Cambelt Tensioner - Know Issue???

[Anito]

A Friend of mine who owns a Garriage sent me this..

"there is a batch of Audi 1.8 5 valve turbo engines with a problem with the cambelt tensioner, apparently they seize causing the belt to jump off its tensioner causing the pistons to hit the valves. mega expensive".


Has anyone else come across this or know anything about it. He had to do the mod for an A6 recently with the same engine.

 

[Dave_Cooper00]

Have heard from mechanic the tensioner was known to fail, allowing belt to jump (and then $$$). New tensioner design apparantly solves known problem.

 

[Anito]

So when was the chnage to the design and how do I know If my engine is affected or needs to mod?