Cambelt change advice on A4 TDi
Discussion
Recently taken over a company A4 Avant 1.9tdi Quattro sport (04 plate) and noticed from my previous colleague's servicing paperwork / invoice (at 56,000 miles) that they were requiring the car to for a Cambelt change in 4,000 miles. Thought nothing of it until I had ten minutes spare waiting in the car recently and decided to actually read the service handbook, in which it stated that the cambelt change was required at 80,000 miles. Suspicious as ever, I phoned the dealership and queried this issue, was told that Audi also advised direct to dealership of various changes to servicing requirements as and when necessary, but he went away and checked and sure enough my car was not requiring a change until 80k...
My question is this....was this a genuine error, or a way of inproving cash flow ( I understand this is a major £500+ job)by bringing the job in earlier than actually required and relying on the fact that the car is company owned and therefore no one is too bothered to check the timing of these matters? Any views?
My question is this....was this a genuine error, or a way of inproving cash flow ( I understand this is a major £500+ job)by bringing the job in earlier than actually required and relying on the fact that the car is company owned and therefore no one is too bothered to check the timing of these matters? Any views?
I have been looking into this recently for my Golf IV 130 TDi. When new, the service interval was said to be 60k miles. However I have since read in several places that there was a bulletin issued in 2005 saying that the service interval for 130 and 150 PS TDi's has been reduced to 40k or 4 years, whichever comes sooner.
In addition, my mother has been told that her Y plate GTi is in need of a cambelt change (again 4 years or 40k).
Can anyone clarify this for VW / Audis, or do we have to rely on the dealers word? I thibnk you may be right, could it be that VAG aren't making enough money on servicing their uber efficient oil burners?
In addition, my mother has been told that her Y plate GTi is in need of a cambelt change (again 4 years or 40k).
Can anyone clarify this for VW / Audis, or do we have to rely on the dealers word? I thibnk you may be right, could it be that VAG aren't making enough money on servicing their uber efficient oil burners?
Edited by I Cooke on Thursday 19th April 12:18
News on the old dears' car...
"Just rang local VW garage which is an independant dealer.
They put my details in the pc and
said that the cam belt was due for changing. I asked
whether this would be due at 4 year or 6 years and
they would prefer to see the vehicle before making a
judgement and that although I am still under 40k it
would be recommended that it was changed at this time.
[They] Would not be drawn in to conversation with me but then
they had my details on the pc and could perhaps see
that the car was [booked] in at another garage anyway.
I have also rung RAC but again, non-committal - they
recommend I ring a VW dealership."
She has been quoted £880 for the following;
Big Service
Cam Belt (£330)
Probe (I think she tuned out as soon as they said "Engine Management System", so no more info)
Mot
The car is not displaying any fault lights on the dashboard so have no idea what this "Probe" could be. As far as I can make out, they have tried to plug in some diagnostic equipment and one particular parameter is not reading anything at all...
All in all an expensive service!
"Just rang local VW garage which is an independant dealer.
They put my details in the pc and
said that the cam belt was due for changing. I asked
whether this would be due at 4 year or 6 years and
they would prefer to see the vehicle before making a
judgement and that although I am still under 40k it
would be recommended that it was changed at this time.
[They] Would not be drawn in to conversation with me but then
they had my details on the pc and could perhaps see
that the car was [booked] in at another garage anyway.
I have also rung RAC but again, non-committal - they
recommend I ring a VW dealership."
She has been quoted £880 for the following;
Big Service
Cam Belt (£330)
Probe (I think she tuned out as soon as they said "Engine Management System", so no more info)
Mot
The car is not displaying any fault lights on the dashboard so have no idea what this "Probe" could be. As far as I can make out, they have tried to plug in some diagnostic equipment and one particular parameter is not reading anything at all...
All in all an expensive service!
Cam belts should be changed every 4 years regardless of mileage in all VAG cars - and any other make to be fair.
As for mileage then iirc VAG dealers inspect them at 60k and report their condition and replace them as part of the 80k service unless directed not to.
There were a spate of complaints made to Watchdog a few years back about cam belts snapping and causing loads of damage (and you still get the odd letter in Honest John's column). Customers were complaining that their cars had only covered 30k and the belt snapped. The fact the cars featured were 6 years old really should have stopped it going to air as the manuals clearly state to change the belt at the mileage or four years which ever is sooner.
As with engine oils, our diverse weather doesn't help either.
As for mileage then iirc VAG dealers inspect them at 60k and report their condition and replace them as part of the 80k service unless directed not to.
There were a spate of complaints made to Watchdog a few years back about cam belts snapping and causing loads of damage (and you still get the odd letter in Honest John's column). Customers were complaining that their cars had only covered 30k and the belt snapped. The fact the cars featured were 6 years old really should have stopped it going to air as the manuals clearly state to change the belt at the mileage or four years which ever is sooner.
As with engine oils, our diverse weather doesn't help either.
Ive seen them changed at either 40/60/80 .. a4 hand book says belt needs to be changed at 60k and 80k.. A service manager at Audi I spoke to said it depends on the chassis no. but rule of thumb 2003 onwards is 80k. earlier 130tdis are 60k.
