fla 9 Posted April 24, 2014 Like a fool, for some reason i didnt replace the upper chain tensioner guide when i did the chains on my car. Its wearing through, not dire but has some grooved slots in it and i may as well do it while the rocker cover is off. Is there a 'quick' way of getting the gearbox off to swop it out? I'm thinking: trolley under gearbox, undo (7) bolts, slide gearbox to side 2 inches, remove old and refit new guide, refit bolts? Perhaps allow 2 hours for this? Cant remember whether anything else needs to come out to make space. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roger Blassberg 0 Posted April 24, 2014 Hasan, to get the lower timing chain cover off you will need to take off the gearbox, the clutch and the flywheel. It is not a 2 hour job!! It must be one of the most stupid design characteristics of the VR6 engine that the pivot for the tensioner blade is concealed by the lower cover. Is the tensioner the Mk4 (solid plastic) version? If so I would be tempted to live with slight grooves, as it is most unlikely to break up. Only consider changing it if it is the earlier rivetted composite type and the rivets look as though they are about to be ground down by the chain. Good luck RB Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fla 9 Posted April 24, 2014 thanks for that - no not nearly as bad as all that. Its the old-style rivetted one, but it still has the composite layer there without any cracks. Its about half way through the layer at 75,000 miles so i guess still ok for another 75,000??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarkB 10 Posted April 24, 2014 Well, technically . . . . You probably only have 50000 before its worn through the rivits! So take off safe zone add a 25% safety margin on top and reliability of the tensioner. . . . . you probably have about 100 miles left! Lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roger Blassberg 0 Posted April 24, 2014 Certainly check that the top chain guide rail is ok. They have a tendency to break around the mounting bolt holes. You can change that with the top cover off just by undoing 2 bolts (which you should try your best not to drop down inside the bottom cover!!!) The guide rail is very cheap, about £15 from VAG. RB Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
feeenix14 10 Posted April 24, 2014 what he said ^^ undo the 2 bolts and with no tensioner bolt on there hopefully there sould be enough slack to slide the guide rail up and off its locating pin and out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fla 9 Posted April 24, 2014 thanks Roger & feeenix14. Yes, thats new, i just cant think why i didnt change the tensioner pad when i did the chains. Its all easy when the engine is out, a different ballgame in situ! Looking at it again, it doenst look too bad, perhaps just me expecting it to be like a brand new one... Anyway, back to fitting the cams :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coullstar 0 Posted April 24, 2014 Gents, do you mean the bolts circled in yellow to remove/loosen? The upper guide then just slips off its locating pin? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
feeenix14 10 Posted April 24, 2014 If we are talking about the same thing then its the two bolts in pink, then it should pull up in the direction of my pink arrow off of its locating pin which is roughly where my pink cross is. I regret using the colour pink Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
feeenix14 10 Posted April 24, 2014 And i apologise for the terrible picture. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted April 24, 2014 thanks for that - no not nearly as bad as all that. Its the old-style rivetted one, but it still has the composite layer there without any cracks. Its about half way through the layer at 75,000 miles so i guess still ok for another 75,000??? You're lucky as mine had worn through the rivets at 73K. Yours won't last another 75K. Once the upper layer has worn through, it doesn't take long to wear down to the metal from there. That's probably why the revised the newer parts to be made from the same material all the way through. Like the bottom tensioner is, which begs the question...... As Roger says, VW and their madness. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seanl82 23 Posted April 24, 2014 (edited) I've just had my engine out and inspected the chains whilst at it, although they were replaced circa 6k ago. Tensioner pads were like New, but as mentioned my top guide rail had snapped in half, with the middle (lower of the two) bolt securing part broken off. May well be due to over tightening imo. I didn't notice it at a glance with the top cover off, only when removing the lower cover as its obviously held in place by the chains. I'm pretty sure it's the cause of the increased engine noise I've experienced over the last couple of months, so I'd definitely recommend having a really good look around it if you have the chance. http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?t=79984&p=1020551&viewfull=1#post1020551 Edited April 24, 2014 by seanl82 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted April 25, 2014 It's just a design weakness. Same thing happens on 24Vs with correctly torqued bolts. The design of that pad has never changed. As it's the longest pad, it might just be chain lash beating the hell out of it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
