Hello all, I'm new here.

 

I think my car has developed the dreaded timing chain problem, but I am having a hard time figuring out what parts I need as Skoda Australia is unfamiliar with the problem. Been reading as much as I can online but still haven't settled on which parts are required for my engine.

 

Here's the rundown:

 

• Vehicle is a 2012 Fabia 1.2TSI with 81,000kms on it. Vehicle manufacture date is August 2011.
• 77kw CBZB engine - the sticker on the back of the engine says  *CBZ 502 230* (see attached photo).
• My car has almost always made the known chain rattle sound for about 5 seconds after startup, but in the last 10,000kms that has become a loud clattering, and much more so in the last few hundred kms. It used to do it only on cold starts, but now it does it even if the car has been off for only 10 minutes after a 40 minute drive at highway speeds.
• Since about the last 5000kms on startup the rpm's are unstable, whereas previously it would be perfectly stable and drop to about 650rpm at idle after the initial warmup, and, the exhaust sound when standing behind the car is now worryingly loud during the initial engine warmup before quietening back to normal. The engine also stutters during this phase before evening out when the warmup cycle is finished. Never had anything like this happen before.
• Plugs were changed 5000kms ago. Very late, yes. Unfortunately wasn't aware of the service interval for them and realized they were a problem when there was the occasional abrupt "bump"/hesitation during acceleration. Thanks to trawling Briskoda I realised that the plugs were the problem and it went away when I changed them. I checked the resistance on the ignition leads and the #3 lead is only marginally different to the others, but I will replace those shortly anyway. Got a new ignition coil pack for good measure and will install that when the leads arrive.

 

The problem has worsened so rapidly that I haven't switched my car on for some time and won't until at least the tensioner is replaced. I have not been able to have the car looked at by a Skoda dealer, as I live in rural Australia and the nearest Skoda service centre is a 3.5 hour drive away. I do live about 30km from a VW dealer who has previously repaired this problem on Polo's, though unfortunately he won't be able to process any goodwill claims through Skoda.

I got a quote for the job from both the VW dealer and the aforementioned Skoda service centre, and the Skoda centre has never dealt with this problem and quoted for only the chain, track, guide rail, and tensioner, but not the camshaft sprocket or anything else. The part numbers that they did quote were the same as VW, at least... 

This is the list of parts that VW quoted:

 

03F109158K Chain

03F109507B Tensioner

03F109469C Track

D176501A1 Silicone Adhesive Sealant

D176600M1 Sealant

03F109509C Rail

N90256202 Bolt Camshaft Pulley

038103085C Oil Seal - Cylinder Head Rear 1

N10734501 Bolt

N90987302 12 Point Screw

N10734401 Bolt

N90813202 Sump Plug

N90856005 Plug

03F109571C Sprocket

03C115561H Oil Filter

WHT004068 Screw

WHT004069 Screw

WHT004068 Screw

 

They want a painful $2100 AUD for this job, half of that being for the parts.

 

My current conundrum is as follows: if this is indeed the timing chain problem, I am of the understating that I need the repair kit 03F 198 158B, which also includes a crankshaft sprocket that wasn't mentioned by either Skoda or VW. However, I called Skoda Australia and 2 Skoda dealers and they both said that the kit is not compatible with my VIN according to their system.

The Skoda Australia parts guy was very skeptical about the timing chain problem even being a thing as he had never heard of it, and essentially said not to trust what I read on Briskoda or VW forums. The VW service centre said he would be happy to fit the kit if it is compatible and original VW parts, but doesn't have access to Skoda's parts system / manuals.

Would be terrific if the kit does fit as it is only $250AUD, which is what Skoda/VW charge for just the K model chain on its own.

 

From what I've read, replacing my chain with the K model and tensioner with the B model will fix it for now, but could see the problem return in the future.

 

Does anyone know how to check if the Skoda guys here are right or wrong? I was surprised at how little they seem to know about this.

 

Good advice appreciated.

 

 

 

I believe you are entirely correct, replacing the crank sprocket is very important since it's half the diameter of the cam sprocket and wears much more due to there being much less chain wrapped round it.

Since you're paying a large labour bill anyway the whole lot should be replaced using the VW kit.

It is exactly the same engine as the VW internally so the VW garage will be fine doing the work using the VW kit.

The Skoda dealer is being entirely disingenuous, but it's probably a coded warning that the workshop isn't really up to the job.

On 21/10/2021 at 01:20, sepulchrave said:

I believe you are entirely correct, replacing the crank sprocket is very important since it's half the diameter of the cam sprocket and wears much more due to there being much less chain wrapped round it.

Since you're paying a large labour bill anyway the whole lot should be replaced using the VW kit.

It is exactly the same engine as the VW internally so the VW garage will be fine doing the work using the VW kit.

The Skoda dealer is being entirely disingenuous, but it's probably a coded warning that the workshop isn't really up to the job.

 

Do you know much about the difference between the tensioner models? I gather that the model in the kit is somewhat shorter than the old one, so I am wondering if they changed the shape of the guide or rail too. Spoke to a few more parts guys at VW and Skoda and none can confirm if the kit is compatible. I was told that the kit is for cars built after the VIN split in October 2011. 

Yes I spoke to a metropolitan Skoda dealer and he mentioned that some of the smaller dealers don't have sufficient experience to know what they're doing with this kind of problem.

Here is a thread from maybe the same age of engine, it shows pictures of original and the version of parts this guy used to sort things out, maybe give you some extra info on this repair/upgrade.

 

1.2TSI timing chain change on the driveway.. | SEATCUPRA.NET

 

There was also, I seem to remember someone from Italy that did an upgrade to the later/final "set of chain drive bits" on the same age engine in a Polo, rather than just using what VW Group chose to provide for a "refresh".

Yes, I believe the kit still fits pre-vin split engines. It's not clear why VAG did this but it could be as simple as discouraging dealers from working on life-expired vehicles.

If the engine code is the same then the parts will fit, someone on here did this job recently with a pre-split car and everything fitted just fine, the tensioner components have indeed been modified to improve longevity.

Many thanks for the help guys. Got the full kit fitted last week and everything is back to normal .

The Skoda Australia people still insisted to the VW service guy doing the job that the problem couldn't be the timing chain because my engine was built after June 2011!

Surprise surprise, the kit was fitted and now the car doesn't sound like a tractor, rpm's are even, and the engine is nice and quiet. Sweet relief.

52 minutes ago, Illiteratus said:

Many thanks for the help guys. Got the full kit fitted last week and everything is back to normal .

The Skoda Australia people still insisted to the VW service guy doing the job that the problem couldn't be the timing chain because my engine was built after June 2011!

Surprise surprise, the kit was fitted and now the car doesn't sound like a tractor, rpm's are even, and the engine is nice and quiet. Sweet relief.

So that's a 'take it to VW' next time any servicing is due, is it not Illiteratus? Sounds like someone at Skoda Aus. needs retraining.