daft question

[darrant1234]

Ok, I got my s3 about a month ago now. Its just had a cam belt with tensioners and pulleys etc and water pump along with a full service including sparkplugs.

When the car is warm some times it makes a rattly kind of noise, but most of the time is just the injector noise I can hear which I've read it normal for the engine.

I've done a bit of googling and found people have changed the cam chain tensioner to stop the noise. I thought the s3 was a belt for the cams? or does it have both.

bit confused now lol

 

[darrant1234]

just to add it does appear that the noise comes from the left hand side of the engine.

 

[Marshy]

Yeah the S3 engine has both.
So has a cambelt which drives one camshaft and on the other side of the engine (gearbox side) there's a small chain which drives the second cam.

 

[darrant1234]

so is the chain side on the left hand side of the engine if your looking at it from the front?

 

[MarkpS3]

Nah, it's on the right when viewed from the front.

 

[darrant1234]

so it doesn't sound like its that making the noise then....

 

[MarkpS3]

It depends how convinced you are that it's definitely coming from the left. There's a lot going on and noises can easily be transferred. Was it making the noise before the timing belt was done? Or did you not own it then...

 

[darrant1234]

It doesn't make the noise constantly so its hard to say. where its coming from. It made it prior to the cam belt too.

 

[MarkpS3]

It will likely be more prominent, as you say, when the engine is warm (chain will expand slightly, thinner oil etc), so just keep an ear out. If you get the time, take it down to your local indy garage and get them to put a stethoscope (or a well trained ear) around the engine bay. My gut would say it probably is the chain....but without hearing it I obviously couldn't say for sure.

 

[darrant1234]

yes when cold it makes no strange noises at all. and not always when warm. I'll take it to the place where I got my cam belt done and see what they say,.