So I have an Octavia Vrs Fl tsi on a 59 plate. It has 49000 miles on. Only ever had one problem which was it leaked a bit of oil from a breather pipe which was sorted under warranty. I have owned the car for 2 years and I've been Shark stage 2 running 282 bhp and 350 torque for around 6 months. A few days ago my car took a number of turns to fire up and then threw an ECU light. I scanned it with vcds and it came up with a p0016 a cam timing code..... I cleared the code it then returned after 2 more journeys on the same day. I cleared it one more time then it started to run rough like the timing was out. I left it over night. I have decided not to start the engine again as I fear catastrophic damage. I've trailered the car to my trusted mechanic who will change the cam chains and tensioner and guides for 414 pounds. With the latest revision vag parts. I consider myself lucky I got a warning regarding this problem. And my engine didn't just implode. Unless of course I've misinterpreted these symptoms and it is in fact just a sensor at fault......

Steve

Gutted to hear Steve but as you say, thankfully you got a warning, £414 is a lot cheaper than the price of a new engine and when you get it back, you will be safe in the knowledge it will have the latest tensioner!

I wonder if this is the same issue or maybe just a partial failure (if possible) as all the other examples seem to baulk the engine in a split second. Either way happy you have managed to get it repaired for a comparatively small sum. 

So my garage has confirmed the chain has skipped three teeth. So I'm very lucky it was not a new engine. Apparently reading on here the tolerance is 5 before fatal engine damage. All parts are coming in next few days so should have it back Tuesday. I feel very lucky indeed. I may well open a case with Skoda and see if they will contribute if my garage writes a report. Although unlikely I suppose.

That is a fantastic price for doing that job. I doubt very much too that Skoda UK will contribute to a repair carried out by an independent, but you have norhing to lose by asking. Can your trusted mechanic see why the existing tensioner has failed?

Phew you were lucky then - can I have your lottery numbers for tonight's Euro millions lottery  :sun:

Very luckyy! Is it 5 teeth before massive damage occurs? Surely just one tooth would affect timing alone?

I suspect that 5 teeth is the point where the valves collide sufficiently with the cylinder head to cause damage. 

There is not a problem with these engines "According to VAG" I'm sure my friend actually has this in writing. His 59 plate golt GTI with 40000 went bang last month.

Compared to the sheer number of these engines still in use and showing no sign of an issue then I agree with VAG on the "There is no problem with these engines".

Look at the number of them in VW, Skoda, Seat's - the number of failures will be far, far lower than a single percentage of the engines produced.

Compared to the sheer number of these engines still in use and showing no sign of an issue then I agree with VAG on the "There is no problem with these engines".

Look at the number of them in VW, Skoda, Seat's - the number of failures will be far, far lower than a single percentage of the engines produced.

If there's not a known problem, why has the tensioner been modified ?. You wouldn't change a part if it's not broken or a problem. You could say the same about the 2.0 PD Diesel engines, a very small percentage actually stopped/cut out, but they were all recalled.

Just cos something has been updated doesn't mean the previous one is defective. Car parts are updated all the time as technology advances, prices lower and progressions are made in design which lead to newer models. Look at the Porsche 911 and how many times they keep saying it's a new model but it looks virtually the same as the last one, over and over again.

 

Companies simply can't afford to stand on one design and rest on their laurels.

I think its fair to say the majority of failures seem to be on earlyish cars for the tsi engine. And certainly agree before I had the issue I wasn't concerned in then slightest. But obviously I've been bitten now so opinions change as would anyone's naturally. I have to say you hear very little about tfsi's failing. And its funny how the bigger powered vag cars use old belt driven engine like the golf r etc... Anyway either way if it had needed a new engine I wouldn't have got one I would have ended up breaking the car for parts. So I'll just be glad to have it back.

As for vag having a problem they know there is an issue otherwise they wouldn't goodwill contribute. But the issue is certainly not large enough on their radar to recall. But who knows what these big companies do and don't know and what they cover up. And believing VAG are a hundred per cent honest company would be foolish no big company is entirely honest and upfront. With regards to aspects of there business.

If there's not a known problem, why has the tensioner been modified ?. You wouldn't change a part if it's not broken or a problem. You could say the same about the 2.0 PD Diesel engines, a very small percentage actually stopped/cut out, but they were all recalled.

 

As the post below yours says - parts, in all industries, are modified regularly.

Usually it is cost saving, possibly a cheaper material is used, a different factory, a slightly new design - it doesn't mean that there was anything wrong with the old/original part.

Same happens in electronics - I have a revision 1.6 motherboard in my current PC and I know there has been a 1.0, 1.1 and 1.3 before that which you could buy, there is however nothing wrong with the original revision.

Numbers of cars sold and actual numbers affected besides, perhaps there's not a problem with the engine itself but is does seem as if the tensioner either is a problem or contributes towards the failure, wasn't there a 2012 revision?  Either way I doubt that anybody who's been inconvenienced and had the expense of repairing / replacing the engine will agree that there's no problem. As for the TFSI,mine engine-wise was bomb-proof, still  pulled strongly and smoothly to the redline after 76000 miles. 

I've trailered the car to my trusted mechanic who will change the cam chains and tensioner and guides for 414 pounds. With the latest revision vag parts. 

 

That's a cracking price, I'm half tempted to drive over to Leeds to get mine done at that price!!

Kr man I'm friends with smash and I am doing the exact same! After all prevention is far cheaper than the cure

Is that including the guides, as people on here seem to suggest they need fitting too?

That's for both chains, all the guides, newest tensioner and all one time bolts.

414 pounds. Plus 45 pounds for a engine oil flush and oil and filter change. So technically 459 pounds. But I needed a service anyway so wasn't to fussed about the 45 quid for oil and filter change. Ironically tom164 was far more worried about the tensioner than I was and the. It happened to me! Its actually junction 40 m1 in Wakefield where Im getting it done.

Prestige motor engineers in ossett have returned my car and its now running as it was before. So a great service by prestige. All in cost me 462 and a few pennies.

They could be getting a fair bit of work of this type if that's all they charge, that's a great price!!

Good set of lads. Hope a few use them really helped me out stayed late etc when I trailered it in. They've looked after my wife's car for a few years now. I'll be at the post office meet this weekend for briskoda if anyone is down. I can recount my traumatic episode. Lol

Pleased for you, mine was serviced on a Saturday then not started until the Monday....boom, tensioner had failed with 30k on the clock and again "luckily" had only jumped 5 teeth. Fully repaired with new tensioner and chain and has been fine since ;-)

 

Must say as a Toyota techie im a little irritated that VAG know about this problem, i have friends who work for all their brands and all have seen/know of the problems......

 

 

Phil

Just had mine replaced today at same place as smash.. All latest revised parts all for 462 fully fitted. At that price it was a no brainer