Tensioner...

[yellowbelly]

Hi guys

Before you start reading this bear in mind I am not hugely mechanically minded...

Had the cambelt and waterpump done on my car a few months ago at one Audi Dealership.
Now I have taken it to another (wasn't impressed with service at first place) for a small service...

Whilst doin their usual inspection it was noticed that it was low on coolant, first Audi dealer would have been working right by where the coolant tank is situated.

Anyway after a brief chat they agreed to rectify as the work was under warranty.

Just had a call from them to say that whilst taking the waterpump out that they said a piece of the cam Tensioner had broken off and would therefore need replacing. Likelihood is it's the original part and the car now sits at 56k.

I said to go ahead as I didn't have much choice as I can't drive a car without it.

After I came off the phone I suddenly thought.... Either the first Audi missed it and didn't spot it's poor condition or because it's being messed around with a second time this has messed it up. In other words is it not Audi's place to replace under warranty as potentially it was their bad?

They clearly aren't charging me the labour to replace but it's £100.10 Inc vat for the part.

 

[quattrojames]

Prior to my ownership my car had the timing belt changed at 80k. The specialist who did it had since told me that it's Audi's procedure to 'inspect' the pulleys. Mine was ok (I assume) when they did the belt so for reasons best known to themselves they left it when they changed the belt. 45k later it ceased being 'ok' and wrecked my engine.

I'd be thankful you've had such a lucky escape!

 

[666markyboy]

Yes i've heard this... it's not normal procedure to change the tensioner when doing a cambelt change and they normally only change the waterpump at your request too... a cambelt kit normally comes with the small roller that fits the tensioner but this dosn't help you if the actual tensioner has become weak which can cause the belt to slip... out of interest does anyone know if the 1.9TDi suffered the same plastic impellored waterpump that the 1.8T does ??? better to change it for a metal one.. i'm looking to do a full cambelt in the not too distant future on the Avant as i don't know much of it's history and it's coming up on 110,000 i know it's been changed once but i'm betting it was just the belt that was done ... this is one reason you can get such widely varied prices on have a cambelt job done at a garage... one place might just change the belt, after all thats what you've asked them to do whilst another, doing it properly will change belt, waterpump and tensioner...