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

[Little Dog]

I'm part way through this job on my wife's car (previously owned by @Proghound). So far the only thing I would add is on the tools for the job I would highly recommend anyone attempting this to have a good impact gun to hand to tackle the bolt on the crank sprocket: I have the holding tool and a spare pair of hands to help, but I managed to twist a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter on the breaker bar going to a 19mm socket. This bolt was unbelievably tight. I already have a load of Makita LXT 18v tools so I went for one of these.

The thing is a monster. A few seconds with a 1/2" 19mm impact socket fitted and the bolt was free.

Excellent write up @philward , thanks!

No problem, pleased members are finding it useful.

Yes the crank bolt is tight and it takes more than 3/8 tools to shift it. I believe it took two of us, one to hold the counter hold tool and me pulling on a 3/4 drive 1m long breaker bar. Don't also forget the torque wrench to refit it.

The recommended Makita impact gun is one I will add to my tool box one day. Seen them used constantly in commercial garages.

Edit: I need to replace my AMF sometime, probably next year. I'll add a list of tools when I've worked through this a second time. There are some real strange ones, there is one bolt that requires a 3/8 drive Imperial socket, nothing else fits. Hopefully I have this one already covered?

 

[Timmy2000]

Edit: I need to replace my AMF sometime, probably next year. I'll add a list of tools when I've worked through this a second time. There are some real strange ones, there is one bolt that requires a 3/8 drive Imperial socket, nothing else fits. Hopefully I have this one already covered?

I'm guessing this is for one of the sprockets? I haven't found anything that needs an imperial socket, but I'm just doing the tensioner and chain.

Speaking of which...

As you can see the pads weren't good at all and the old chain defintely felt worn compared to the new one too. I cleaned up the sump, seal cover and baffle, and look what I found! Both stuck inside the trap at the bottom of the baffle along with some very oily paper towel.

New tensioner and chain are on, hopefully I get some time to carry on with this next weekend.

 

[Bordos]

I'm guessing this is for one of the sprockets? I haven't found anything that needs an imperial socket, but I'm just doing the tensioner and chain.

Speaking of which...

View attachment 113543View attachment 113544

As you can see the pads weren't good at all and the old chain defintely felt worn compared to the new one too. I cleaned up the sump, seal cover and baffle, and look what I found! Both stuck inside the trap at the bottom of the baffle along with some very oily paper towel.

View attachment 113545View attachment 113549

New tensioner and chain are on, hopefully I get some time to carry on with this next weekend.

What is the mileage on our car ? Did the chain made any rattling etc. ?

 

[Timmy2000]

Mileage is about 176k miles. Chain rattle on start up that would last a couple of minutes but nothing else that I could say was purely down to the chain/tensioner

 

[northsands]

Just adding a couple of pics from my recent replacement. AMF TDI 75 on 215k miles, car had been very poorly maintained before I had it and most likely the original VAG chain and tensioner I've replaced here. Pads and gears don't look to be overly worn compared to others I've seen, but garage said there was a lot of slack in the chain and it likely would've become a problem if left much longer. Car seems to be a bit quieter on startup, and feels smoother to drive, although I had the clutch done at the same time so could be partly that also. Glad it's done anyway!

 

[dj_efk]

That’s really not that bad at all compared to some that have done appreciably less mileage - so your car must have been maintained ok for most of its working life so far?

 

[northsands]

That’s really not that bad at all compared to some that have done appreciably less mileage - so your car must have been maintained ok for most of its working life so far?

I think up to 100k it had a decent service history, then likely not much (if any) until about 145k when I got it. It was in a poor state, most problems seemed to be engine related and from lack of maintenance. From 140-200k it was well serviced and did mostly motorway miles which might explain the condition of things.