# chain tensioner and holder



## nilreb (Mar 17, 2012)

Anyone tried OES, OEA, or MTC chain tensioner? 
not sure which brand to get.

Autohausaz - $264 OES

ECS Tuning: AWP
Ver. E - $255 OES
Ver. K - $299 OES
Ver. K - $359 OE Aftermarket

Which one have you tried?

For the tensioner holder,


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## Doooglasss (Aug 28, 2009)

First off what year car and motor code do you have?

Do you know if you have VVT or not? You can tell by if there is a small two pin connector on the right side of the valve cover. The black (yours could be silver) cylinder with the white plug on it would be the part sticking out.


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## nilreb (Mar 17, 2012)

DougLoBue said:


> First off what year car and motor code do you have?
> 
> Do you know if you have VVT or not? You can tell by if there is a small two pin connector on the right side of the valve cover. The black (yours could be silver) cylinder with the white plug on it would be the part sticking out.


Partsgeek, ECS, or Autohausaz just go by motor codes for some reason ?? 

mine is a 2001 AWP 180 Quattro. so i guess it's non VVT.


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## 20v master (May 7, 2009)

AWP should be VVT, but if you have a 2001 AWP, that's an oddball as AWP's didn't appear til late 01.5 in VW's and 02's in Audi's.


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## nilreb (Mar 17, 2012)

20v master said:


> AWP should be VVT, but if you have a 2001 AWP, that's an oddball as AWP's didn't appear til late 01.5 in VW's and 02's in Audi's.


just checked. AWP 01.8

so any idea which brand of tensioner i should get?


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## Doooglasss (Aug 28, 2009)

nilreb said:


> just checked. AWP 01.8
> 
> so any idea which brand of tensioner i should get?


Nilreb- I shot you a PM.


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## 20v master (May 7, 2009)

nilreb said:


> just checked. AWP 01.8


Where are you getting this from?


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## nilreb (Mar 17, 2012)

spare tire area. it's stuck there. i don't think it's fake.


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## 20v master (May 7, 2009)

Look on the tab sticking off the cylinder head by the timing belt cover behind the fuel rail. Does it have AWP stamped into it? As for your cam tensioner, take the engine cover off and just verify if yours has an electrical harness plugged into it or not. If it doesn't, it's a non-VVT tensioner. If it does, it's variable.


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## nilreb (Mar 17, 2012)

Vendors go by engine code and year. That's why they dont specify since it's assumed based on... All 2001 awp 180 are vvt, unless it's a volkswagen.


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## jason bouchard (Aug 25, 2005)

what chain is this??? its obviously not timing (thats a belt) so what is it for?


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## chaldowhiteboy (Jun 14, 2010)

I had to replace my chain tensioner on my ATC head and I used MTC and it has been working just fine for the last 30,000 or so


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## nilreb (Mar 17, 2012)

chaldowhiteboy said:


> I had to replace my chain tensioner on my ATC head and I used MTC and it has been working just fine for the last 30,000 or so


 
finally! someone answered my question. thanks! 

anyone else tried MTC or OES?


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## nilreb (Mar 17, 2012)

OK, two different Dealership techs just told me that they buy from the same supplier where I got my tensioner for $230

So why Pay $700 from these online retailers for the so called genuine, oem version?


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## lite1979 (Sep 9, 2005)

jason bouchard said:


> what chain is this??? its obviously not timing (thats a belt) so what is it for?


It's the cam chain. The 1.8t is a dual overhead cam design, but only one cam is driven by the timing belt. The other cam is driven off a chain inside the head. You have to remove your valve cover to see it, and the tensioners are part of regular maintenance from what I've read. I still haven't done mine yet (and I'm @ 130k miles), but it's on my to-do list.


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