Timing Belt Advice

[Paddyposh]

I got my A3 2.0TDI 170 about 3 months ago, it had done around 75k. It is now on around 80k

The dealer advised that the timing belt was due to be done ASAP, and offered to do it for around £300 - I declined as couldn't stretch it at the time. He said it is either due on time or miles, and I can't remember which one he said.

However, I have looked in the service book and can see that it is ticked for having the Toothed Belt done (with water pump) at 40k, and ticked again on a full service at 50k.

The service book says that the belt should be replaced after 80,000, but obviously from what I can see it had already been done twice for some reason.

So my question, do I actually need to do it now? Assuming that toothed belt in Audi terms is the timing belt.

 

[Chrismawa]

What was the date of the last timing belt change? As it should be done on time or mileage whichever comes first. I believe the time period is arund 4/5 years.

 

[Paddyposh]

August 2015, so on time. though since then it has done only 30,000 miles.

 

[Chrismawa]

Im in similar situation, mine was also done in 2015. Im going to phone Audi and check the time intervals, as in my book it just lists a mileage interval of 133,000!

 

[Paddyposh]

Yes certainly a tricky one

 

[baderlfc]

Have you got a full receipt/invoice for last time it was done? Or are you trusting the service book?

If the service is from an audi dealer it can be confirmed by phoning up audi customer service quickly and easily.

 

[Daveyonthemove]

Rubber perishes under extreme temperature and naturally degrades over time.
IMO you'd be silly not to do it just because it has only done X amount of miles when it is due for the amount of time it has been fitted to the car.
Finding £300 for a belt is much less than finding the money for a repaired engine.

 

[Paddyposh]

Have you got a full receipt/invoice for last time it was done? Or are you trusting the service book?

If the service is from an audi dealer it can be confirmed by phoning up audi customer service quickly and easily.

No however it was stamped from Grimsby Audi, good shout on giving them a call though

 

[Paddyposh]

Rubber perishes under extreme temperature and naturally degrades over time.
IMO you'd be silly not to do it just because it has only done X amount of miles when it is due for the amount of time it has been fitted to the car.
Finding £300 for a belt is much less than finding the money for a repaired engine.

True. I was looking on carparts4less and they do the kit for around £100, Dayco and Ina brands.

Might work out better money wise to buy the parts and pay my mechanic just for the Labour?

 

[Daveyonthemove]

If a mechanic is happy to do that, then go for it.
I'd personally buy the OEM kit for a little bit extra but know that it's the recommended quality and that the belt won't snap in a few months or thousand miles.
But at the end of the day, it's whatever your budget can stretch to.

 

[paddy]

Just about to do mine, done at 40k and just turned 80k by coincidence 4 years and 8 years

 

[Paddyposh]

If a mechanic is happy to do that, then go for it.
I'd personally buy the OEM kit for a little bit extra but know that it's the recommended quality and that the belt won't snap in a few months or thousand miles.
But at the end of the day, it's whatever your budget can stretch to.

How can you find out what the OEM one is?

The two brands mentioned above sound good but I’m no expert

Would be good to look at the OEM kit

 

[ronniejack]

get a gates kit or dayco just as good if not better than eo

 

[Paddyposh]

Is it advisable to replace the components too? Or just the belt?

 

[Daveyonthemove]

Pulleys, belt and water pump all at the same time, so you'll also be changing coolant.

 

[ronniejack]

Is it advisable to replace the components too? Or just the belt?

change every thing water pump pulleys tensioner antifreeze

 

[findalex]

When I did a search for my 2013 2.0 TDI A3, here, the timing belt replacement is at 130k miles or 205 km. Seems strange to need the timing belt changed so often. Even my old 1.9TDI had a change interval of 100K miles.

Is this the PD or CR engine? Mine is the CR engine.

 

[Paddyposh]

How can you tell? Noob question probably but I’m not sure

 

[ronniejack]

all diesel fords I have ever had I changed the belts at 70 thou regardless its way cheaper than an engine rebuild

 

[findalex]

You can't check it visually reliably. When I replaced the timing belt on my 1.9 TDI, it looked great... until I compared it to a brand new belt.

They don't crack, but they DO get worn down and become thinner. The old belt was about 1 mm thinner than the brand new belt.

The teeth get worn down too, so they become rounded. They also don't stretch like the old belts too.

It's some fancy new synthetic rubber and glass fibers that are super tough and long lasting. Mine had 60K+ miles on them and could probably go the whole 100K interval, but unfortunately, the tensioner was making noises so I opted to just change everything. It's mostly the tensioner/roller/bearings that get worn out first nowadays before the belts snap/skip a tooth.

 

[Paddyposh]

Just having a look at these again now I have been paid!

Found this website, as looking to get the stuff myself if possible (ideally on ECP or CP4L as they have sales on).

Finding it difficult to find differences between options, eg:

Top one:
seems to have the same but doesnt list them.

Bottom one:

then this kit is on ECP/CP4L but doesnt appear to have the same kit as the above, and I dont want to get confused ordering the wrong bits

Any advice here is appreciated !

 

[ch1z64]

Personally if I was changing it out for piece off mind and to make sure it lasted the next 50,000 / 70,000 miles I would buy from either Audi direct or TPS cause iirc you have a 2 yr warranty with certain parts bought from them , now I know they would be more expensive but if you do get the 2 yr warranty it's kinda worth it dependant on the miles you do per year so best to give them a call and see what they can offer as you have nothing too lose

 

[R0cket]

Pulleys, belt and water pump all at the same time, so you'll also be changing coolant.

Eventually after doing enough cambelts you get good at pulling the old water pump out and sticking the new one back in before loosing much coolant at all then a little top is only needed.

Also might as well replace the aux belt since you’ll take the old one off anyway.

Gates are as good as the genuine ones anyway, but if you can trade with Tps you may find the price isn’t much different anyway.

 

[Paddyposh]

What is a rough price for this work out of interest?

Talking a local garage, not Audi as I am not rolling in cash.

 

[SootySport]

The Audi price of £300 is actually a bargain, they usually come in about £450. I would add the water pump change at least.

 

[samisnake]

The Audi price of £300 is actually a bargain, they usually come in about £450. I would add the water pump change at least.

audionline fixed price cambelt change for a 2.0tdi 170 is £575, or £725 with the water pump, so £300 is a bargain

if you get the kit with pump, get a mechanic to fit for £200, it comes up to around the same price as the audi price.