Ive noticed its the same timing belt for both , but the later model has a different tensioner. that may be the difference as you should change the idlers/rollers tensioner and the auxilary belts at the same time... belt kit is as cheap from audi than anywhere else, from memory they are around £80 .... guy that does mine charges me £60 labour, sounds reasonable but only takes him around hour and a half start to finish.
Ive noticed its the same timing belt for both , but the later model has a different tensioner. that may be the difference as you should change the idlers/rollers tensioner and the auxilary belts at the same time... belt kit is as cheap from audi than anywhere else, from memory they are around £80 .... guy that does mine charges me £60 labour, sounds reasonable but only takes him around hour and a half start to finish.
When you change the cam belt you also need to renew the tensioner on modern VAG cars. This can be an involved process on the mkiv Golf or Bora as an engine mount needs to be removed to allow the belts to be removed (I don't know why this wasn't picked up during the design reviews but it ain't gonna be changed now). I am not sure if any other VAG group cars or models are thus afflicted but as platform and engine sharing is common it wouldn't surprise me.
Additinally the plastic water pump fitted to the mkiv Golf / Bora tends to expire shortly afer all the belts have been changed. German Swedish and French do a brass replacement model. As all the belts need to be removed to fit the water pump it is worth including its rplacement as part of the belt change. Again I am not sure of the other VAG Group cars affected by this.
I'd like to re-itterate that cam belts need to be changed at a set time OR mileage which ever is sooner. So just because your car has only done 20k in four years (as mine has) doesn't mean that the cam belt doesn't need changing.
Additinally the plastic water pump fitted to the mkiv Golf / Bora tends to expire shortly afer all the belts have been changed. German Swedish and French do a brass replacement model. As all the belts need to be removed to fit the water pump it is worth including its rplacement as part of the belt change. Again I am not sure of the other VAG Group cars affected by this.
I'd like to re-itterate that cam belts need to be changed at a set time OR mileage which ever is sooner. So just because your car has only done 20k in four years (as mine has) doesn't mean that the cam belt doesn't need changing.
An update.
I decided to take the cambelt cover off the Audi last night for a look see (2001 TDI with 59k miles). To my horror the belt is covered in small splits on the outer surface (I will try and post a photo later) and there is a reddish dust covering which I can only presume is the belt deteriorating!!!
Needless to say the car is now off the road and it's next outing will be monday morning on it's way to a local VAG specialist for a camblet change. Incidentally I'm paying c.£340 incl VAT for the belt plus tensioners and I also opted for a new water pump.
My recommendation for anyone in a similar boat is to whip the plastic cambelt cover off and have a look. If in any doubt get it changed!!!
Edited to add photos:
[URL=http://img157.imageshack.us/my.php?im]
[/URL]
[URL=http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?im]
[/URL]
I decided to take the cambelt cover off the Audi last night for a look see (2001 TDI with 59k miles). To my horror the belt is covered in small splits on the outer surface (I will try and post a photo later) and there is a reddish dust covering which I can only presume is the belt deteriorating!!!
Needless to say the car is now off the road and it's next outing will be monday morning on it's way to a local VAG specialist for a camblet change. Incidentally I'm paying c.£340 incl VAT for the belt plus tensioners and I also opted for a new water pump.
My recommendation for anyone in a similar boat is to whip the plastic cambelt cover off and have a look. If in any doubt get it changed!!!
Edited to add photos:
[URL=http://img157.imageshack.us/my.php?im]
[/URL] [URL=http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?im]
[/URL] Edited by MoonMonkey on Saturday 21st April 10:38
The 1.8T petrol engine needs its belt doing sooner than they say too. Various stories of TTs and S3s needing expensive engine work following a snap. Had ours done at 60 just in case. Indies are much cheaper than main stealers.
Water pump is the same on this engine - uses a plastic impeller. VAG seem to be cutting corners these days...
Water pump is the same on this engine - uses a plastic impeller. VAG seem to be cutting corners these days...
MoonMonkey said:
An update.
I decided to take the cambelt cover off the Audi last night for a look see (2001 TDI with 59k miles). To my horror the belt is covered in small splits on the outer surface (I will try and post a photo later) and there is a reddish dust covering which I can only presume is the belt deteriorating!!!
Needless to say the car is now off the road and it's next outing will be monday morning on it's way to a local VAG specialist for a camblet change. Incidentally I'm paying c.£340 incl VAT for the belt plus tensioners and I also opted for a new water pump.
My recommendation for anyone in a similar boat is to whip the plastic cambelt cover off and have a look. If in any doubt get it changed!!!
Edited to add photos:
[URL=http://img157.imageshack.us/my.php?im][/URL]
[URL=http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?im][/URL]
I decided to take the cambelt cover off the Audi last night for a look see (2001 TDI with 59k miles). To my horror the belt is covered in small splits on the outer surface (I will try and post a photo later) and there is a reddish dust covering which I can only presume is the belt deteriorating!!!
Needless to say the car is now off the road and it's next outing will be monday morning on it's way to a local VAG specialist for a camblet change. Incidentally I'm paying c.£340 incl VAT for the belt plus tensioners and I also opted for a new water pump.
My recommendation for anyone in a similar boat is to whip the plastic cambelt cover off and have a look. If in any doubt get it changed!!!
Edited to add photos:
[URL=http://img157.imageshack.us/my.php?im]
[/URL] [URL=http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?im]
[/URL] Edited by MoonMonkey on Saturday 21st April 10:38
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