GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

Official Timing Chain Tensioner failure thread

ferrariF601

ferrariF601

Ready to race!
jshay said:
Any more news on the lawsuit?
Click to expand...

yeah, what he said.....any more news???

oh, and will this cover Canadian cars as well?? i too have replaced my tensioner and chain at an indi shop that specializes only on european cars and would be nice if i can get a refund back, if not all at least a portion
 
sterkrazzy

sterkrazzy

Autocross Champion
I never got a call back. I wanted to ask them if we would be reimbursed if we had the tensioner and chain replaced before there was an issue or if people are only being reimbursed if they had the tensioner fail.
 
B

BudgetPhoenix

Autocross Champion
conspartaco said:
My 2010 mk6 GTI recently hit 120k. I'm noticing what seems to be chain rattle on startup, was wondering if anyone could verify this for me. I'm thinking I should buy a replacement kit regardless...

https://youtu.be/MOZPsAVKjS8

Should I be driving my car with this noise?
Click to expand...

No! If you have the old tensioner get that shit replaced ASAP. Youre playing with fire, they can literally fail any time. Preferably do the chain too
 
sterkrazzy

sterkrazzy

Autocross Champion
Ya, at 120k that chain is gonna be pretty stretched. There's been a revision for that too.
 
Tony48

Tony48

Go Kart Champion
BudgetPhoenix said:
No! If you have the old tensioner get that shit replaced ASAP. Youre playing with fire, they can literally fail any time. Preferably do the chain too
Click to expand...

sterkrazzy said:
Ya, at 120k that chain is gonna be pretty stretched. There's been a revision for that too.
Click to expand...
Info about revised chain:
Tony48 said:
Yes, chain can stretch and cause issues. I made a post about it in this thread just a few weeks ago with a picture comparing the old chain to the revised version.
Click to expand...
 
B

BudgetPhoenix

Autocross Champion
I actually installed the new tensioner but not the chain at 90k and my car was still sounding like yours on hot starts after sitting in the sun until I went back and did the chain too.
 
C

conspartaco

New member
Wasn't expecting the chain to need replacement too... Any good kits out there which include everything I need for the job? Shopdap has a tensioner kit that looks pretty good but I don't know about the chain itself. Looking to order this today.
 
jettaglis

jettaglis

Go Kart Champion
conspartaco said:
Wasn't expecting the chain to need replacement too... Any good kits out there which include everything I need for the job? Shopdap has a tensioner kit that looks pretty good but I don't know about the chain itself. Looking to order this today.
Click to expand...

Do the job once and do it right! Get the chain too.
 
B

BudgetPhoenix

Autocross Champion
conspartaco said:
If the chain is supposed to last the life of the car, why replace it at 120k? Does it stretch/get damaged from the rattling noise?
Click to expand...


"theoretically" last life of the car, but myself and many others have had issues with the chain. It has been redesigned several times since the EA888 TSI came out. Numerous cases of peopling jumping timing without tensioner failure, chain stretch causing digging into the timing cover etc. If you have VCDS you can check block 93 cam phase adjustment when the car is fully warmed to get an idea of how much the chain is stretched. -4.00 degrees is starting to get pretty bad. I was getting rattling at -4.20 and after replacement im at -1.5 degrees and car seems to run a bit better as well.
 
hbrown0509

hbrown0509

Go Kart Champion
I’m only at 37k miles on my 2013 and will get occasional rattle on start up. It happens usually when it’s been driven for a while and in the ambient temps above the 90s after it’s been sitting for a little a while. Is this normal when it’s so hot out? Have noticed it off and on especially last summer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
B

BudgetPhoenix

Autocross Champion
hbrown0509 said:
I’m only at 37k miles on my 2013 and will get occasional rattle on start up. It happens usually when it’s been driven for a while and in the ambient temps above the 90s after it’s been sitting for a little a while. Is this normal when it’s so hot out? Have noticed it off and on especially last summer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Thats the exact symptom I had with my 09 even AFTER installing the updated tensioner. Warm start rattle only, usually after it had been sitting for 30 minutes to 1 hour after driving on hot ambient temp days. Zero noise on cold starts like you typically see in videos of failing old style tensioners, but sound was similar. Noise went away after I put in a new chain.
 
hbrown0509

hbrown0509

Go Kart Champion
BudgetPhoenix said:
Thats the exact symptom I had with my 09 even AFTER installing the updated tensioner. Warm start rattle only, usually after it had been sitting for 30 minutes to 1 hour after driving on hot ambient temp days. Zero noise on cold starts like you typically see in videos of failing old style tensioners, but sound was similar. Noise went away after I put in a new chain.
Click to expand...



That’s exactly what happens to mine as well. Though seems odd with my car being such lower mileage compared to everyone else that comment here. I read the comment about the bad revisions of the chains themselves. Is it possible to see it happen so early on? I’m only on stage 2 power level.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
ferrariF601

ferrariF601

Ready to race!
BudgetPhoenix said:
"theoretically" last life of the car, but myself and many others have had issues with the chain. It has been redesigned several times since the EA888 TSI came out. Numerous cases of peopling jumping timing without tensioner failure, chain stretch causing digging into the timing cover etc. If you have VCDS you can check block 93 cam phase adjustment when the car is fully warmed to get an idea of how much the chain is stretched. -4.00 degrees is starting to get pretty bad. I was getting rattling at -4.20 and after replacement im at -1.5 degrees and car seems to run a bit better as well.
Click to expand...

i too changed my tensioner and chain on my 2010 gti with only 40k miles on the clock.....it was NOT rattling at all and when i checked block 93 the value there was -1.95 so well within the limits.

i just changed it as a preventitive measure as i tend to keep the car for a long while
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top