A Ford Galaxy with a VW engine - help please

[fat controller]

I have a colleague that has a Ford Galaxy 1.9 TDI VW engine (I believe that the engine code is AMF?) - anyway, his engine is much noisier than it should be, and with the bonnet up it sounds as though it is coming from cylinder one.

It has been suggested to him that it might be the DMF failing, but the noise appears to be coming from the opposite end of the engine to the flywheel, which is causing some confusion. He recently changed the water pump and belts which quietened things a bit, but it is still pretty bad.

Is there any common issues with these engines that I might be able to pass on to him as a starting point?

[Crasher]

Sounds like cam and/or lifter failure.

[fat controller]

That would concur with my opinion - to my ear, it sounded as though it was coming from the top, and I wondered if it could be a worn camshaft. I take it the only way to find out really is top whip the top off the engine and look for signs of wear?

[Crasher]

Even with the cam cover off it may not be obvious unless you know the subtle signs on the cam you are looking for, often the only way to tell it to remove the cam.

[phil miller]

just a thought but what is the alt belt tensioner doing? is it still or moving about? i only say this cos it could be the over riding alt pulley has siezed and its that that is making the noise, im prob a million miles away but gotta be worth a check

[fat controller]

Thanks guys - I'll pass both suggestions on tomorrow, and he can take it from there. The flywheel theory just didn't make any sense to me - not considering where the noise is coming from anyway.