Has anyone done chains on a VR6 in a Eurovan?

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This is by far the most involved job there is.
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Not to mention, the 1,3,5 cam bolt is stuck on.  .

[Quantum TD]

At least in the MK3/4 cars, you can leave the motor in the car. Yikes!

How many miles on the motor? I've heard people complaining about noise at 80k. That's pretty sad. I've got a customer with over 150K on a MK4 GTI and they've never been done, and sound just fine.

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Milage is around 110K. Makes noise but no damage yet to upper guide. Intermideate gears were worn and cam gears are starting to look finned.

Last week I did a chain job on a MK4 that had 80K and the upper guide was shattered and the lower was on the brink off disintegreat. Lucky it did'nt jump time.

After all thats done, I still need to do a trans service!

[rabbitman]

That's crazy, I like the overall design of the vr6 but that chain thing is stupid, they should've put it on the other end of the engine at least .

My uncle has a vw shop and he said one time someone brought in a noisy vr6 so the shop guys were revving it trying figure out if it was for sure the chains and BOOM, it was, I think they got him a whole 'nother one from a junkyard.

[Quantum TD]

After all thats done, I still need to do a trans service!

I just threw-up in my mouth a little. Uggghh.

I love how VW doesn't specify that this is a routine maintenance order. You'd think with chains that your car would never need service. I love all the turds on VwVortex who toss VR6 motors into anything they can get their hands on. Yes, they sound meaty, but you can get the same torque, HP AND better handling with an inline 4, like a 1.8 or 2.0T.

[lovinthedeez]

I would hate to see a mechanic using an adjustable wrench on my car from that first pic.   .  but yeah, vr6's suck and why they put them into eurovans I'll never get.  good luck.  on a corrado, its much easier, but chains are just a frikkin pain no matter what.

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The adjustable wrench was left there from tring to release the torsion bars but obviously it would'nt work, so I bought the right, uber deep socket, to use with my air gun.

I love doing chains on these VR's. It kind of relaxing to me. Its just nuts and bolts. But on a Eurovan...it sucks.

Week before last I did a headgasket on a 24V Eurovan. Super easy. The engine is pointing right up at you.
Reason being is that when engine was cold, it leaked coolant into the cylinders and on first startup, it would misfire. I've got it on video when we scoped it.

Just found another leaky headgasket on a 1.8t audi TT.

[maxfax]

Milage is around 110K. Makes noise but no damage yet to upper guide. Intermideate gears were worn and cam gears are starting to look finned.

Last week I did a chain job on a MK4 that had 80K and the upper guide was shattered and the lower was on the brink off disintegreat. Lucky it did'nt jump time.

That's just pretty friggen sad.. I have 2 vr6 cars here with about 120K and trashed engines because of chain issues.... WTH is this the 70's with plastic toothed timing gears??  Chains and associated parts should be lasting AT LEAST 150-200K miles..  

I'm not limiting the scope of my gripe to just VW either..   It seems that other manufacturers are following suit...

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How about Chrysler and their Phinolic carb bodies and brake pistons! GM and their plastic timing gears!

[Dakotakid]

Man....my old junkers are looking better all the time!!!!!

[maxfax]

I respectfully disagree any time I hear someone suggest that the diesels should have timing chains and not the timing belt setup that they have.  

Now that I'll agree with to a point..  Gears FTW, even though I suppose there would be more parasitic power loss with those..    Timing chains had come a long way from the laminiated steel crap they used to be.. Dunno what they been smoking now days though..   Some of the roller chains really hold up well with minimal stretch..  The earlier Jeep 4.0 comes to mind..  Damn thing looks like a motorcycle drive chain..  300K and a small fraction of a degree change in the timing..  Some of the earlier modular Fords are much the same way..  Hundreds of thousands of miles and minimal stretch.. OF course both of the above listed engines had that nasty longevity issue fixed..

I should add though, with timing belts able to last 100K now  (and again WTH chains shot at 80??) it is probably the most cost effective and efficient route for our small diesels...

[rabbitman]

Yeah the toyota 22r's had chain and they lasted forever, I've heard the chain going out on those and it would be hard to miss. I think that one had 220,000 miles on it.

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All back together. Runs smooth and the trany service was a breeze.
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I'm sure the next time I do them, I'll be faster.

[R.O.R-2.0]

Yeah the toyota 22r's had chain and they lasted forever, I've heard the chain going out on those and it would be hard to miss. I think that one had 220,000 miles on it.

most 22r engines dont even last to 60k miles between timing chains..

then again, most of the ones i replace, have had the holy crap run out of them.. like holding the throttle at WOT and bouncing off the rev limiter (maybe just floating the valves really bad) and the chain breaks the guides, and starts slapping on the timing cover..

i have seen a toyota eat thru the timing cover (the chain ate thru right behind the water pump.)

anyways, most 22r motors i see/work on, get about 60k to 100k miles to a timing chain..

usually about the time the head gasket goes out, the chain needs R&R too... i always do a timing chain when i do a head gasket.. its like, another 10 mins deeper after you tear the head off..

[rabbitman]

I bet the kits they sell nowadays are junk compared to original.