1.4 TFSI Timing Chain
- Thread starter Tempz
- Start date
up to a grand. depends where you go, parts you use and change etc.
personally id leave it till you get an eml light.
the 1.4t(f)si engines, especially the earlier ones (they made a couple changes over the years) are known to sound rough on first startup.
had the same known issue on my last car, a 2.2 brera which was chain driven. common advice was to do regular oil changes and not change the chain until you got an eml for timing out of wack.
personally id leave it till you get an eml light.
the 1.4t(f)si engines, especially the earlier ones (they made a couple changes over the years) are known to sound rough on first startup.
had the same known issue on my last car, a 2.2 brera which was chain driven. common advice was to do regular oil changes and not change the chain until you got an eml for timing out of wack.
no doubt can be done for £500, if youre just doing the chain and guides by a mechanic or garage with low rates, but once you start changing the tensioner and other bits the price rises.
https://www.autodoc.co.uk/et-engineteam/12016959 £208 for a full kit not including gaskets, oil/filter etc etc.
would be interested in knowing what audi/vw charge for the parts and or labour.
btw, out of interest when was the oil last checked, and changed? the tensioners on these are done on oil pressure, so when cold starting if there is no oil in the tensioner holding the chain taught, it can clatter until oil pressure is built up.
https://www.autodoc.co.uk/et-engineteam/12016959 £208 for a full kit not including gaskets, oil/filter etc etc.
would be interested in knowing what audi/vw charge for the parts and or labour.
btw, out of interest when was the oil last checked, and changed? the tensioners on these are done on oil pressure, so when cold starting if there is no oil in the tensioner holding the chain taught, it can clatter until oil pressure is built up.
Never ever wait too long if chain start clattering, especially on tfsi. My friend had a problem on 1.4 tfsi 2009 with chain. Even without any signs and sound, chain just fall apart. It was very expensive repair.
The chain is one of the cheapest parts, while it’s open anyway, it’s better to replace it too in my opinion...
I understand that, you’d have to make up for yourself if you find it worth doing it. Eventually it can cause serious damage if the chain slips or breaks and you’ll end up with a bigger quote or no car. You won’t have another A3 for that price. I recently had to do the full cam chain job and a few other things for a total of €2000. It’s quite some, but then again my car is in such a condition that I think it’s worth and it can serve me quite some time. If I wasn’t sure about that, I wouldn’t have done it!
Yes mate if it goes I’ll end up with no car haha.
Even when warm now, if I leave the car off for let’s say 30 mins, and restart, there is a nasty clatter which goes away after half a second or so.
Never used to happen when warm before.
Even when warm now, if I leave the car off for let’s say 30 mins, and restart, there is a nasty clatter which goes away after half a second or so.
Never used to happen when warm before.
Exactly the same happened to mine, the warm weather made it start with that awful split second of noise... Mine was fixed last week and driving it is way more comfortable, it also runs a lot better (while I even thought it did before). If the rest of the car is worth the repair, you’ll definitely won’t regret it. Fixes the time bomb feeling when starting it every time! When you do, go to a VAG specialist and not the dealer since you overpay them by a lot.
Have you checked out other forums that use the 1.4 engine? Seat, Skoda, VW for tensioner/chain rattle problem. They may give you an idea if it is worth just changing the tensioner.
Also worth finding out if there is a an anti drain valve on the tensioner oil piping that has failed and causing your rattle.
Also worth finding out if there is a an anti drain valve on the tensioner oil piping that has failed and causing your rattle.
So I’m looking at a ballpark figure of £650 for tensioner and chain replacement by a VAG indy. They did warn the cost could rise by a fair bit if other things needed replacing.
I’m thinking to do a fresh oil and filter change and seeing what happens. If noise persists as it is, then I’ll just have to pay up I guess.
I’m thinking to do a fresh oil and filter change and seeing what happens. If noise persists as it is, then I’ll just have to pay up I guess.
When the chain and/or tensioner are changed they will change the oil again, it’s part of the job.
