1.4 TDi oil pump / balance shaft chain and chain tensioner replacement.

Little Dog

A2OC Donor
European-Union
I'll prepare this guide as a series of steps. That way I will eventually get the guide completed.

Step 1.

Have some idea of what you want to achieve and how you will achieve it. So the first thing to do is get hold of a manual and study it. The one I have cost me just £10 and sits on the hard drive of my PC.

There are various options and kits available for this repair, from just the tensioner / tensioning rail, tensioner / tensioning rail plus a chain, all the components except the interference fit crank sprocket or finally all components. I bought all components from Febi, these are genuine Audi / VW components with the branding removed:

b86lLDF.jpg


The sprockets and chain from my car were in very good condition showing only slight signs of wear:

Dpapmxn.jpg


bHa6qT5.jpg


The tensioner and tensioning rail were however worn to what I think was the brink of failure. The pads that the chain runs over were almost completely worn through the tough surface material and the softer core material was breaking up:

kRsbtur.jpg


I think failure of my engine was not far away and this would have been caused by the tensioner and tenioning pads failing causing the chain to fail. I believe I could replaced just the tensioner and tensioning rail. Your decision but read this thread first as I will point out all the issues not covered in the manual.

Now is also the time to check your service history and consider:

New timing belt
New water pump
New auxiliary belt
New auxiliary belt tensioner
 
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Step 2

Make sure your standard tool box is up to the job.

Torque wrenches are essential and due to the range of torques and access issues I needed 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 torque wrenches.

Metric socket sets in 1/4 and 1/2 drive required but there is one bolt securing the engine mounting to block that is so difficult to access with the engine in situ that the Audi dealer (last garage to change a timing belt) had just left it loose. Standard 1/2 16mm socket is too long, long 3/8 16mm socket is too long. Standard 3/8 16mm socket is too short but I don't have one anyway. I torqued this bolt using a standard 3/8 drive 5/8 AF (16mm if you have one) socket adapted to 1/2 drive and 1/2 torque wrench.

Spline drive bit set is essential. Blue spot products from eBay are good quality and inexpensive.

Long length 1/2 drive or 3/4 breaker bar.

Jacks, axle stands and probably ramps. Otherwise be very careful using stands some bolts take some shifting.

Self tensioning pipe clip remover or standard mole grips
 
Step 3

Get together the must have additional tooling, listed in approximate order of use:

Long reach 5mm ball end allen key, VW tool T10058, for removing and replacing two sump screws behind the flywheel:

itaEFJw.jpg


Timing setting tools with auxiliary pulley retaining pin VW tools T10050, 3359, T10115, T10060 A:

NFFrun7.jpg


This set is for a friction damped timing set up. Hydraulic damping kit is sightly different. Also if there is a chance of repairs to the cylinder head in the future a kit with a cam hold tool and cam sprocket puller would be a good option at this stage:

SsITh6I.jpg


Crank pulley hold tool (on left), VW tool 3415:

IZjmhgp.jpg


Balance shaft sprocket bolt M14 spline drive, If you are replacing the balance shaft sprocket, VW tool T10061:

2p3zxhH.jpg


Substantial bearing puller, if you are replacing the crank sprocket:

trpGpQo.jpg


Suitable tool for fitting crank sprocket, VW tool 30-100. This is one I knocked up:

oCokORP.jpg


VW seal fitting tool T10053 (it may be possible to avoid the need for this tool but not if the crank front seal is to be replaced):

rPKhDcU.jpg


Cam sprocket hold tool (I believe only required for friction damped timing belts) VW tool T10172:

M3bYkMr.jpg
 
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Step 4

Consider a few tools I found very useful:

Engine support beam, the job can be done without this tool but having one makes the job so so so much easier. About £50 delivered from eBay:

3zrF8N7.jpg


A very sharp wood working chisel, very useful for clean separation of parts stuck with silicone gasket. Also shaves off old gasket very well therefore avoiding the need to use abrasives near your fully exposed crank etc.

Cooling system filling kit if you replace the water pump. Possibly a bit of a luxury but if you maintain more than one car that is at an age where water pumps fail, coolant services are wise, pipes fail, radiators fail etc, I would get one:

6EOQbRT.jpg
 
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Step 6

Purchase your recommended for replacement by Audi fixings, and check your torque wrenches:

4 x Vibration damper retaining screws (10Nm + 90degrees)
1 x Toothed belt sprocket to crankshaft bolt (120Nm + 90 degrees)
1 x Chain sprocket to oil pump bolt (20Nm + 90degrees)
1 x Counter weight to shaft bolt (100Nm + 90degrees)
1 x Idler sprocket to retaining frame bolt (20Nm)
3 x Chain tensioner to engine block screws (20Nm)

qm57Eev.jpg


In addition there are 6 engine mount bolts (M8 by 45mm 23Nm + 90 degrees, M10 by 60mm 60Nm + 90 degrees) that that Audi recommend for replacement and three O rings:

Dipstick tube
Oil Sensor
Oil pump to baffle.

