A3 1.4 tfsi chain cambelt + waterpump change price options

guysy

guysy

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Hi,

In the last few months I purchased a Audi a3 1.4 tfsi, 2010 plate, I realised they have some issues regarding the chain cambelt.

I purchased the car as its a nice example, but going back to the cambelt, I am aware its chain driven.

There isnt a secondary rubber cambelt is there? not sure where I read something similar.

On cold starts the chain rattles, varying in noise. I am interested on opinions that it should be ok... or should be changed.

I see Audi's fixed service price is £649 with water pump.

Does anyone have some rough private or specialist garage pricing to compare to?

Thanks.
 
£650 is the going rate for a chain and tensioner change, others have had the same quote. You could ask a a VAG Indy for a quote as well but won’t be a lot less. It’s also good practice to change the water pump as well when the chain is done.
 
Thank you, £649 fixed price servicing with Audi includes the water pump.

Without its £495 (cam belt only)

Can anyone let me know if the water pump Fan/Aux belt driven or cam belt driven? I imagine fan belt driven?
 
So this engine has a chain cam belt on one side and a rubber type belt on the other side driving a water pump?
 
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yep. chain is on the left side, waterpump and aux belt on the right.
figure 6 in this pic. interestingly, as i own an a3 with the same engine, figure 3 is an electric coolant pump.

rdcd4Jg.jpg
 
Interesting! cheers for the info, So just thinking out loud, If I go for the cambelt and water pump option, that should include a new chain with tensioners and on the other side a new water pump with belt?

I will need to phone the dealer to confirm this, that makes the fixed price seem pretty decent tbh.
 
I would ring up, as the fixed price servicing specifically mentions rubber cambelt not timing chain , so it might be an oversight or it might mean the chain is more. But yeah both parts would be changed.

Personally id definitely ask around at a vag indy, as the parts for the water pump and belt cost just under 40 quid.
 
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I had a cambelt, water pump and fuel filter done for around £400 at a VAG Specialist.
I'd definitely Google for one in your area and see what they can do it for.
 
Ok cheers, sorry to sound strange but its my first Audi, is vag indy one company or a term for vag specialists?

Im in Essex if there are any garages local to me?

Thanks.

Edit: Just emailed VWauditech in Bishops Stortford, will see if they get back to me.
 
Right well the specialist got back to me with what now is a common first response "its chain sir it lasts the life of the engine" I said ok but I've heard these chains can stretch, mine is noisy. I got a quote from a specialist all in around £1130.

So I phoned my local Audi to ask if the fixed pricing would cover the chain belt, and the response I received was again "no sir a chain cam belt lasts the life of the engine. I said ok well sometimes not mine is noisy and I suspect it needs changing. All I heard back was ok well just because you've heard this or that ...it will need inspecting and no one is available until October.

Im not in a rush to get it done anyway but it would be nice to speak to someone who knows what there talking about!

Oh and im guessing Indy is short for independent garage?
 
I am assuming this is a Mechanic's nightmare job , so maybe you will find your quotes will reflect this fron Indy garages . Send @samuelh_888 a PM as he used to stay London area and normally knows off good garages nothing to lose
 
guysy said:
Right well the specialist got back to me with what now is a common first response "its chain sir it lasts the life of the engine" I said ok but I've heard these chains can stretch, mine is noisy. I got a quote from a specialist all in around £1130.

So I phoned my local Audi to ask if the fixed pricing would cover the chain belt, and the response I received was again "no sir a chain cam belt lasts the life of the engine. I said ok well sometimes not mine is noisy and I suspect it needs changing. All I heard back was ok well just because you've heard this or that ...it will need inspecting and no one is available until October.

Im not in a rush to get it done anyway but it would be nice to speak to someone who knows what there talking about!

Oh and im guessing Indy is short for independent garage?
Click to expand...
theyre helping you out if anything. the chain is meant to last you the life of the car. the noise might turn out to be nothing. google 1.4tsi (the vw branded variant of this engine, there is more user reports than with the 1.4 tfsi) with cold start noise, and youll get a load of results. as long as its not too noisy when warm, youre fine imo.

Tbh I wouldn't be changing the chain until I had reason to.
It's not like cambelt where it'll snap and lunch your valves. It'll stretch and throw up a light on the dash.
Some are noisier than others. On a cold start it can also be the injectors making that noise.

Regular maintenance is key with chain engines. When was the last time the oil was changed, and what oil was used?


vag=vw audi group, indy=independent garage
 
samisnake said:
theyre helping you out if anything. the chain is meant to last you the life of the car. the noise might turn out to be nothing. google 1.4tsi (the vw branded variant of this engine, there is more user reports than with the 1.4 tfsi) with cold start noise, and youll get a load of results. as long as its not too noisy when warm, youre fine imo.

Tbh I wouldn't be changing the chain until I had reason to.
It's not like cambelt where it'll snap and lunch your valves. It'll stretch and throw up a light on the dash.
Some are noisier than others. On a cold start it can also be the injectors making that noise.

