VR6 chains mileage survey

[Dude VR6 0]

156000 miles and the chains haven`t been change, no noise but would like to get them changed just to be on the safe side.

[Timbo 0]

130K and a very obvious noise when warm. I plan on changing them when time/money/space allows.

[Reggit 0]

104k, runs quiet, serviced regularly and not thrashed - I may have a 'look-see' if I manage to buy a garage with a house attached. But as others have said if it went 'pop' tomorrow I wouldn't be overly concerned and look at it as a good excuse to chuck a 24v motor in. The cost of getting the work done is only a few hundred less than the cars worth in any case.

[big ben 10]

changed at 72k due to oil leak.. now on 74k and running and sounding sweet

[4eyes2wheels 0]

 

Third Picture Down

 

Guess the mileage?

 

That's mine! :wave:

[easypops 8]

 

Car not driven hard in an abuse way - just fast - occassionaly !! :lol:

 

 

:lol: :wave: :lol: :notworthy:

[rado2 0]

137,000 miles not been done and no noise , Did have some work done at 44,000 miles in the history looks like chain jumped a tooth or something . Should really get them done sometime soon. Where is the best place to get this kind of work done .

[big ben 10]

the phirm are cheapest and do a good job

[volksworld13 0]

198k, need doing, removed cam cover top pad very badly worn, still runs , no noise, next on my wish list, no history they have been touched or done, a credit to the service history/ oil changes every 10k, up 198k

[DIGGER B 0]

Had a broken spring in the gear box so when the car was in bits to resolve that I had the chains done to take advantage of the fact it was in bits. This was at about 73000. There was wear on the guides I think. My good friends at DG provided me with this service.

 

They are making out there your friends ..........when your wallets empty they wont invite you round anymore :lol:

[mic_VR 3]

Best things is to get them looked at regular intervals. It's not hard to get the cam/chain covers off to have a look etc.

 

People may not of heard of any chains actually failing but I think people forget that the chains DO stretch and that'll be putting your timing slightly out. Might not make a huge overall difference but my old VR motor's chains were pretty stretched and the timing was a few degrees out because of it. Add this to the noise, guides braking and ending up in your oil filter etc and I think anyone that just decides to run them until they eat the engine without even checking them isn't packing a full deck of cards.

 

At your peril people!

[Bullfinch 0]

Done at 140k - now runs really smooth (well when I'm back in the UK to drive it). Ashes test match for me on Sat and Sun :clap: . Looks like we are up against it.

[Purple Tom 0]

134k when I did mine - no noise but the top tensioner pad was broken around the rivets and the lower guide was completely snapped in half along its length.

 

Replaced all components with new, including the Mk4 top pad upgrade and it ran better, sounded better and seemed more powerful.

[joeyboswell 0]

Mine's in at Stealth now, with 139K on the clock, getting the chains, mk4 tensioners etc done. Wasn't excessively noisy and ran fine. I just wanted piece of mind and if it gets me a few more years with no issues from the engine then it's relatively cheap. Then I would be looking at a transplant probably.

[Jim Bowen 1]

some days i think i'd rather have a normal cam belt than a chain, all this palava about it.

[Portent 0]

Mine's in at Stealth now, with 139K on the clock, getting the chains, mk4 tensioners etc done. Wasn't excessively noisy and ran fine. I just wanted piece of mind and if it gets me a few more years with no issues from the engine then it's relatively cheap. Then I would be looking at a transplant probably.

 

How much is that costing if you don't mind me asking. Just a ballpark figure. Are you getting the clutch done at the same time?

[wy906 0]

80999 miles. Not changed.

 

Previous owner said that chain was checked in March 10 and it was fine. I Intend to have the top tensioner pad checked again in March 2011.

 

No real concern though.

[robrado974 1]

done by previous owner at 100k while the new head was fitted now on 140,000. engine is so quiet when started .

[NewbridgeJob 0]

Mines in the middle of Gettin them done now. Full set of chains and tensioners bought for £98 from euro car parts and a crank shaft oil seal from VW

 

Costing me £400 for the work from a VW specialist

[MattPc 0]

I changed my chains at 126K miles, change them as the top guide had a crack in it, the other guides were in pretty good condition, cost me £256 inc VAT for all chain related parts from a VW stealers. The chains were not noisey before changing, just changed everything for piece of mind and it only took me a weekend to do the lot including fitting of a 10 row oil cooler ready for work on the Monday :)

 

Matt

[dr_mat 0]

Changed at 112k miles due to stereotypical rattly noises. Top tensioner was riding on the rivets and the top of the pad was cracked and loose..

[Toad 0]

All the ones I've seen have had damaged top guides, independant of the state of the tensioner pad.

 

Mine had about 70k on it (replacement engine) Upper guide was cracked and broken, lower guide was in lots of pieces with some lumps of plastic jammed in the oil pump pick up pipe. Surprised none had jammed in the sprockets and chain.

[dukest 0]

some days i think i'd rather have a normal cam belt than a chain, all this palava about it.

but thats the thing, there shouldn't be any palava about it?? my brother in law just had to pay around a grand for the belt and a couple of other bits to be changed at 70k on his audi allroad (and not at audi either).

 

so, to check chains at say 80k and change them (on average lets say) every 120k sounds like perfectly reasonable effort vs maybe changing a belt every 60k. if it costs £5-600 (excl the clutch) i dont see that being any different to say £300 for a garage to change the belt on an old car twice as often?

 

i dont see what people make a fuss about - its really a non-issue to the extent that your car needs maintaining at sensible intervals and if you dont do that then you run the risk of it breaking. its only a topic of discussion because for the last few years most of the corrados out there have been reaching the mileage where it should be done.

 

i was sceptical about the thread at the beginning because anyone buying a VR should already have taken everything thats been said here into account. all it does is to make people think its a problem for VRs when really its just normal maintenance.

[Roger Blassberg 0]

All timing gear changed at 203,000, guides, tensioners and chains. The upper tensioner blade was worn through, the top rivets were gone completely. I used the solid polymer replacement part. The guides were scored but complete and not broken.

 

I did the job myself (with the aid of the article on this forum), over several months. The most difficult part was locating all the bell-housing bolts!

 

All back together now and running very quietly; it had a bit of a rattle before the work but not too loud.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[joeyboswell 0]

Mine's in at Stealth now, with 139K on the clock, getting the chains, mk4 tensioners etc done. Wasn't excessively noisy and ran fine. I just wanted piece of mind and if it gets me a few more years with no issues from the engine then it's relatively cheap. Then I would be looking at a transplant probably.

 

How much is that costing if you don't mind me asking. Just a ballpark figure. Are you getting the clutch done at the same time?

 

I had quite a few bits done and haven't got the break-dwon on me. I remember when I was getting quotes it was a similar price to other garages but you know they are going to do it with no fuss, being the corrado dons they are. Just give them a shout...Vince will reply with a quote asap. Get it done before the VAT rise too!