Also purchase a tube of silicone engine gasket:

981k9Kr.jpg



Edit 27/11/23.

Be careful if buying a new crank front seal. Some sellers list the cam seal as a cam / crank seal but 7Zap list two slightly different numbers:

038103085C cam
038103085E front crank

Cam seal on the left, crank seal on the right, there are slight differences in OD and, despite what 7Zap lists, ID too:

IMG_00835.JPG


Cam seal drops into the front seal housing:

IMG_00836.JPG


Crank seal needs pressing in:

IMG_00837.JPG


Parts I have here for my engine are, please check before buying:

Cam Febi 38238 size 32.47.10

Crank Elring 155.560 35.48.10
 
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Wow, way beyond my capabilities but a great how to post.....much appreciated. this should be posted in the how to section without a doubt. admin?.
 
Step 7

Access the chain and tensioner

I first removed the engine bay under tray and RH wheel arch liner, removing the wheel arch liner is not in the manual but it gives better access to the engine mount and crank front pulley and sprockets. I got the car on the ramps and removed the auxiliary belt, tensioner and crank pulley and at the same time drained the sump and coiling system:

LKol3wR.jpg


Got an engine support bar in position, the job can be done without but the bar makes the job so much easier:

3zrF8N7.jpg


Job no 1 removing the sump. Turn the engine clockwise until two sump screws that are obscured by the flywheel can be seen and accessed through a cut out in the flywheel. This has to be done at this stage because the gap in the flywheel does not align with two screws at the rear of the sum once the timing is locked. With the gap well positioned both screws can be accessed without moving the engine further. The long 5mm allen key was essential for removing the screws along with the 10mm socket to get them moving:

Fo9mEKd.jpg


Remove all the sump screws, in my case 2 stripped the threads in the crank front seal housing and one snapped. This was caused by corrosion of the aluminium casting in contact with the steel screws. The casting was repaired using Helicoils.

onEYeYs.jpg


Once all of the sump screws are removed a few taps with a hide mallet loosens the sump. In my case despite removing the two screws securing the dipstick tube the tube couldn't be separated from the sump due the a build up of road salt over the years. It broke and had to be replaced. Inside the sump there is a baffle plate held by three screws and a number of plastic clips. Go easy on the clips they are brittle and easily broken. The chain is now partially accessible:

qURO2g4.jpg


Back to the front of the engine and engine mounting removed. Chassis side is easily removed through the wheel arch and the engine side is withdrawn upwards with screws still in the casting:

8RPg4yk.jpg


Decided to loosen (not remove) the crank bolt next. Primarily because I thought it would be a two man job and my mate was not available. It did turn out to be a two man job. The locking tool is a whopper and the breaker bar on the other end was the same length:

k1ffQLx.jpg


rpK3bG8.jpg


Then I set and locked the timing. Not an easy job, the locating hole in the head was burred and wouldn't take the 6mm cam locking tool. A 5.5mm drill went in easily and I could feel the burr. Had to run a 6mm drill in there to clean things out.

Eujl4GG.jpg


vUrlreC.jpg


Fit my new water pump and it dumped at least a litre of coolant on my tools. Have a bucket ready.

vZKhe1Z.jpg


At this point a coffee break is well earned
 
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Step 8

What you remove and how you remove it at this stage has a big influence on the amount of effort required to to reassemble the engine.

First remove the crank timing lock tool, crank bolt and crank timing sprocket. Before removing the Crank seal housing decide if you want to try and retain / reuse the existing crank seal:

7O8V2Uj.jpg


I had lots of trouble with this seal, all my previous experience has been with rubber seals. This crank seal is made of PTFE and behaves very differently to rubber. If it is slightly wrongly deformed it does not have the ability to recover like rubber.

Here are some links on the subject:

http://www.victorreinz.com/EN/Servi...-Oil-Seals-and-Their-Installation.aspx?region originally posted by Spike.

http://www.skf.com/uk/products/seal...on-general-industrial-applications/index.html originally posted by SCO

I have searched the manual and there is no guidance on reusing this seal however if the housing is carefully detached and removed square to the shaft then I suspect it may be possible to reuse the existing seal. The safe option though is to follow the manual and replace the seal using tool T10053.