Regular maintenance is key with chain engines. When was the last time the oil was changed, and what oil was used?


vag=vw audi group, indy=independent garage
Click to expand...

Appreciate the comment, I think you are probably right, I've only owned french cars before, Renault sports, and if the cambelt's go on them the engine is toast, thats my only previous with timing belts so I just thought I better do some research into these engines before leaving it be.

I will try and get a video of a cold start up, it isnt horrific by any means, I just thought It may need attention at some point. If the chain belts snap for whatever reason, are the engines contacting (if thats the correct term) i.e. the valves would hit the pistons?

I've only owned the car 3ish months, I've just done the rear discs and pads, Im onto front discs and pads next weekend and I will Oil and oil filter change at the same time as I have read it can help with the hydraulic tensioner for the chain?

Cheers.
 
cant say ive read of one snapping like that. 'interference' engine is name for the contacting, and im pretty sure these are, but from what ive read about them (i had the same worry as you!) by the time the chain stretches, the ignition timing is altered to compensate, then when the timing is too off, it wont start at all. youll have an eml light on the dash, and when scanned, an error code.
completely different to a rubber cambelt that can just snap due to fatigue and ruin your engine.

i wouldnt worry about it too much, but make sure you do regular (yearly/6-10k) oil and filter changes, using correct grade decent oil. vw502 or vw504 spec oil. 5w30 or 5w40.

when changing the oil, dont warm up the engine before you drain it. drain it cold.
https://forums.seatcupra.net/index....timing-chain-jumping-after-oil-change.395819/

another reason to relax a bit is that as yours is a 2010, itll have the spin on filter and oil supply line to the timing chain cover.
the spin on filter has an anti drain valve so oil remains at the top of the engine overnight.


JmY9PV0.jpg


just enjoy the car man
 
Ok thats good to read.

Same for the cold engine oil drop, usual practice for me is to warm the car up but I will give that link a read tomorrow.

Interesting about the anti drain, the current filter is a a Wix wl7467 the only reason I looked at the filter was to see what the previous garage fitted to see if it was a crap brand but Wix seem decent going back to the anti drain you are mentioning. I've ordered the correct oil and correct Bosch filter hopefully that will be decent enough.
 
Castrol Edge 5w40? cant remember the spec.

Just read the link about the cold oil drop, interesting.

Theres no chance on filling the spin on oil filter really though in this engines design?

I think I'll give it an oil change and see how I get on.
 
good oil. the 5w40 should be vw502, the 5w30 will be be vw504. only difference is the former is fixed interval, and the latter is long life. if you change it regularly it doesnt make a difference.

i filled my filter last oil change. fill it, then let it soak up for a few secs, then carefully, and quickly, screw it down. didnt spill any luckily, but would be a good idea to put something around the filter mount as the alternator is just below it.
 
Before I start a new thread I thought I'd ask in here, I did also wonder if it was related to the chain belt... In 4th gear, not every drive I take otherwise Id record it to try and capture the noise. But in 4th gear, I dont think I've had it in any other gear, under medium load and sometimes mainly as im pushing slightly up inclines, I get this crack crack crack noise in a short burst then gone, very strange, as I let off the accelerator it just seems to disappear?



It happened once tonight on the way home. Very strange, it doesnt sound gear related at all, any ideas?
 
samisnake said:
cant say ive read of one snapping like that. 'interference' engine is name for the contacting, and im pretty sure these are, but from what ive read about them (i had the same worry as you!) by the time the chain stretches, the ignition timing is altered to compensate, then when the timing is too off, it wont start at all. youll have an eml light on the dash, and when scanned, an error code.
completely different to a rubber cambelt that can just snap due to fatigue and ruin your engine.

i wouldnt worry about it too much, but make sure you do regular (yearly/6-10k) oil and filter changes, using correct grade decent oil. vw502 or vw504 spec oil. 5w30 or 5w40.

when changing the oil, dont warm up the engine before you drain it. drain it cold.
https://forums.seatcupra.net/index....timing-chain-jumping-after-oil-change.395819/

another reason to relax a bit is that as yours is a 2010, itll have the spin on filter and oil supply line to the timing chain cover.
the spin on filter has an anti drain valve so oil remains at the top of the engine overnight.


JmY9PV0.jpg


just enjoy the car man
Click to expand...

Lawyers in Australia and the USA are examining claims against Audi that several of their cars have been fitted with defective timing chains and tensioners, resulting in early engine failure and unsafe vehicles. Is anything being pursued in the UK about this issue?

Vehicles affected are: 2008 - 2012 A3, A4, A5, Q3, Q5, TT

My granddaughter’s A3 timing chain slipped and wrecked the engine at 88,000 miles.
 
There was a tpi to replaced the cam chains on 1.2 tfsi engines as they were noisey. Unsure if this carries over to the 1.4s, I changed loads of them when I was a tech at Audi.
 
Thanks. My granddaughter’s affected car is an Audi A3 Sport 197 TFSi 2008 1984cc and it’s vin identifies the engine brand, size and type as ZZZ8P.
 
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