It's me again, servicing questions and is this noise my tensioner?

[bentwenty]

Hello one and all.
As I've had the car a few weeks now, I'm starting to look into one or two issues it might have.
It's a 54 A6 3.0 TDi BMK.

The most major of them is this noise, the video was shot just now, the car was cold.


By the sounds of it, this could be the dreaded chain tensioner.

In terms of servicing, the car doesn't seem to have a belt, but it looks like the tensioner needs replacing at 80k miles, is that true?
The service history for the car is regular and very good, but the last two entries in it imply that additional work was done both times, what should that have been?

I am waiting for the second garage to call me back and confirm what work was carried out.

If that sound is the tensioner, what are the consequences if left for a few weeks? I'm waiting on my copy of Elsawin to arrive, so I'll have a look on there and asses wether or not to do the job myself.
If I can't, I will be taking it to my trusted VAG specialist, what is the going rate for that job?
Lastly, the car is now on 111,5xx miles, are there any items other than regular oil and filter changes that should have been done or will need doing? For example, how often does the ATF need replacing?
Thanks all!

 

[RoyC]

My trans is a multitronic, so change ATF every 38k.
Yours is probably a tiptronic trans, so change 100k max.
Some people say tiptronic is for life but seem that they do benefit from an ATF change. - http://www.audiworld.com/forums/a6-.../so-you-want-change-your-trans-fluid-2816950/

and here - http://bd8ba3c866c8cbc330ab-7b26c6f...02d6.r6.cf1.rackcdn.com/AudiTiptronic2013.pdf

 

[gianton]

Hello one and all.
As I've had the car a few weeks now, I'm starting to look into one or two issues it might have.
It's a 54 A6 3.0 TDi BMK.

The most major of them is this noise, the video was shot just now, the car was cold.


By the sounds of it, this could be the dreaded chain tensioner.

In terms of servicing, the car doesn't seem to have a belt, but it looks like the tensioner needs replacing at 80k miles, is that true?
The service history for the car is regular and very good, but the last two entries in it imply that additional work was done both times, what should that have been?

I am waiting for the second garage to call me back and confirm what work was carried out.

If that sound is the tensioner, what are the consequences if left for a few weeks? I'm waiting on my copy of Elsawin to arrive, so I'll have a look on there and asses wether or not to do the job myself.
If I can't, I will be taking it to my trusted VAG specialist, what is the going rate for that job?
Lastly, the car is now on 111,5xx miles, are there any items other than regular oil and filter changes that should have been done or will need doing? For example, how often does the ATF need replacing?
Thanks all!

My car has 140k miles and had the tranny oil/filter changed 3 times so far. First change was at 80k and rest two every 30k. Last one was last month. Other than the glogged DPF which destroyed the injectors and finally replaced them with a DPF removal and EGR delete, haven't had any serious issues.
My car is the 3.0 tdi Allroad 06 with the ASB engine.

 

[bentwenty]

Thank you both for the info. I will do the ATF at the next service then! It is indeed a tiptronic box.
I am planning on having it remapped by Darkside developments in the future, so I will fit an EGR delete, and EGR cooler delete and a straight exhaust with dpf delete at the same time
Do either of you have any ideas on the noise? I was thinking possibly starter not disengaging, but the more I look the more likely it seems to be tensioner.

 

[RoyC]

Thank you both for the info. I will do the ATF at the next service then! It is indeed a tiptronic box.
I am planning on having it remapped by Darkside developments in the future, so I will fit an EGR delete, and EGR cooler delete and a straight exhaust with dpf delete at the same time
Do either of you have any ideas on the noise? I was thinking possibly starter not disengaging, but the more I look the more likely it seems to be tensioner.

I does sound like a chain rattling, but I have no experience of this problem so can't say for sure.

 

[rallymangtb]

That defently sounds like bad chain rattle I'd get that looked at asap mate

 

[rallymangtb]

I know some diesels get noisy injectors so that's another possibility is the noise coming from all over the engine or just one percific place

 

[bentwenty]

That defently sounds like bad chain rattle I'd get that looked at asap mate

That's my thinking as well. In my mind it sounds like the tensioner has no oil pressure at startup and therefore the chain is slack, as the oil pressure builds it tensions the chain and the noise goes.
There is also the injector 'tappety' noise, but that's constant and symmetrical across all cylinders, so it doesn't worry me.
Once I have Elsawin up and running (hopefully this week) I will have a look at what's involved, if I think it's within my scope, I'll price it up and go ahead. But from what I've seen its a massive ball ache! So I may be booking it into my local trusted VAG specialist...

 

[rallymangtb]

Yea it does look a right ball ache yr right there .mine rattles very momentarily and only now and then so hopefully it be OK. Why audi never done tentioners that come out from the side of the engine is beyond me it would be so much easier

 

[bentwenty]

My apologies for the long wait!
It went into my favorite VAG specialist on last Friday.
They charged my £10 for the courtesy car and nothing else, and handed it back about 2h later
Their diagnosis was 'yes, there is timing chain noise on startup'... They suspect either tensioner or guides, both are common on the earlier V6s it seems.
They recommended putting some strong engine flush in, running it at high idle fro 20 minutes, then letting the oil drain for an hour or so. Then fill it up with the correct oil, replace the filter, and add some smoke stop oil additive.
I have bought a new Mann filter, 10l of Quantum 5W-30 longlife, 0.6l of Liqui Moly engine flush, and 0.6l of Liqui Moly MOS2 oil additive.
I will be doing the job on the weekend, does anyone else have any suggestions?
If that doesn't help, it's the full works; engine out, air con service etc, new chains, guides, tensioners etc. They estimate £3-4k...