At this point I was faced with a chain that was not positioned as in the manual:

VbhlvTH.jpg


The manual shows the crank sprocket timing mark at TDC and the chain timing links aligned with the timing marks on the crank and balancer sprockets. This took some thinking about and eventually I decided it did not matter if the crank mark was not at TDC or have the chain marks aligned providing there was the correct number of links between the crank sprocket timing mark and balance shaft timing mark. Don't try to move the crank you will lock your piston against your valves.

I replaced the full set of sprockets, chain etc so everything had to come off. The manual offers no advice on removing the oil pump sprocket so I held the balance shaft from turning and loosened it the pump sprocket first. Next the tensioner was held back and the idler sprocket and chain removed. The balance shaft was rotated so that it could be locked with a spanner:

obUJHiY.jpg


Balance shaft sprocket removed, tensioner removed and finally a big puller pulls the crank sprocket. Everything is now off the car.
 
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Step 9

Reassemble the chain drive, the crank sprocket is a good place to start. It has to be heated to 220C:

LaCCtMv.jpg


I found it impossible to locate correctly on the crank using pliers. I used a thick rag and could then feel when the positioning was correct. I didn't think it would be good to drift the sprocket on so knocked up a suitable tool:

oCokORP.jpg


Knocked up a chain wrench to secure the oil pump sprocket, I'm sure there must be a better way but it worked:

JOffnUz.jpg


Locked the balance shaft to secure the sproket:

obUJHiY.jpg


Tension rail fitted, timing marks aligned on crank sprocket and balance shaft sprocket with timing links on chain, fit idler sproket, release tensioner job done:

mrYnCwR.jpg
 
Step 10.

Set the timing and fit the timing belt, as I did this three times the photos may be out of sink with the words.

First clean off all old gasket. The manual recommends an abrasive device but I thought that was bad practice next to an exposed crank and could result in uneven mating surfaces and future leaks. A sharp wood chisel did a fine job.

Fit the front seal housing, very carefully if using the old seal and without a seal if replacing the seal. Fit the new seal:

1ARNKBs.jpg


Fit the crank timing pulley, crank hold tool and apply torque and extra turn. Move crank to set timing:

ywOWAlW.jpg


Ensure cam pulley is finger tight and rotate fully clockwise on cam, fit timing belt:

rWeBBU1.jpg


Set belt tension, I found an allen key to be much better than the recommended 2 pin tool:

P0NUDuq.jpg


Hold the cam sprocket anti clockwise (not too hard) and torque the cam sprocket screws:

M3bYkMr.jpg


Remove the timing tools and turn the engine over twice. Check the timing and belt tension and adjust as necessary.
 
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Not sure about turning the cam sprocket fully clockwise. The last point of fitting the belt is over the water pump, which will pull the sprocket in a clockwise direction but if it is hard up against the bolts... I have seen two different sets of instructions for an AMF with conflicting instructions for the sprocket. Either way, after fitting the belt, the sprocket should not be hard up against the three bolts. Also when tightening the bolts, there is no need to "hold" the sprocket; the cam is locked with the pin.

RAB
 
Not sure about turning the cam sprocket fully clockwise. The last point of fitting the belt is over the water pump, which will pull the sprocket in a clockwise direction but if it is hard up against the bolts... I have seen two different sets of instructions for an AMF with conflicting instructions for the sprocket. Either way, after fitting the belt, the sprocket should not be hard up against the three bolts. Also when tightening the bolts, there is no need to "hold" the sprocket; the cam is locked with the pin.

RAB

I know RAB those are exactly the points I was going to check in my manual. Primarily because you raised some doubt in my mind in the other thread on this subject. If you have hydraulic damping the instructions are different but this is what my manual says about friction damped belts:

lKl17PZ.jpg


K28hw5o.jpg


Agree with your comment regarding screw positioning. Following the instructions the screws finally torque up in the slots away from either stop. I'm not sure how they get like that because as you say with the cam sprocket hard clockwise (and the crank locked) it would be difficult to fit the belt over the water pump. However it works.

Perhaps the hold tool is more about ensuring the belt tension remains correct????

It could be that my manual is out of date. If there is alternative guidance for friction damped timing belts then please post up.
 
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K28hw5o.jpg


Following the instructions the screws finally torque up in the slots away from either stop. I'm not sure how they get like that.

The belt does go over the water pump and setting the tension pulls the cam sprocket back as only the crank lock is felt by the belt.
 
I have just done my son's 2003 Polo AMF cambelt and using instructions from the same source as you(?), there was no mention of T10172. Before you tighten the three cam bolts, the belt is already tensioned (or should be), the cam is still locked and therefore I cannot see any point in using T10172, as tightening, if done correctly (a bit at a time for each bolt), should not affect the sprocket position.

