Timing chain gone while having MOT and wasn't made aware.

AdrianC

Engine management/EPC - they would make sense for a slipped chain, but there would be fault codes pointing towards it in more detail.
TC/tyre pressure (could the last be ABS?) - they seem far less connected, and would push towards suspecting the cause as low voltage or a computer glitch of some kind.

cn22

Shaun_of_the_Dead wrote: »

So why drive away?

Because he obviously wanted nothing to do with it so I was going to take it to another garage first thing the next morning to get a second opinion

cn22

AdrianC wrote: »

Engine management/EPC - they would make sense for a slipped chain, but there would be fault codes pointing towards it in more detail.
TC/tyre pressure (could the last be ABS?) - they seem far less connected, and would push towards suspecting the cause as low voltage or a computer glitch of some kind.

Yes it was ABS... I just don't understand why he couldn't figure out the fault

AdrianC

EM/EPC would come with associated fault codes. If there was nothing stored, and nothing being generated while it's running, then they're useless for diagnosis.

TC/TP/ABS are totally unrelated to a camchain issue. So what caused five semi-random lights to come on and have no codes? Electrical shenanigans.

By all means, he can diagnose it, but it's going to take time, and time needs to be paid for. It may well be that the diagnosis is into specialist auto-electrician territory, not back-street generalist.

But one thing's for sure - that combo of lights, especially with no codes, is certainly not pointing at a slipped cam chain, let alone imminent breakage/further slippage.

seatbeltnoob

you'd expect this sort of shenangans from an 53 plate car, not a 63.



It's a tough one, my only concern is the fact that you drove it for a bit and all the EML came on, and then the mechanic drove it and miraculously it was all fine, then as soon as you drove it the EML came back on again.


I am guessing they just drove it by clearing the codes and then gave the car back to you with cleared codes and the lights came back on.


This sort of stuff needs a VW specialist technician to fix and beyond the skill of a general mechanic. You could pay a general mechanic to do the job, but they'll do a lot of things by trial and error and end up costing you more.

sevenhills

seatbeltnoob wrote: »

you'd expect this sort of shenangans from an 53 plate car, not a 63.

My car is a 63 reg, done around 103,000

bartelbe

You have no way of proving the first garage was negligent. It sounds likely they were incompetent and missed the signs of a chain failure but they would argue it was simple coincidence and bad luck.

As for the price, I just had a look at the chain kits and they are quite cheap. The cost will be labour to change it, plus potential damage to the engine. If it is an interference engine, the valves open in the same space the piston moves in. The timing system keeps them apart and if the chain fails, pistons hit the valves.

This could mean bent valves, damage to the piston crowns or other carnage. This will probably involve removing the head to check for damage, hence the bills.

If I was my car, I was change the chain myself, then do a compression test and hope I had got lucky and there was minimal damage.

daveyjp

seatbeltnoob wrote: »

you'd expect this sort of shenangans from an 53 plate car, not a 63.

Not if its a VW TSi engine. They have had inherent faults leading to early failures since they were first introduced almost 15 years ago.

Bringing back chain cams was their solution to sorting earlier problems. It failed. They went back to belts.

seatbeltnoob

daveyjp wrote: »

Not if its a VW TSi engine. They have had inherent faults leading to early failures since they were first introduced almost 15 years ago.

Bringing back chain cams was their solution to sorting earlier problems. It failed. They went back to belts.

Yeah i noticed the to and fro from belts to chains and back to belts again.


The belt for my car was originally to be done at 60K intervals, they then changed it to 40k intervals. Now it's considered a lifetime interval belt and needs visual inspection every 40k and if there are missing/damaged tooth it is to be changed.


Problem is, no mechanic in their right mind is going to take on the risk of doing such an inspection because it it later fails then they are held responsible even if there was no visible sign on damage on the belt.


Also considering the work involved in taking off so much stuff to inspect the belt and components, you may as well just changed it.

EdGasketTheSecond

seatbeltnoob wrote: »

Also considering the work involved in taking off so much stuff to inspect the belt and components, you may as well just changed it.

Take off top timing cover and rotate engine to inspect all of the belt. Not too difficult but won't get done for reasons already stated. I find you can tell if a belt needs doing by the feel of it. When old they dry out and feel brittle, not like fresh rubber.