Cam Belt (Audi Q5)

Author
Discussion

Fairynuff

Original Poster:

17 posts

55 months

Thursday 26th March 2020
quotequote all
Audi Q5, 2015, 23k miles.

Do I really need the cam belt changing after just 23k?

blue_haddock

3,183 posts

67 months

Thursday 26th March 2020
quotequote all
It will be say 100k Or 5 years as the rubber degrades over time.

You don't have to get it done but it's at your own risk

Schermerhorn

4,342 posts

189 months

Thursday 26th March 2020
quotequote all
100k or 5 years

Whatever comes first

WonkeyDonkey

2,338 posts

103 months

Thursday 26th March 2020
quotequote all
No audi just state these service intervals as they love a good laugh

S1KRR

12,548 posts

212 months

Thursday 26th March 2020
quotequote all
Fairynuff said:
Audi Q5, 2015, 23k miles.

Do I really need the cam belt changing after just 23k?
Presumably you believe that the rubber in the cambelt doesn't degrade and wont possibly fail taking out the engine.

For what £350ish you want to risk the engine in your £20K car?

Up to you I suppose laugh

crankedup

25,764 posts

243 months

Thursday 26th March 2020
quotequote all
I certainly wouldn’t even think it over, it’s a no brainier to change the belt imo. The other aspect is when you come to sell the car on, looking at the service record I would ask as a prospective buyer
‘when did you last change the timing belt’? Answer it’s out of date makes me wonder what else has been skimped on.

MDMA .

8,884 posts

101 months

Thursday 26th March 2020
quotequote all
S1KRR said:
Fairynuff said:
Audi Q5, 2015, 23k miles.

Do I really need the cam belt changing after just 23k?
Presumably you believe that the rubber in the cambelt doesn't degrade and wont possibly fail taking out the engine.

For what £350ish you want to risk the engine in your £20K car?

Up to you I suppose laugh
On the flip side, MrsMDMA says it's all a con by the manufacturers. Her 2005 VW Golf (bought brand new) is still on the original belt. 15 years old now, no problems. Inspected every year by the same garage that services/MOT's it and no wear to it.

thiscocks

3,128 posts

195 months

Thursday 26th March 2020
quotequote all
MDMA . said:
S1KRR said:
Fairynuff said:
Audi Q5, 2015, 23k miles.

Do I really need the cam belt changing after just 23k?
Presumably you believe that the rubber in the cambelt doesn't degrade and wont possibly fail taking out the engine.

For what £350ish you want to risk the engine in your £20K car?

Up to you I suppose laugh
On the flip side, MrsMDMA says it's all a con by the manufacturers. Her 2005 VW Golf (bought brand new) is still on the original belt. 15 years old now, no problems. Inspected every year by the same garage that services/MOT's it and no wear to it.
Must be good pulley bearings then

carinaman

21,287 posts

172 months

Thursday 26th March 2020
quotequote all
There's a niche in the Insurance market for Cambelt Lottery Insurance Cover?

Rather than pay to have the cambelt and associated ancillaries changed you pay the money to an Insurance Company instead and when the belt fails the Insurance Co. pays out for the replacement engine?

Krikkit

26,515 posts

181 months

Thursday 26th March 2020
quotequote all
MDMA . said:
On the flip side, MrsMDMA says it's all a con by the manufacturers. Her 2005 VW Golf (bought brand new) is still on the original belt. 15 years old now, no problems. Inspected every year by the same garage that services/MOT's it and no wear to it.
There's always an outlier, doesn't mean it's not useful for the rest.

Hope the Golf has a non interference setup.

HustleRussell

24,654 posts

160 months

Thursday 26th March 2020
quotequote all
MDMA . said:
On the flip side, MrsMDMA says it's all a con by the manufacturers. Her 2005 VW Golf (bought brand new) is still on the original belt. 15 years old now, no problems. Inspected every year by the same garage that services/MOT's it and no wear to it.
What sort of mechanic will sign off a cam belt for a 15th year based on a visual inspection?

