cambelt failure???
Discussion
hi
my wife was driving her 225 tt, 2000, and it suddenly went dead, whilst traveling 15mph. The brakes & steering all went heavy at this time. Nothing on the car then seem to work, even hazards only worked on the side lights - not front and rear.
RAC said cambelt's gone after 20 second investigation. Its covered about 67K.
What happens when the cambelts "goes"? is it as sudden as this?
thanks inadvance.
my wife was driving her 225 tt, 2000, and it suddenly went dead, whilst traveling 15mph. The brakes & steering all went heavy at this time. Nothing on the car then seem to work, even hazards only worked on the side lights - not front and rear.
RAC said cambelt's gone after 20 second investigation. Its covered about 67K.
What happens when the cambelts "goes"? is it as sudden as this?
thanks inadvance.
I'm just buying a 1.8t 225bhp quattro roadster. Is the cambelt change interval 60k on these?
Also, is it a 'safe' engine - I noted the comments above about not restarting the car which may imply that it is. I wasn't aware of this but if it is then that's a plus.
Can you get an uprated cambelt?
Also, is it a 'safe' engine - I noted the comments above about not restarting the car which may imply that it is. I wasn't aware of this but if it is then that's a plus.
Can you get an uprated cambelt?
osteoadam said:
hi
my wife was driving her 225 tt, 2000, and it suddenly went dead, whilst traveling 15mph. The brakes & steering all went heavy at this time. Nothing on the car then seem to work, even hazards only worked on the side lights - not front and rear.
RAC said cambelt's gone after 20 second investigation. Its covered about 67K.
What happens when the cambelts "goes"? is it as sudden as this?
thanks inadvance.
I'm afraid it will be bad - multiple bent valves & possibly more. Several thousand pounds to get the head rebuilt.my wife was driving her 225 tt, 2000, and it suddenly went dead, whilst traveling 15mph. The brakes & steering all went heavy at this time. Nothing on the car then seem to work, even hazards only worked on the side lights - not front and rear.
RAC said cambelt's gone after 20 second investigation. Its covered about 67K.
What happens when the cambelts "goes"? is it as sudden as this?
thanks inadvance.
Some VAG engines are really prone to this. The 1.8Ts were especially bad (a bad design of tensioner on the ealy ones) & a number of their Diesel lumps chew up cambelts by all acounts.
Originally VAG were saying 80K & then even over 100K miles on some engines with no time limit specified.
That all changed a year or so back - 60K or 4 years is now the interval on all VAG cambelts. In the States there is a class acion lawsuit against Audi on cambelt failures on the 1.8Ts. I think there is some stuff on www.audiworld.com about it.
I wouldn't let a VAG cambelt go past the 4yr/60K mark now. VAG engines are very expensive to rebuild!
Edited by Iain328 on Thursday 14th June 01:40
osteoadam said:
offically audi uk say 120k miles or every 5 yrs for cambelt change.
Car had audi service at 6 yrs and 4 yrs - never a mention to change belt. car now covered 63k and 7yrs old.
trying to get them to do a goodwill repair - will let you know how it goes
Same situation with the 225 I'm buying, Audi main delaer didn't bother to do cambelt at the 5th year, it's now year overdue.Car had audi service at 6 yrs and 4 yrs - never a mention to change belt. car now covered 63k and 7yrs old.
trying to get them to do a goodwill repair - will let you know how it goes
Anyway, the suppplying dealer I'm buying form are very good and replacing the cambelt and tensioners before I have the car, using VAG parts too.
Its 60k or 5 years as far as I know. No cambelts go over 100k.
The engine couldn't be less safe and there is not a lot of noise when they brake. You can diagnose the fault in 10 seconds. Turn the key, does the starter motor/engine go round unusually fast and with no change in noise. If it doesn't and you hear the rhythmical noise of compression the belt is fine and its something else.
This happens a lot sadly, most older cars (5 years or more) go on ebay spares or repair, a guy at work makes a mint buying them and rebuilding them. The cost to customer when a belt brakes is a cylinder head (think there £1500 but not sure )and about 6 hours labour £88/hour + Vat to fit. The belt change would have been £400 all in.
The cost to a technician rebuilding it would be more like a a head set, 16 valves and a cam belt kit (£450 or so all in) Why don't we do that for customers then you ask, well the labour to strip and rebuild would be more than the cost of the head and fitting.
There are now virtually no "Safe engines" only old 1980 - 1990 SOHC Ford survive as far as I know. As a mechanic when ever I buy a used car, any type any mileage I put a belt and tensioners on at purchase, and advise all my friends to do the same.
Sorry to hear its happened, but I'd be amazed if you get good will.
The engine couldn't be less safe and there is not a lot of noise when they brake. You can diagnose the fault in 10 seconds. Turn the key, does the starter motor/engine go round unusually fast and with no change in noise. If it doesn't and you hear the rhythmical noise of compression the belt is fine and its something else.
This happens a lot sadly, most older cars (5 years or more) go on ebay spares or repair, a guy at work makes a mint buying them and rebuilding them. The cost to customer when a belt brakes is a cylinder head (think there £1500 but not sure )and about 6 hours labour £88/hour + Vat to fit. The belt change would have been £400 all in.
The cost to a technician rebuilding it would be more like a a head set, 16 valves and a cam belt kit (£450 or so all in) Why don't we do that for customers then you ask, well the labour to strip and rebuild would be more than the cost of the head and fitting.