When the belt is positioned finally over the water pump, it does require a pull on the belt which can only, in turn, pull the sprocket in a clockwise direction. So I think previous full anticlockwise rotation is correct.

RAB
 
Step 11

Replace the sump, probably the most difficult thing was to keep the surfaces that had to be sealed free of oil. I started by replacing the baffle plate, some clips and screws, and also the oil sensor.

I then turned the engine clockwise until the two screws on the back of the sump can be accessed through the cutout in the flywheel. I cleaned up and have a trial fitting, I was surprised how tight the sump was on the baffle plate. The tight fit did ensure that the sump was perfectly aligned with the block.

Get all the tools together, set the torque wrenches, clean oil dribbles off for the last time and go for it. Apply sealant to the sump:

eaATlRR.jpg


After that is a matter of working quickly under the car, tightening screws in the right sequence to the correct torque.

iJ4LpsS.jpg


To avoid the risk of cross threading, the two screws behind the flywheel with offset access were started with a ball end allen key and torqued with a 10mm socket:

Gu8oR4D.jpg
 
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Step 12

At this point, providing the engine is safely supported, the engine could be started. I would also put the crank auxiliary pulley back on a temp basis, if you intend to start the engine, as it aids smooth running. Don't start anything, time to fill with oil and fill the cooling system if you have changed the water pump.

There is a burping procedure but vaccing and filling is so much easier:

6EOQbRT.jpg


Also allows you to start the car safely without distraction and check for oil leaks. I would recommen checking for oil leaks if you have refitted the original crank seal.
 
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Step 13

Put he car back together. Fairly straight forward so just a few tips.

The engine side of the engine mount was inserted from above with the screws positioned in the casting. One, perhaps two, cant be inserted once the casting is in position without significantly moving the engine. One screw is very difficult to access. I eventually torqued it using a 1/2" torque wrench 1/2" to 3/8" converter and a 3/8" drive 5/8" AF socket.

qsBiuya.jpg


The chassis side of the engine mount was positioned from under the wheel arch:

xGIzRzg.jpg


I couldn't find instructions for aligning the two parts of the engine mount. I put one screw in finger tight. Removed the engine support frame and got the car off its ramps and on level ground. I gave the engine a good shake and all the holes aligned.

If there is a better procedure please post up.

Finally be careful with the auxiliary tensioner, working under the car with an assistant to remove the locking tool is the safest option. Working alone from above it trapped my hand against the inner wing. Work underneath and remove locking tool with a bit of string??

Various other bits to replace then that's it job done.
 
Step 14

Enjoy the test drive, I immediately noticed the car was smoother and quieter running. It produces more low down torque an is more responsive.

All of that can't be a result of changing the chain so I suspect the timing belt has been a fraction out in the past. The reduced noise I am confident is a result of having replaced the chain.

I became aware of the potential for the chain to fail after reading this advice from Sarge https://www.a2oc.net/community/index.php?threads/tdi-owners-must-read-please.31686/#post-267838. My engine was a little noisy but with nearly 150k miles on the clock, noticeable rattling when accelerating hard and no other obvious source of the rattling I decided to do this job before my luck ran out.

Now on to the front suspension rebuild.
 
I'll prepare this guide as a series of steps. That way I will eventually get the guide completed.

Step 1.

Have some idea of what you want to achieve and how you will achieve it. So the first thing to do is get hold of a manual and study it. The one I have cost me just £10 and sits on the hard drive of my PC.

There are various options and kits available for this repair, from just the tensioner / tensioning rail, tensioner / tensioning rail plus a chain, all the components except the interference fit crank sprocket or finally all components. I bought all components from Febi, these are genuine Audi / VW components with the branding removed:

b86lLDF.jpg


The sprockets and chain from my car were in very good condition showing only slight signs of wear:

Dpapmxn.jpg


bHa6qT5.jpg


The tensioner and tensioning rail were however worn to what I think was the brink of failure. The pads that the chain runs over were almost completely worn through the tough surface material and the softer core material was breaking up:

kRsbtur.jpg


I think failure of my engine was not far away and this would have been caused by the tensioner and tenioning pads failing causing the chain to fail. I believe I could replaced just the tensioner and tensioning rail. Your decision but read this thread first as I will point out all the issues not covered in the manual.

Now is also the time to check your service history and consider:

New timing belt
New water pump
New auxiliary belt
New auxiliary belt tensioner
WHAT WAS THE CAUSE U CHANGED THE CHAIN, RATTLING...OIL PRESURE LID..?
 
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