vr6 gearbox / engine noises?? not for me..for a mate

[jedi-knight83 0]

this is for a mate with a 96 vr6........he is scared of using the forum cause he thinks it sgay...or something like that

 

 

anyway the car as done about 140k now and has been serviced regularly. over the past 2 weeks there has been a strange noise sounding like the car is actually working harder than the rev counter is indicating. it hasnt made the car any slower....just making a droaning noise around 2000rpm and upwards

 

Now i have told him the usual stuf about chain tensioners and clutch bearings etc...but is there anything else it could be??

 

thanks (on behalf of john cook)

[jedi-knight83 0]

update, i told him to listen to the engie with the bonet open and with the car at about 2500 rpm and he said the noise sounds more metaly now and it from the top part of the engine... probably tappets or chain.

[PhatVR6 0]

chains/tensioner are f*cked, don't run the engine again until it's sorted.

[jedi-knight83 0]

why?? i understood the tensioner was just a noise issue and would not damage the engine??

[Kevin Bacon 5]

this is for a mate with a 96 vr6........he is scared of using the forum cause he thinks it's gay...or something like that

 

But surely that makes his Corrado gay by association?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

why?? i understood the tensioner was just a noise issue and would not damage the engine??

 

It is just a noise until the chain becomes so slack it jumps teeth on the cam wheels! But that's quite rare under normal driving.

[PhatVR6 0]

I've had it happen, bent 3 valves, not good.....

[jedi-knight83 0]

so is it relatively cheap to check if the tensioner is shot?? not replace...just check it.

[PhatVR6 0]

nope!

 

engine strip down time.

[dr_mat 0]

Do you know where the noise is coming from? It could be the alternator, the PS pump, or the water pump too. It might even be the belt tensioner.

Depends on the exact type of noise and whereabouts it's coming from.

If it's the right hand side of the car (as you look at the car from in front of it), then it's likely to be the chains or the clutch (or gearbox input shaft). If it's the left it's most likely something on the aux belt.

[jedi-knight83 0]

well i havent listened to it myself...maybe i'll get round to hearing it sometime??

 

im suprised at the sudden change of tune with the chain tensioners...... i have read other posts about the noise being a problem when they go...but not having to worry about it doing any other damage... and yet now your all saying that it needs doing NOW or the engine will be a pile of bent metal

 

makes me start to worry about mine

[dr_mat 0]

Ok, PhatVR6 was very unlucky.

The concensus here and over on the 12vVR6 forum is that the tensioner and chains very rarely snap or slip teeth. Many people have put up with the noises for some significant amounts of time without big problems. Basically if it slips *a* tooth you'd like damn well know about it, but you won't do any damage. If it slips a second time it's quite possible for bending of expensive things, but as said this is VERY UNLIKELY.

That said - if you know they're going it can only make sense that you think about getting them done - start saving. Estimates are for around 5 hours labour and about £200 in parts to do it properly.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

If you ever do the tappets, you can get an idea of how your tensioners are doing then.

 

If the upper part of the upper tensioner blade is showing signs of pitting....plan on a change within the next 20K.

 

If there are deep grooves in the blade and or/missing rivets.....get it done ASAP.

 

If the orange/brown plastic is missing from the upper blade..... you are heading for cam wheel jump city!

K

[jedi-knight83 0]

just thought i would update this so if anyone is doing a search on a similar subject...they know what the result was,

 

John took his car to cowley rd garage (VW specialists) in cambridge and they took it for a drive.

 

It was a near side wheel bearing. car now runs like new again.

 

cheers

[dr_mat 0]

That's quite a difference from the timing chains...

:roll:

[jedi-knight83 0]

well id like to point out that i didnt listen to it myself....that was his description of the noise to me over the phone :? :roll: