Cambelt tensioner failed - Noooooo!!

Callum · Post by **Callum** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 1:04 pm

No probs,

No, I used to work for Vagspares in Longhope, just outside of Glos, for 4.5 years, then I went to Skoda which was ok, but got bored of working on new cars

I'm actually in a completely different job now, working with industrial tyres - Watts Tyres, I'm one of the Uk's sales managers for them, but still work on VW's alot in my spare time.

I've owned about 10 different vw's since I started driving, and one ibiza cupra sport for abit!!

I love my GTI's and VR6's they are great!! Still very tempted to go down the 1.8 20VT for the Polo, but will have to see what happens!!

polo power · Post by **polo power** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:26 pm

orite i c chap sounds good with the 1.8 20vt conversion ive also been quite tempted with doing this is there much i would need to do to convert my 1.4 8v to the 1.6 16v gti?

jezmk4 · Post by **jezmk4** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 5:04 pm

Callum wrote:Cheers guys

It's 'the stripdown' this weekend, I've rang around for some prices, managed to find a complete engine with 21k on the clock for Â£250 +vat so that might be an option.

No one will seperate an engine, and all the bits from VW are Â£650+ so thats not an option!!

I will try timing it up, and see if it will start before I go and buy...

Otherwise it might be a 20VT conversion!! Which I've fancied doing for ages!!

Ive got a complete GTI head which you can have for Â£30

the head its self is physically damaged, but if you want to swap all the valves over, its a cheaper option than both the others

Would be very interested when you take it apart to see if the rockers are in place, the head i have was damaged by the rockers coming off and flailing around the inside of the rocker cover and damaging the tappet locating holes

also of note, my GSF cambelt tensioner was identical to a VAG tensioner that i removed.....

but that maybe just for the mk4 16v engines....

M6TT F · Post by **M6TT F** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:05 pm

picked up the genuine VAG kit this morning, and the tensioners are identical to the GSF ones. They're even made by the same people "INA" so it's probably safe to say the GSF ones are just as likely to be as good as the VAG ones. But for warranty claims, I guess you stand a much better chance with genuine parts!

Callum · Post by **Callum** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 9:35 am

Right, well I have stripped it down to find the main bolt that goes through the tensioner has snapped.....

The tensioner is just sort of dingle dangling around, managed to get the bolt out of the block, it has very cleanly snapped off.

No sign of twist, or anything like that, it was torqued up to the correct settings when fitted.

I have shown the bolt to a good friend of mine who is an engineer and he has said that the bolt looks like it's made of cheese!! Very poor quality.

I managed to get another bolt, I've timed the engine up and it's 'Game Over', no compression at all... Doh!

I would be tempted in that head Jezmk4 - Give me a shout if you can

07831 689724

Cheers

Callum

jezmk4 · Post by **jezmk4** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 4:03 pm

Callum wrote:Right, well I have stripped it down to find the main bolt that goes through the tensioner has snapped.....

The tensioner is just sort of dingle dangling around, managed to get the bolt out of the block, it has very cleanly snapped off.

No sign of twist, or anything like that, it was torqued up to the correct settings when fitted.

I have shown the bolt to a good friend of mine who is an engineer and he has said that the bolt looks like it's made of cheese!! Very poor quality.

I managed to get another bolt, I've timed the engine up and it's 'Game Over', no compression at all... Doh!

I would be tempted in that head Jezmk4 - Give me a shout if you can

07831 689724

Cheers

Callum

I tell you what's interesting.. I snapped one of the mentioned bolts when I was playing around with my engines...

If you have a peep in the Haynes manual, the torque its meant to be tightened too, doesn't feel right, feels like it should have a lot more on it

I wasn't sure if it was the haynes telling porkies or what!

Yea dude, if you want the head, its yours, ill Send you a PM

Silky V · Post by **Silky V** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 10:16 pm

Just out of curiosity what did this problem sound like?

Callum · Post by **Callum** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:12 pm

Sound like? Not sure what you mean?

Engine rattled it's brains out when the bolt snapped, bent every inlet valve, spent all my christmas holidays rebuilding it!!

Silky V · Post by **Silky V** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:12 pm

Just wanted to know if the sound was a really noticable rattle, as in you'd be pretty stupid if you didn't hear it.