# Cambelt - Metal chain or plastic belt?



## spinn3rs (Apr 28, 2010)

So, i have just received my car from Audi. The car was due to undergo its LongLife service.
While there i had a quick chat with the garage staff (NOT a mechanic). What i wanted to know is whether i needed to replace the cambelt of my MK2 TT at 60k miles (the car has 65k miles right now so i was 5k miles late) or should i follow the service manual (indicating that the toothed cambelt should change at 180,000 km = approx 120,000 miles).
The response i got was a bit of a surprise.

The TFSI engine of the MK2 TT uses a metallic chain instead of a polymer belt as with the older TT (MK1). This gives the cambelt chain a greater life and also more importantly when it snaps it does not cause the scary damages caused by the plastic belt.

What got me confused is the fact that i have heared the exact same thing about VW's Scirocco TSI engine, i.e. that is what distinguishes the TSI (chain) from the TFSI engines(belt) which is the opposite of what the Audi garage staff told me.

So, either the people i had a quick chat with were clueless about the cars they service or the people talking about VW's Scirocco had no idea what they were talking about.
Anyone knows/cares to shed some light here?


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## BlackRS (Mar 9, 2010)

Not sure which engine has what but belt or chain it doesn't matter, if either fail the engine is FKD. Chain shouldn't need replaced as long as the car is regularly serviced (i.e. oil changed) but the tensioner may wear and need replaced. If it fails to keep the chain under the correct tension it may slip and cause the aforementioned engine FKD scenario.


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## talk-torque (Apr 30, 2008)

Pre 2011 2.0 turbos have a belt, but the new engine in the 2011 MY cars has a chain which, AFAIK requires no maintenance.

There is confusion about when belts need changing, but the 60K figure is right, again AFAIK.

The Golf has had the new engine for a while.


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## spinn3rs (Apr 28, 2010)

...but how come the cars service booklet recommends the belt to be replaced @ 180,000 km?


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## pars_andy (Dec 10, 2009)

Yeah....mine says that too. Mind you, the mk1 manual said it needed changed at 80k whereas mine went at 77k. Not one of my better days!


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## Lippo (Mar 5, 2010)

My dealer said about 07 2.0T that it's 180.000km, just like the service book says. Car is under their warranty so I believe him.

Quote from Audi SSP MY07 about engines

*2.0l TFSI*
_- Toothed belt drive with CTC toothed belt sprocket
- Selective petrol direct injection system (FSI)
- Turbocharging
- Pencil ignition coils
- 1 primary catalytic converter and 1 main catalytic converter
- 1 primary catalytic converter and 1 post-cat sensor
_
*3.2l VR6 MPI*
_- Chain drive on the transmission side
- Cylinder-selective injection system
- Fully variable adjustment of both camshafts
- Pencil ignition coils
- 2 primary catalytic converters and 2 main catalytic converters_


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## talk-torque (Apr 30, 2008)

spinn3rs said:


> ...but how come the cars service booklet recommends the belt to be replaced @ 180,000 km?


One of life's mysteries, but, without official confirmation, I'm not going to chance it. :?

VW service books, for the same engine, give the 60K figure.


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