There are now virtually no "Safe engines" only old 1980 - 1990 SOHC Ford survive as far as I know. As a mechanic when ever I buy a used car, any type any mileage I put a belt and tensioners on at purchase, and advise all my friends to do the same.
Sorry to hear its happened, but I'd be amazed if you get good will.
Edited by Tame Technician on Sunday 17th June 20:07
osteoadam said:
Audi UK confirmed 120k or every 5 yrs.
And yours has gone at 67K and 7 years...With this in mind, if you were buying the same car tomorrow would you listen to? Those on here who say 60K, or Audi UK who say 120K, which anyone who ever got their hands dirty on a car will tell you is far too much for any engine, let alone the 1.8T which has (had) an issue with Cambelt tensioners failing....
Another thing to consider when changing a 1.8T belt is the water pump. Standard VAG pumps have a plastic impeller which had been known to fall off. It should be changed for one with a metal impeller at belt swap time.
As for a "Goodwill" repair, best of luck mate, you'll need it.
Edited by MonkeyHanger on Monday 18th June 17:44
I don't know how, but Audi UK are wrong! It will say in your service book when it should be done. Is the engine code "BAM". I try and find some documents at work to prove it to you.
When you find out if you'll get good will or not and get the repair priced up, ring round a few dealers and see if they are cheaper, area has a big effect on labour rate and that could give you a big saving. Like I've said before we are £88+Vat London would be more like £120.
Regarding water pumps its a bit of a sticky wicket. I did one the other day at work, old plastic impeller broken up, new pump ordered using correct part number though audi parts department, it was modified (looked a bit different) but still plastic. I did one at home, got a cheap pattern pump from GSF, had metal blades.
When you find out if you'll get good will or not and get the repair priced up, ring round a few dealers and see if they are cheaper, area has a big effect on labour rate and that could give you a big saving. Like I've said before we are £88+Vat London would be more like £120.
Regarding water pumps its a bit of a sticky wicket. I did one the other day at work, old plastic impeller broken up, new pump ordered using correct part number though audi parts department, it was modified (looked a bit different) but still plastic. I did one at home, got a cheap pattern pump from GSF, had metal blades.
Tame Technician said:
Its 60k or 5 years as far as I know. No cambelts go over 100k.
The engine couldn't be less safe and there is not a lot of noise when they brake. You can diagnose the fault in 10 seconds. Turn the key, does the starter motor/engine go round unusually fast and with no change in noise. If it doesn't and you hear the rhythmical noise of compression the belt is fine and its something else.
This happens a lot sadly, most older cars (5 years or more) go on ebay spares or repair, a guy at work makes a mint buying them and rebuilding them. The cost to customer when a belt brakes is a cylinder head (think there £1500 but not sure )and about 6 hours labour £88/hour + Vat to fit. The belt change would have been £400 all in.
The cost to a technician rebuilding it would be more like a a head set, 16 valves and a cam belt kit (£450 or so all in) Why don't we do that for customers then you ask, well the labour to strip and rebuild would be more than the cost of the head and fitting.
There are now virtually no "Safe engines" only old 1980 - 1990 SOHC Ford survive as far as I know. As a mechanic when ever I buy a used car, any type any mileage I put a belt and tensioners on at purchase, and advise all my friends to do the same.
Sorry to hear its happened, but I'd be amazed if you get good will.
^^^ what he said.The engine couldn't be less safe and there is not a lot of noise when they brake. You can diagnose the fault in 10 seconds. Turn the key, does the starter motor/engine go round unusually fast and with no change in noise. If it doesn't and you hear the rhythmical noise of compression the belt is fine and its something else.
This happens a lot sadly, most older cars (5 years or more) go on ebay spares or repair, a guy at work makes a mint buying them and rebuilding them. The cost to customer when a belt brakes is a cylinder head (think there £1500 but not sure )and about 6 hours labour £88/hour + Vat to fit. The belt change would have been £400 all in.
The cost to a technician rebuilding it would be more like a a head set, 16 valves and a cam belt kit (£450 or so all in) Why don't we do that for customers then you ask, well the labour to strip and rebuild would be more than the cost of the head and fitting.
There are now virtually no "Safe engines" only old 1980 - 1990 SOHC Ford survive as far as I know. As a mechanic when ever I buy a used car, any type any mileage I put a belt and tensioners on at purchase, and advise all my friends to do the same.
Sorry to hear its happened, but I'd be amazed if you get good will.
Edited by Tame Technician on Sunday 17th June 20:07
Always change cambelts & tensioners on any second hand vehicle whatever the history!
Oh boy...the amount of times I've had grown people crying over this problem.
Any other advice is frankly crap ie will last 120k
The proof is in the numbers that don't !!!!
People get your facts right before posting on any forum
Edited by nail_it on Tuesday 19th June 21:36
Originally - back in 98/99 VW did say 120k for cambelt change unbelieveably. After alot of breakages the interval was lowered although I still thought it was 80k for petrols and 60k for the PD motors. Had my 1.8T done at 84 and got away with it.
I am guessing that the way the mileage is done may affect longevity of the belt too, 7 years is a long time on one belt.
Good luck with it.. could be costly
I am guessing that the way the mileage is done may affect longevity of the belt too, 7 years is a long time on one belt.
Good luck with it.. could be costly
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