Timing Belt replacement Help Needed.

Hi,

I'm aware that I'm not addressing your request but want to add a couple of thoughts:

It's not at all certain that the water pump is driven by the timing belt on your car. Depends on the engine type, which can vary even for a given model year and car.

I have the 2001 A4 1,8TS Avant (B5 chassis) using engine variant AJL. On that motor type the water pump is driven off the serpentine belt (the belt you can see when you lift the bonnet). That meant that there was no advantage for me to replace the water pump while the timing belt and tensioner were being changed. Check with Audi to see which belt drives your water pump.

It should be possible to find a reputable independent with solid Audi experience, in the D.C. area, who can do the job for about two thirds the price that Audi would charge. Look for that kind of shop instead. You want to be sure that such a job is done right.

Just my $0.25 worth.

/Robert

You should check out audiworld.com under their tech articles. Here's one on changing the 1.8T timing belt

Here's a place that sells kits and for somemodels has tools available for rental although by the sounds of theaudiworld tech article, you actually don't need special tools. If I wereyou, I'd try to work with your mechanic or find an independent Audi mechanicto do the work. You should certainly get hold of the Haynes manual andperhaps the Bentley factory manual. Good luck.

There's nothing special about the tools required - some sockets, some hex bits and some torx bits is all - standard stuff any mechanic would have.

What he's really saying is he doesn't want to do it - not sure why because its not a difficult job, even for a half competent home mechanic like me! Long, but not difficult.

I.

...and use the Haynes manual to hold the Bentley Manual open at the right page....;-) Cheers! Steve Sears

1987 Audi 5kTQ 1980 Audi 5k 1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes (SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

By using this link:

I found: VolksWerks

106-B W. Jefferson Street , Falls Church, VA 22046 (703) 237-5266

and others....

You might want to consider finding a mechanic this way. I used it myself when I needed work done on a car my daughter drives that had a problem about

100 miles away. Usually, I do just about all this type of work myself (including the timing belt change in my 2000 A4 1.8T). The mechanic I found was honest and appeared to do a very good job. No guarantees; consider it a suggestion and good luck.

Ken

p.s. I am in California, so can offer little in the way of direct help.

Whatever makes you suspect the timing belt needs changin'...sounds,etc. get it taken care of asap. My 2001 A4 just died last week from a broken timing belt caused by a frozen water pump(in Miami, no less). The real problem is that in a manual trans, the gears keep moving as do the pistons, which smash the valves and damaged the cylinder head. I was looking at a bill for $3800 when I contacted Audi for help. I only have 60K miles on the car so they helped me out. But my advice is to find a reputable mechanic to ease your mind.