My 2,8 V6 has only done 40,000 miles since it had it belt and tensioner changed. I know you only have to change them every 75,000 miles. But it has been over five years since that new belt was fitted. My local VW/AUDI specialist tells me i should get it changed as its over five years old and it is now time. Is this correct? If so any idea how much am I going to pay for this? Thanks
Timing /cam belt
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The specified interval is always xx miles or x years, whichever comes first.
The rubber in the timing belt degrades as it ages.
Personally i'd want to have it changed at 40-50k or 4 years as a maximum.
Your probably talking between 4-600quid to get a garage to do the job. MAKE SURE they change the tensioners, damper, thermostat and waterpump while they're in there.
The rubber in the timing belt degrades as it ages.
Personally i'd want to have it changed at 40-50k or 4 years as a maximum.
Your probably talking between 4-600quid to get a garage to do the job. MAKE SURE they change the tensioners, damper, thermostat and waterpump while they're in there.
Blue_Thunder
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Blue_Thunder
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FYI - I was quoted over £800 from each of the 3 specialists I looked at for the complete cambelt job (inc. parts).
Not sure if the S4 is much more work than the 2.8 V6, but to be honest I would imagine it couldn't be that different.
Not sure if the S4 is much more work than the 2.8 V6, but to be honest I would imagine it couldn't be that different.
Well thats cheered me up! ****** hell so I have to change the stat and water pump along with all the belt and bits. Sounds like it would be cheeper to buy a new engine.
Thanks guys
Thanks guys
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The timing belt drives the waterpump, so you really dont want it failing...
Similarly the stat is buried in the bowels of the engine behind the belt, so may as well change it while its off!
Blue_thunders pricing may be more accurate than mine, i dont use garages.
Similarly the stat is buried in the bowels of the engine behind the belt, so may as well change it while its off!
Blue_thunders pricing may be more accurate than mine, i dont use garages.
Hi,So lets get this right you need to change the Timing belt and the others every 4 years no matter what..???
The reason I ask is that I do not do any mileage hardly..only comes out now and then..
You will have all this Forum panicking ...
The reason I ask is that I do not do any mileage hardly..only comes out now and then..
You will have all this Forum panicking ...
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yes, the belt change interval is so many years or so many miles, whichever comes first.
So for instance it might be 60k miles or 5 years. If after 5 years you've only covered 12miles, the belt is still due a change.
I wouldnt trust 5 year old rubber tyres, and similarly i wouldnt trust a 5 year old rubber belt to keep my engine from eating itself.
When i did the timing belt on my A4 last year, which was 5 years old, the timing belt itself didnt look bad, but the aux belt was badly cracked and looked about to fail.
So for instance it might be 60k miles or 5 years. If after 5 years you've only covered 12miles, the belt is still due a change.
I wouldnt trust 5 year old rubber tyres, and similarly i wouldnt trust a 5 year old rubber belt to keep my engine from eating itself.
When i did the timing belt on my A4 last year, which was 5 years old, the timing belt itself didnt look bad, but the aux belt was badly cracked and looked about to fail.
Right..I will have to get mine done some time this year then..been about 6 years since it was changed going on time then..
I inquired and it was nearly £200 for the Kit(Tensioner and Bolts) that is without the Water-Pump and other Belts..
I inquired and it was nearly £200 for the Kit(Tensioner and Bolts) that is without the Water-Pump and other Belts..
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Aragorn, when I was at my local VW/AUDI garage I said to also change the damper, he phoned the suppliers and they said they had sold seven in two years, as it is 105 pounds is it really worth doing?
ive seen a few dampers fail in my time. a couple leaking the damping oil out, causing the belt to flap about all over the place, wearing it out and fail well before its time.
we change them as a matter of course with the belts at our garage
if you dont change it, give it a good look over where the shaft comes out... the bit that pushes on the tensioner.... if it looks damp at all round the dust rubber.... change it.
also try pushing it in with your fingers. if you can push it in a few mm.... change it.
to do this check you need to let it expand to its extent which you shouldnt really do anyway.
when you push it back (to put the holding pin in it) do it slowly with a vise at a constant slow rate (the damping side of it is very strong) or you'll damage it inside fooking it up!
we change them as a matter of course with the belts at our garage
if you dont change it, give it a good look over where the shaft comes out... the bit that pushes on the tensioner.... if it looks damp at all round the dust rubber.... change it.
also try pushing it in with your fingers. if you can push it in a few mm.... change it.
to do this check you need to let it expand to its extent which you shouldnt really do anyway.
when you push it back (to put the holding pin in it) do it slowly with a vise at a constant slow rate (the damping side of it is very strong) or you'll damage it inside fooking it up!
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You dont need to use a vice.
Stick a hex drive into the tensioner and lean on it with a constant force, and it slowly compresses, then you can install the pin before removing the belt.
Stick a hex drive into the tensioner and lean on it with a constant force, and it slowly compresses, then you can install the pin before removing the belt.
Just found out the stat on my 2.4 is burried behind the cam belt, it runs cold all the time ..
so it looks like will be doing pump and belt along with stat in one job , going to pop a crank oil seal in there too whilst its all apart as it pee's oil out !
mark
Guys, for anyone in the northwest, I've just had a cam belt and major service on my S4 at C4RS in Leyland. One of the guys who owns it spent 4 years at Audi so I had confidence in giving them ago. Can't fault it, all OEM parts, right oil, everything as I wanted and expected. £370 for parts and £250 for Labour, all in total invoice, £620. I don't think thats bad myself. I priced up others and they were talking over a thousand quid!!
