can the cam chain on a 2.0t be replaced without pulling the cam girdle?

[macantley]

Also, how do you re time the two camshafts when the chain itself has broken? already pulled the head off to check the valves for damage and none were damaged, the belt didnt break, it was the rear chain itself. broke while idling in the driveway is the story i got from the previous owner.

matthew

[Theiceman]

Yes of course you can. But you need a special poly tool to get the cam adjuster off the exhaust cam. And have good technique so you dont strip it

Search for a thread called “ thats all she wrote”.
I went through exactly what you did and show my method to replace tensioner and chain and retime cams.
My car is still running strong.


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=87676)

[aluthman]

Buy the bit from AST for the adjuster bolt. You will also need a quality cam lock tool. Then use a breaker bar to remove the bolt. If all goes well, it’s like. 2.5 hr job tops. If you stip that adjuster bolt, it will take considerably longer because you will have to remove the cams.

[Pledgekincaid]

I just had to re-time my cams. I pulled the cam girdle. If the cams are in good shape and you don’t want to risk stripping the cam adjuster bolt like me, pulling the cam girdle was the safe alternative. I used a drill with a brass brush to pull the Audi sealant off the girdle which was the worst part of the whole deal. Took me 5 minutes.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qNdBjFMVkns&t=2035s

Around 30:30 is where you want to start on this video. Shows you how to time the cams with the chain.

[davidsain]

I bought the VAG polydrive tool when I needed to replace my intake cam. Didn't matter how square I held the breaker bar, it stripped the splines off the tool. Bolt was fine. Cut 2mm off of the tool and tried again and still broke the splines.

So, instead, since I was already removing the cam girdle, I marked the chain and camshafts, pinned the tensioner and took the girdle off. Lifted both cams out pushing the chain back over the tensioner and easy peasy. Checked the bolt and it still looks good. Didn't bother to drill it out. Replaced the camshaft, tensioner, chain (and the leaking coolant flange while I was there), put it all back together with perfect timing as I had transferred my paint marks over to the new chain and cam.

Removing the girdle requires some extra work, some anaerobic sealant, exhaust cam seal, intake cam and a set of bolts (they are Torque To Yield). A cam pulley remover is recommended as well, but there are other, more brute force ways to remove it . I used a 3M Roloc brush to clean the old sealant off of the surfaces. Doesn't take that much more time.

To re-time the camshafts requires the rear-most lobe be pointed at about a 2 o'clock position (exhaust)/10 o'clock position (intake). Once they are in the right position, the cam lock tool just drops in between the camshafts.

[funkypterodacty]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNdBjFMVkns&t=10s

[t64030]

Also, how do you re time the two camshafts when the chain itself has broken? already pulled the head off to check the valves for damage and none were damaged, the belt didnt break, it was the rear chain itself. broke while idling in the driveway is the story i got from the previous owner.

matthew

I’m pretty sure my cam chain broke pulling out of the drive way earlier today. How likely is it that I have valves that are bent? If I have to pull the head I’m probably just going to sell the car for parts.