Iain Miller

>
> > Listen for noise from the Cam chain at the back of the head - you'll
> > tend to get a bit of a rattle on start up but that should be it. If
> > its persistently noisy/rattling then its a long job to replace the
> > tensioner.
>
> If it's got a cambelt (at the front of the engine), what's this cam
> chain at the back?

The Cambelt on the front of the engine drives the exhaust cam only - there
is then a chain at the back of the head that links the exhaust cam to the
intake cam. That has a tensioner on it which isn't indestructable sadly -
and a big old job to replace (you have to remove both the cams).

> Startup rattle usually comes from the hydraulic tappets as the oil
pressure builds up - not normally a problem.

Exactly why I said that a bit of rattle on startup is OK but if it persists
once the thing is running it's likely to be the cam chain tensioner. The
hydraulic tappets are self adjusting so there should be no issue with
clearences on them once its running - unless you have very weak oil pressure
caused by an oil pump on its way out or alternatively a sludging problem
blocking the pump intake screen (they've had a bundle of problems with that
in the states - particularly on the 1.8T engines.

I.