I love my S4 but hell, one place quoted £690 + vat for just the cam belt change. Anyway a good experience so thought I'd share it.
I love my S4 but hell, one place quoted £690 + vat for just the cam belt change. Anyway a good experience so thought I'd share it.
Blue_Thunder
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It's the bit about working for Audi for 4 years that sets alarm bells ringing, as they wouldn't normally change your thermostat or water pump when they do a cambelt on an S4.
I would have thought they'd suggest you do it at the same time. I asked around and came up with a list of parts thats best to change whilst having the cam belt done, that tied in to what they suggested. So I went for it. They did all the fluids, filters all the bits I already covered. Basicly a major service and a cam belt.
I met Craig, one of the owners a while ago when he still worked at Audi. He was muttering then about wanting to start on his own. Mainly because of the attitude. A job shall take the time it says in the book, not the time it takes to do it right, and the prices they charged compared to the money they paid. Anyway when I saw him again recently he told me he'd set up and asked me to give them a try. I have and was impressed so I thought I'd share it. Its only one mans opinion but I thought it was a good value service.
I met Craig, one of the owners a while ago when he still worked at Audi. He was muttering then about wanting to start on his own. Mainly because of the attitude. A job shall take the time it says in the book, not the time it takes to do it right, and the prices they charged compared to the money they paid. Anyway when I saw him again recently he told me he'd set up and asked me to give them a try. I have and was impressed so I thought I'd share it. Its only one mans opinion but I thought it was a good value service.
Still not said what Parts did you spend £370 on just mentioned Fluids and Filters..or did I miss something(obviously the belt)..??
Parts = Cam belt kit, complete with all idlers and damper,
poly vee belt,
water pump,
thermostat,
gaskets,
Filters (fuel, oil, air and pollen),
Fluids (oil, coolants and brake fluid),
6 spark plugs
I think thats everything. I'll check the receipt and edit if I missed anything.
But what are you thinking, it sounds expensive? I didn't think so.
poly vee belt,
water pump,
thermostat,
gaskets,
Filters (fuel, oil, air and pollen),
Fluids (oil, coolants and brake fluid),
6 spark plugs
I think thats everything. I'll check the receipt and edit if I missed anything.
But what are you thinking, it sounds expensive? I didn't think so.
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It all adds up especially when your using OEM Parts..Nice bill though every 4 years which can only get more..
The only saving you can make is on Labour,different prices for the job,better still if you can do it yourself..
I need to get mine done sometime soon,though I have my own opinion about the Timing Belt it's down to a bit more than just changing it every 4 years which I personally think might be a bit much even though you have only taken it out the garage 3 times but gives you peace of mind I suppose..
Driving style and mileage must also play a part as well..not too sure about the degrading rubber after all when you get the belt who knows when it was made..
The belts are better today than they used to be I'm sure..
If your belting down the motorway every day it's nice to know the Belt as just been changed I suppose..
I think you can get paranoid about it though..
If you thought of the things that could go wrong with a car and I'm talking major problems you would not get in the Damn thing..
So before you get in a state of paranoia about all that can go wrong you can pay for peace of mind but also common sense is also needed..
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its no different to car tyres though, its said that they shouldnt really be used after they're 6 years old, and quite often you'll find tyres much older than 6 years start to deteriorate, with cracked sidewalls etc.
When i baught the TQS it had four tyres like that fitted, all with plenty of tread, but all manufactured in 2003/2004, and all cracked to buggery, good brands too, not cheap crap. The timing belt was 5 years old, and while the timing belt itself didnt visible look worn, the aux belt which was presumably changed at the same time as the last timing belt was covered in cracks including a couple that were full width and likely to fail at any moment.
Its nothing to do with belting down the motorway either, the belt could snap at startup or at idle in Asda's carpark, either way its still going to munch the valves and leave you with a very heavy bill.
Dawns boss has a TT which snapped its timing belt last month. Garage had quoted 4 grand to fix it, and the guy has ended up collecting the broken engine from the garage and brung it to me to rebuild it to get the bill down a bit. Not only is the head mashed, but all four pistons are fubar as well.
You have a v6 with more valves and more pistons, is it really worth the risk for the sake of sticking a belt on it every 5 years?
When i baught the TQS it had four tyres like that fitted, all with plenty of tread, but all manufactured in 2003/2004, and all cracked to buggery, good brands too, not cheap crap. The timing belt was 5 years old, and while the timing belt itself didnt visible look worn, the aux belt which was presumably changed at the same time as the last timing belt was covered in cracks including a couple that were full width and likely to fail at any moment.
Its nothing to do with belting down the motorway either, the belt could snap at startup or at idle in Asda's carpark, either way its still going to munch the valves and leave you with a very heavy bill.
Dawns boss has a TT which snapped its timing belt last month. Garage had quoted 4 grand to fix it, and the guy has ended up collecting the broken engine from the garage and brung it to me to rebuild it to get the bill down a bit. Not only is the head mashed, but all four pistons are fubar as well.
You have a v6 with more valves and more pistons, is it really worth the risk for the sake of sticking a belt on it every 5 years?
Yes fair point Aragorn I had one of the VW Classics in the Garage never came out only for shows won every for years..
Tyres went the same way side walls cracking that is all I ever changed on it..
Had no wear at all on the treads you could nearly see the pimples on them..
Tyres went the same way side walls cracking that is all I ever changed on it..
Had no wear at all on the treads you could nearly see the pimples on them..
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