Cam/Timing Chain Tensioner
 

Hello to everyone here at Audiforums.

This is my first post after having my account for a while now I've officially hit a dead end and I am beyond frustrated.

Now to the problem I have a 1995 B5 1.8 ADR motor that has developed a rattle or knock very audible when the car is started for like 20 seconds also it sorta knocks rattles on pull away for a second then is quiet also when switching from R to D or vise versa (automatic) I don't know how else to describe it, anyway after pulling the funds together I pulled the valve/cam cover and replaced the timing chain tensioner as a few shops suggested and thought it'd be fixed after starting the car again the noise was still present it's definitely from the tensioner as I've held a rod on the tensioner body as the car was started can clearly hear it knocking, while the tensioner was off I noticed the oil galley or valley that allows oil to flow into the tensioner was dry and the oil was blackish in colour when I for interest sake inserted a q-tip into the hole to see if any rtv had gone in there from any prior repair, if anyone can help I'd greatly appreciate it if any of my info is weird please bare with me as I'm new to this. Edit: I noticed the top of the tensioner has a spring loaded piston and the bottom does not from a physics point of view the bottom piston gets compressed first as the exhaust cam pulls the bottom of the chain that turns the intake cam why wouldn't the bottom piston not have a spring?

To note:
Milage 320 000Km
Both oils high milage
Previous oil 20w50 Shell Helix
Current oil 20w50 Castrol Gtx (too thick perhaps?)
Spark plugs replaced 500km back
Previous plugs were resistor plugs
Sludge seems minimal or almost non existing
Oil pressure seems fine everything was well lubricated when the cover was off.
Is the tensioners oil galley/valley blocked perhaps?

Thanks in advance.

you are starving the motor of oil on start up. put in 0-40 it will suck up faster

Yep that oil weight is WAY too high.

Here's the article https://www.audiusa.com/content/dam/...e-Bulletin.pdf

Long story short: Nothing above 5w. Ideally 0w

Thanks for the replies and sorry for my delay replying.

I'm having a hard time finding 5wXX locally so I'll have to order some online.
I did notice the data sheet you provided doesn't cover VW 500 00 or 501 01
and also noticed API SF and SG is considered obsolete and that is what is
recommended in my manual which strangely says 20w50?? anyhow
it's a pity I can't use 10w40 as I can get a full synthetic 5L/1.3gal at a cost
at the moment.
one last question which of the 2 do you think would be better if any difference at all?
Castrol Magnatec 5W-30 API A5
Castrol Edge 5W-40 Titanium FST

Thanks again.

Hard to say and I'm definitely no oil expert and it might depend on the climate you live in, but I would go with the 5w-40 stuff.

I can also say, it may not make a HUGE different in high mileage engines when it comes down to -30 vs -40, but again, I'm not an expert on the matter.