still waiting for my counterhold tool, but I pulled off the upper timing cover to have a look. Both cams are out by 4 teeth, but it could have been an install error. Even though I doubt my 2009 had its chains done prior to my ownership. Once I get the counterhold tool, I'll have a better idea of what happened.

Spinning it over by hand does not show any binding, but I won't know until I can time the other components as well.

It may have failed due to the 5 months it was not driven....
 

A3SBQ

Ready to race!
Hi guys.
I have a 2008+ Audi A3 with the EA888 TSI. I can confirm this problem to.
My complete engine was newly changed becaus of the timing chain tensioner failed.
This happened at 76000km (4years and 17days of driving)

I have always thought the engine was rateling on start ups. Used mainly on he weekend the car is normaly sat in the garage for days befor used, I thought this was to do due to oile was completely drained to the sump. (like old fashion hydraulic valve lifter tik)

To the story the engine had problems about 35000km (1.5year of driving) Audi could not locate the problem an started to chainge sparts. 1st the coli pack, 2nd the turbo, 3rd the complete intake and finaly the 4th the complet head was chainged (dont know if the timing chain or/and the tensioner was chainged to)
This was don on the first ownership.

Since I am the second owner i was happy to here this was don on warranty and thought this was it. You think!

After 30k of normal driving and occasionally WOT and one track day visit (w/ stage 1 tune)
I had problems again. In the Christmas 2012 I deside to do the oil service after only 10k of driving) all new filter and a High end oil was used.
On first start the rattle/tikking was back and higer than normal, BUT was normal and quiet after 5-10seconds like earlyer. I was thinking Sh....t! What was this? And this also was confirmed by a second persion standing beside the engine on start up.
Well since it stoped the rattle I did not check or think of it anymore for now.

(sorry for the long post)
Two days later (no problems so fare) the cars was parked on a slopy parking when wisiting some family for the last Christmas meal. 6 houre later whent out to fire here up and the engine just dide. Me thinking I had cranked the enging little to smal (normaly I drive a Mercedes, witch crank the engine by it self) so I tryied once more.

Now nothing! I tryed everything even with WOT on cranking and the engine only gave a pop or two. sh..t! What now?
I called a friend witch is a VAG tech working on Skoda cars. He emedietly told me about the timing chain (3sec after my explenatin to problem) This had happened to him to but on the 1.8TSI

Since this happened to me between the Christmas and New Year. Audi was closed and I had to check it my self for codes using VCDS cable. Nothing here.
I tryied to crank the enging several times to se if I could get some spark but noting. (by now I did not belive the chain failiure)
One of my last crank I heard the pistions and valves hitting and i stopped the diagnostics.

The car was delived to Audi on a trailer and they told me that they would call me back.
A day later the tech guy calls and say that they cant fix the car before a week. Some things had happened to the timing chain. By now they are not telling me about the nown problems with this engine, and just continus to ask me if I whant them to fix the problem but this will take time and coast money.
I then confront them about the earlyer problems and the head been chainged due to this before. He now chainges tones, and emitingly saying that this is some things that is bothering him, and that hi will get back to me.
3weeks later my car is ready with a new enginge. Now info nor any bills to pay.

Now the engine has NO rattle/tikking on start ups even after two weeks of parking in the garage. The rest is history
So BE awere. If your engine is ratteling/tikking on start up, it might be on its way out!

Oh! There is also on other problem with the timing chain. The intake camshaft angel timing has a week point to, witch cam cause this problem to. But you probably know about this, Right!

Sorry again for the long post, but felt explaing my experiance with this problems to you.
 
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RandomUserName

Ready to race!
I got the tensioner out today. That timing cover is a pain! Anyways, I pulled the tensioner and sat it on my table. The overall length was 3.25" (only tape I had...). I was able to press it in to the first hard stop by hand, and measured it as 3.0625 (3 1/16"). That 3/16" of movement contributed to the chain jumping.

Although... As luck would have it.... The cams and the crank chain is out the same amount, so the cams are still in line with the crank. The balance shafts look to the a little more out that the rest, but I will be resetting everything to spec.

It could have been an install error. I am not the first owner of this car. But timing chains are way easier to set that belts. As long as the chain hasn't stretched..........
 
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