i have been told that the 2010 tt tfsi engine has a timing chain & forged rods.

i have my doubts & can find no verification on the various sites.

anyone know for sure?

i have just implemented a APR stage one tune & hesitate to go further without forged rods. if i have to change the rods, i will also go to a large port head.

thanks much,

dan

I think all VAG engines are now chain timed - they finally learned their lesson. Don't know about the forged rods, but it would not surprise me.

here is the best info i have found, up to this point. of course, being from wikipedia, there may be errors.

1.8 R4 20vT 110-221kW

Wholly created and developed by AUDI AG, this version is a 1.8 litre 20 valve turbocharged engine built in Wolfsburg, Germany; Győr, Hungary; and Puebla, Mexico. Output varies based on internal component selection, turbocharger, and engine control unit (ECU) software. This ubiquitous powerplant has been extensively used in all four mainstream Volkswagen Group marques, along with Volkswagen Industrial Motor applications.

This engine is also used in a very high state of tune in the one-make Formula Palmer Audi (FPA) open-wheeled auto racing series. It develops 300 brake horsepower (224 kW; 304 PS), with an extra 60 brake horsepower (45 kW; 61 PS) available from a driver operated 'push-to-pass' turbo boost button. Based entirely on road-car production engines and prepared and built by Mountune Racing, it only differs by utilising a Pi Research Pectel Electronic fuel injection and a water-cooled Garrett T34 turbocharger with closed-loop boost control.

Furthermore, an even higher 'step up' version of this engine is used in the new European-based FIA Formula Two Championship. Developed as a pure race engine and again built by Mountune Racing, this variant includes many all-new lightweight components, and has been converted to a dry sump lubrication system. For its initial 2009 season, it produced a continuous maximum power of 400 brake horsepower (298 kW; 406 PS) at 8,250 revolutions per minute (rpm), and includes a limited duration 'overboost' to 450 brake horsepower (336 kW; 456 PS), aided by an all-new Garrett GT35 turbocharger and a Pi Research Pectel MQ12 ECU. From the 2010 season, base power is increased to 425 brake horsepower (317 kW; 431 PS), and with overboost to 480 brake horsepower (358 kW; 487 PS).

identification
parts code prefix: ???
engine displacement & engine configuration
1,781 cubic centimetres (108.7 cu in) inline-four engine (R4/I4); bore x stroke: 81.0 by 86.4 millimetres (3.19 in × 3.40 in), stroke ratio: 0.94:1 - undersquare/long-stroke, 445.2 cc per cylinder, compression ratio: 9.0-9.5:1
cylinder block & crankcase
grey cast iron; five main bearings, die-forged steel crankshaft, fracture-split forged steel connecting rods, Mahle forged aluminium alloy pistons
cylinder head & valvetrain
cast aluminium alloy; five valves per cylinder, 20 valves total, hydraulic bucket tappets, timing belt-driven double overhead camshaft (DOHC) with variable inlet valve timing
aspiration
cast aluminium alloy intake manifold, turbocharger, intercooler
fuel system, ignition system & engine management
multi-point electronic sequential indirect fuel injection with four intake manifold-sited fuel injectors; mapped direct ignition with four individual direct-acting single spark coils; Bosch Motronic ME 7.5 (MBE 975F on Industrial variants) electronic engine control unit (ECU), red line: 6,500 rpm, rev limit 6,800 rpm
DIN-rated motive power & torque outputs, ID codes, applications
110 kW (150 PS; 148 bhp) @ 5,800 rpm; 220 N·m (162 ft·lbf) @ 2,200-4,200 rpm — AEB, AGU, AJH, APH, ARX, ARZ, ATW, AUM, AVC, AWD, AWL, AWT, AWW, BJX, BKF, BKV

VW Polo GTI, VW Golf Mk4 GTI, VW Bora, VW New Beetle, VW Passat B5 and VW Sagitar. Also on the Audi TT Mk1 (8N), Audi A3 (first gen.), Audi A4, Audi A6, Škoda Octavia and SEAT Ibiza.

110 kW (150 PS; 148 bhp) @ 5,700 rpm; 220 N·m (162 ft·lbf) @ 1,800 rpm — EU5 rated: CFMA

SEAT Exeo (CFMA: 12/08-on)

115 kW (156 PS; 154 bhp) — AYP

SEAT Ibiza, SEAT Cordoba

120 kW (163 PS; 161 bhp) @ 5,700 rpm; 225 N·m (166 ft·lbf) @ 1,950-4,700 rpm — CED

replaced the 110 kW version in 2003 on most models; VW Passat

125 kW (170 PS; 168 bhp) @ 5,900 rpm; 225 N·m (166 ft·lbf) @ 1,950-5,000 rpm — AMB, AWM

Audi A4, VW Passat, New Beetle, VW Jetta. This version only exists in North American and emerging markets.

132 kW (179 PS; 177 bhp) @ 5,500 rpm; 235 N·m (173 ft·lbf) @ 1,950-5,000 rpm — AJQ, APP, ARY, ATC, AUQ, AWP, BEK, BNU (North America only)

Volkswagen Golf Mk4 GTI, VW Bora/Jetta, New Beetle, Audi A3, Audi A4, Audi TT Mk1 (8N), Škoda Octavia vRS, SEAT León, SEAT Toledo.

140 kW (190 PS; 188 bhp) @ 5,700 rpm; 240 N·m (177 ft·lbf) @ 1,950-4,700 rpm — BEX, BVR

Audi A4 (BEX: 11/02-12/04), Audi TT Mk1 (8N) (BVR: 09/05-06/06)

154 kW (209 PS; 207 bhp); 270 N·m (199 ft·lbf) — AMK

SEAT León Mk1 (1M) Cupra R (05/02-05/03)

165 kW (224 PS; 221 bhp) @ 5,900 rpm; 280 N·m (207 ft·lbf) @ 2,200-5,500 rpm — AMU (North America only), BAM, BEA (North America only)

Audi TT Mk1 (8N), Audi S3 (8L), SEAT León Mk1 (1M) Cupra R (05/03-06/06). This version is built in Győr.

176 kW (239 PS; 236 bhp) @ 5,700 rpm; 320 N·m (236 ft·lbf) @ 2,300-5,000 rpm —

2005 Audi TT quattro Sport, (9:1 compression ratio)

EWG-rated motive power & torque outputs, applications
147 kilowatts (200 PS; 197 bhp) @ 6,000 rpm; 260 newton metres (192 ft·lbf) @ 2,500-5,500 rpm — Volkswagen Industrial Motor, Stage1
184 kilowatts (250 PS; 247 bhp) @ 6,000 rpm; 300 newton metres (221 ft·lbf) @ 2,500-5,500 rpm — Volkswagen Industrial Motor, Stage2
221 kilowatts (300 PS; 296 bhp) @ 6,000 rpm; 360 newton metres (266 ft·lbf) @ 4,000-5,500 rpm — Volkswagen Industrial Motor, Stage3

Anything above a stock turbo will require rods and even stock 2.0T's need a HPFP since the stock on the 2.0T's suck for some odd reason.

How hard is it to verify you have a timing chain? The cover is held on by a couple clips

i've only had the car a week, still trying to find the dipstick

nope, not on the 2010.