Cam chain tensioner

[Andy123]

I'm looking at replacing my chain tensioner, I didn't replace it on the rebuild I did and it sounds as though there is a bit of a rattle so I am going to replace it for peace of mind. I found this one on ebay including the gasket for £129.99 apparently a genuine item. Seems a pretty good deal if anybody else needs one:

VW AUDI SEAT ECT 1.8 20v cylinder head chain tensioner | eBay UK

 

[wibble111]

Good find, doesnt say if its for the vvt head or not though.

 

[Andy123]

Yeah it has the vvt black cylinder and connection on it so it is a vvt one.

 

[<tuffty/>]

Thats not a genuine VAG tensioner mate soz... I have bought a similar one and ran it for a while... still rattled and when I changed the head again I noticed some wear marks on the tensioner piston so put my original VAG one back in...

I am going to try a non VVT unit when I get a chance, they are only used on warm up from what I understand and I have seen plenty of BT 1.8t's running non VVT making big power so its not going to hurt... just need to get it coded out of the map and I plan to connect just the soleniod back up to stop the ECU having a fit...

The non VAG unit also threw a fault code, can't remember off hand the exact code but was to do with the setpoint not being reached... this is to do with its operation in conjunction with the cam position sensor etc...

You have Supertech valves and springs as well don't you? the last BT VVT 20v I was involved with (an 06 plate Polo with around 485bhp) was rattling up top and was v low milieage but had new JR pistons, Surpertech valve gear etc... the Ibiza I worked on recently was a 1.9 with a supertech top end but didn't rattle and was non VVT... I have a theory that the VVT units are more likely to go loose on idle with the increased load of stiffer valve springs than non VVT tensioners... its a theory at the moment but Iplan to replace mine with a non VVT non the less...

Genuine non VVT are in the 100 quid region whereas VVT units are 300 plus... bonkers really... certianly not 200 quids worth of extra bits etc in them...

<tuffty/>

 

[Andy123]

Boll*cks to that then! Cheers for pointing that out mate- I thought I read that it was genuine but on second glance it doesn't. I'm pretty sure Unitronics didn't code my vvt off of the map. I might give them a ring later and see if it has been and if not then how.

I do have the supertech springs and valves so as you suggested this could be contributing to it. At idle it is fine, just seems to come about around the 2k mark but this is only after a few runs this morning where I applied a bit of load to it. If the genuine non vvt unit is only £100 then I might do that too providing Unitronics don't need the ecu back to code it out. Like you said as far as I am aware too it is only used on start up for enrichment purposes so shouldn't be much of an issue to change to the non vvt version.

I'll give Unitronics a ring later and see what they say about it and then go from there.