Plate spinner

17,688 posts

200 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
I have a general theory on cambelts...

If it’s attached to a car you like or is expensive to you, then it’ll fail catastrophically shortly after the manufacturer recommended you have it changed.

If it’s attached to a shed that owes you nothing and you’ve already decided the next eventual buyer is the scrap man, then it’ll last pretty much forever.

Twig62

746 posts

96 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
HustleRussell said:
MDMA . said:
On the flip side, MrsMDMA says it's all a con by the manufacturers. Her 2005 VW Golf (bought brand new) is still on the original belt. 15 years old now, no problems. Inspected every year by the same garage that services/MOT's it and no wear to it.
What sort of mechanic will sign off a cam belt for a 15th year based on a visual inspection?
Pretty much every car we see which comes in with a broken cam belt shows no sign of wear or deterioration on the belt. Personally unless the car is an absolute shed I wouldn't leave a cam belt any longer than 5 years or 50,000 miles. Each to their own though of course !

anonymous-user

54 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
Twig62 said:
HustleRussell said:
MDMA . said:
On the flip side, MrsMDMA says it's all a con by the manufacturers. Her 2005 VW Golf (bought brand new) is still on the original belt. 15 years old now, no problems. Inspected every year by the same garage that services/MOT's it and no wear to it.
What sort of mechanic will sign off a cam belt for a 15th year based on a visual inspection?
Pretty much every car we see which comes in with a broken cam belt shows no sign of wear or deterioration on the belt. Personally unless the car is an absolute shed I wouldn't leave a cam belt any longer than 5 years or 50,000 miles. Each to their own though of course !
This. Anyone who says they can tell the condition of a belt by 'looking at it' is not to be listened to!

Belle427

8,935 posts

233 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
HustleRussell said:
MDMA . said:
On the flip side, MrsMDMA says it's all a con by the manufacturers. Her 2005 VW Golf (bought brand new) is still on the original belt. 15 years old now, no problems. Inspected every year by the same garage that services/MOT's it and no wear to it.
What sort of mechanic will sign off a cam belt for a 15th year based on a visual inspection?
Someone who shouldn't be anywhere near a car.

Sheepshanks

32,725 posts

119 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
Got this coming up shortly on wife’s Tiguan - car will be just under 30,000 miles.

It’s got the latest EA288 engine and a big thing was made at this engine’s release that the belt is ‘lifetime’ - yet VW UK is adamant it must be changed at 5yrs.

Plate spinner

17,688 posts

200 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
Sheepshanks said:
Got this coming up shortly on wife’s Tiguan - car will be just under 30,000 miles.

It’s got the latest EA288 engine and a big thing was made at this engine’s release that the belt is ‘lifetime’ - yet VW UK is adamant it must be changed at 5yrs.
Well of course they are!!

It would be interesting for somebody to research the servicing policy across 6 or 7 global markets.

If it’s the same belt but different importers have different scheduling, then I think we can safely assume it’s a racket.

Ste372

629 posts

87 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
Visual inspection of the belt is pointless.

It's usually one of the guides or tensioner that gives up and then throws/breaks the belt as the engine eats its self.

Or a favourite vw one is waterpump seizing & stripping the teeth off the belt.

Any sheds i have its cambelt roulette. Anything I can't afford to outright replace with a month's wages. I Replace the belt as soon as I purchase the car

Sheepshanks

32,725 posts

119 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
Ste372 said:
Or a favourite vw one is waterpump seizing & stripping the teeth off the belt.
The later transverse diesels, like EA288, have the water pump at the other end of end to the cam belt. I assume, but could be wrong, the petrol version, EA888?, is the same, but not sure.

Ste372

629 posts

87 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
Sheepshanks said:
The later transverse diesels, like EA288, have the water pump at the other end of end to the cam belt. I assume, but could be wrong, the petrol version, EA888?, is the same, but not sure.
Yeah I wasn't sure if it would of been that engine. I'm mainly referring to the older vw tdi lumps.