stevenh 0 Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Solved 2 problems tonight!PCV valve leaking gave oil fumes and my tinny rattle appears to be the exhaust heat shield which has rusted a bit and is rattling.Just when I was happy, mechanic guy down the road came up for a looksee and when I started the car up he heard an unknown rattle, he thought was coming from around the back right of the block as you look at it, near the top end.This only occurs with the throttle holding around 1,400rpm, the engine is silent @ tickover.Can anyone give any indication as to what it could be?The car is 1997 R, just turned 73K with FVWSH so hoping it's not the chain yet - I have found posts relating to top tensioners or something?Any help, gratefully received. Link to post Share on other sites
Eat this 2 Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 sounds like chains r a possibility Link to post Share on other sites
stevenh 0 Posted June 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 How much am I looking to get that done?Gearbox out? Link to post Share on other sites
VR6Pete 1,455 Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 gearbox out job, about 700 quids at most garages... Link to post Share on other sites
mightyvr6 0 Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 I believe you can just replace the upper tensioner if it's worn without having to rip everything apart. Link to post Share on other sites
stevenh 0 Posted June 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Sodding typical!I have been reading how the later cars are less prone to problems with the top end, etc. and mine develops a blummin rattle.Don't suppose it could just be the tensioner bolt (crosses fingers) - worth checking anyway?It is only a slight rattle at the moment, hope it is stil ok to keep driving the car - don't want the chain to go slippy. Link to post Share on other sites
mightyvr6 0 Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Later cars had a better tensioner and bolt which is spring loaded and as well as operated by oil pressure. Not sure what year this was introduced. The newer tensioner and bolt is a good upgrade though. Its actually pretty rare for the chain to snap or jump a tooth but it's defo worth inspecting if it worries you. Link to post Share on other sites
stevenh 0 Posted June 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 OK, thanks! Link to post Share on other sites
Nerih 0 Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 stevenh, this is a REALLY important thing to get fixed, if ur tensioner's give up (which could happen at any time), you're chain will slip and ull get piston valve contact, ruining the engine. if you need the guide or part no's for doing this urself pm me.but after 73k considering mine has just done 75k on n'plates, i'm unsure about the tensioner's being a problem at this time. but get it checked, better safe than sorry... Link to post Share on other sites
shail 0 Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Agree with Nerih, just get it checked ASAP. I had a rattle a while ago thinking it was chains, thought i'd wait a while before getting it checked. Waited too long - engine went bang, wasnt the chains but was big-end problems which totally wreked teh engine. May have been able to fix it if i'd caught it earlier - that was a 97R on 90K! Link to post Share on other sites
jimbob 0 Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 I have a 97 R with 73k and full service history just like yours, i have just done the tensioners on mine cos they were rattling!!! I also thought that you could change the top tensioner without taking out the gearbox, how wrong i was!! the gearbox has to come out for both tensioners, In fact you can't really take anything from the timing side off with out taking the gearbox off!!! Although mine was quite a bad rattle the tensioners looked in good condition!! Link to post Share on other sites
stevenh 0 Posted June 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 What sort of time does this take? Will a decent garage be able to do it in a day? Link to post Share on other sites
dubloke 4 Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 should be able to achieve this in a day, providing they have all the parts prior to starting the work of course! Link to post Share on other sites
stevenh 0 Posted June 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 Just had the car checked over by a VW mechanic.He says there's nothing needing done! He said you may get a slight rattle when cold, but there was no noise to speak of on mine when hot, he said if he was servicing it at a main stealer he would have nothing to report in that area.Which was nice Panic over. Link to post Share on other sites
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