Cam belt change & Water pump & Tensioner

A

AndyDP

Member
Is it really necessary / recommended to have the water pump & tensioner changed when the cam belt is replaced?

The reason I ask is that my cam belt is due for replacement, and I have booked Cheshire Oaks Audi to do the job when the car is in for servicing.

I am actually getting the cam belt done FOC as I bought the car last year and it wasn't changed before I took delivery form Chester Audi.

I have queried this and was told that Audi reviewed cam belt changes in February 2008 and as such my car didn't require the cam belt changing. But due to the position being unclear they have agreed to do it for nowt!

The car is now nearly 6 years old and has done less than 30k. I am obviously delighted that this is being done, but wondering whether to get the water pump & tensioner changed whilst it being worked on. I am thinking of doing it as I am saving a wedge with the cam belt.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!
Cheers
Andy

1.4 Sport 2003 Azure Blue Open Sky 6 CD Autochanger
 
Get it done while the car is stripped down anyway. I dont think those parts are very expensive and there should be no labour charges to speak of either.
 
Hi Andy
I thought it was standard practice to change the tensioner and idler pulley when replacing the cambelt so try and get them as part of the 'free' work. As Murdo says, pay the extra for the water pump (around £30 exchange) and new antifreeze. The increased tension of a new belt etc often causes the water pump seals to leak soon after replacement so its safer to have it all done in one go.

Cheers Spike
 
audi are advertising £329 for cambelt change, but audicambelt.co.uk which some people are calling stafford audi say £275, but on the stafford audi website it says £329 as with every other audi dealership.

so is audicamblet.co.uk not a real audi dealership.

should we not as a group be getting group discounts from audi, has anyone tried, i see there is a section on here that says discounts with our card, what card where do i get it?
 
It seems there's many posts here on timing & cambelts, but no-one I can find has reported any failures. Can I therefore be the first!? Maybe my experience can add to the general knowledge base on this topic!

I've now driven 105,000 miles from new in my 2001 1.4 petrol, so I guess I'm soon becoming a reliability study for the A2!

When I first got the car I was told the cambelt needed to be replaced at 80k, so didnt worry about it. However at 44k the plastic rimmed tensioner pulley on the second belt between the camshafts fell apart (just out of warranty). Luckily this didnt cause any damage and the belt didnt slip any teeth, but made an awful noise with an eccentric tensioner!

The full belt system, tensioners & water pump was thus replaced. The independant VAG garage said that it wasnt the first case of pulley failure they'd seen. They also had a gallery of failed VW water pumps available to convince customers that replacing that at same time was sensible. Seems its the bonding of the plastic impeller to the shaft that fails as much as leaky seals or bearings

Later at a different independant VAG garage, I was told that the cambelt service interval on the 1.4 petrol had been reduced to 56k, due to failures of tensioners in the system.

Therefore, depending on who you want to believe, I suggest that on a 1.4 petrol, the cambelts are probably technically OK to 80k, but the pulleys & tensioners are the weak point and only rated to 56k (or 12k less in my case).

Needless to say I dont push my luck on this now, and have had a second belt change at 100k. About £350 for belt kit, pump, pulleys & 2.5hrs labour (non franchised)


Keith
 
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I've seen offer prices on for stoke and staffs audi for cambelt and tensioner at for an a2 @ £275. Infact its on ebay now.

I had mine done at stoke audi about a month ago including waterpump and service with filters (air/pollen/oil/fuel) and brake fluid change for a lot less than is quoted on any website anywhere. It would be unfair for me to quote the price as dave worked on a deal for having everything done together. Plus car is older than three years which they are doing discount for too.

Get in contact with dave lever on this forum see what he can rustle up...

Gary
 
I am still on the original cam belt, tensioners and water pump. It has done 95k. :eek: I guess I have been lucky so far.

It is going in on Monday to have them all done at Stealth (along with a couple of other things too ;) ). I have been skating on thin ice with the belts for the last 10-20k miles. Hopefully they will last another 500 miles until Monday morning. :eek:
 
i called stoke audi today re thier sunday 50% discount on serviceing but it doesnt cover camblet.

they are doing cambelt for £275 but if you want water pump done as well which of course we do they want another £100!!

stafford audi said today £275 for camblet and £80 for water pump in collant etc. £355 is the cheapest so far, ill cal my local audi birmingham and se if they will at least match that if i cant find any cheaper as ive just bought a2 with 74 k and belts never been done so i have to get it done asap.
 
cambelt changes

Audi uk have changed the intervals for cambelt changes
75k or 5 years.

hope this clear things up

if you contact our service dept, i am sure we could possibly do something with staffords price.

Dave
 
stoke_audi said:
Audi uk have changed the intervals for cambelt changes
75k or 5 years.

hope this clear things up

Dave
Click to expand...

No, not really! It seems like the annual change of mind has come early this year!

Best value is still Stealth Racing - all genuine parts, water pump and coolant for £325!

Cheers

Mike
 
stoke_audi said:
Audi uk have changed the intervals for cambelt changes
75k or 5 years.
Dave
Click to expand...

Dave

My local dealer, Teesside Audi recently gave me a leaflet on cambelt change intervals. When I read it at home it appeared to rationalise the whole range of cars at 75k or 5 years as you indicate............except, in small print at the bottom of the page it said this excludes the A2.
Could you check this out and advise what the A2 intervals actually are.

Many Thanks Spike
 
I got a letter recently from my dealer, indicating the new cambelt interval change is 75k miles or five years for my A2. So I had it done. Advertised price is £329 on the website, but somehow they wanted to charge £600. A phonecall to Audi technical via the website confirmed the £329 and the fact that the cambelt kit includes essential tensioners and rollers. There is one other tensioner which may be required, and the water pump is extra (but only £20-odd).

The dealer conceded that it was £329, agreed to replace the water pump only if faulty - and somehow I end up with a bill for £429.:mad: I guess it was £100 labour to tell me that the left rear door was unlocking normally, that teh front suspension is fine, and to lubricate the filler cap flap such that it now won't open (instead of not shutting!):confused:.
 
just got mine and its done 74 k and is 8 years old so its due. but if its the 60k due rule i need it done asap itf its the 75k or 5 years its not quite so urgent so do i rush out today and get it done in case my engine explodes or do i wait a few months when can easily afford it.

wish audi would make its mind up.
 
stephensm said:
just got mine and its done 74 k and is 8 years old so its due. but if its the 60k due rule i need it done asap itf its the 75k or 5 years its not quite so urgent so do i rush out today and get it done in case my engine explodes or do i wait a few months when can easily afford it.

wish audi would make its mind up.
Click to expand...

If you are still on the original belt at 74k and 8 years, (even with a recommended 75K), you are way past the 5 year safe guard.

Rubber will perish over time, so I guess how long it will last depends on its current state.

If I was you I would be getting it booked in a.s.a.p. to avoid any expensive engine rebuilds at a later date.

If funds are tight, try sourcing an interest free credit card offering say 9 or 12 months credit which will buy you some time. Also, see if there are any good independents in your area, as this will save you a few pounds too.

Cheers,

Darren
 
Hello all,

I have just finished a major service on my recently acquired 2002 1.4 SE with 60k miles, on its original belts and pulleys, therefore a full belt change was effectively 4 years overdue.

After removing the engine mount to access the belts, I was greeted by the following sight (see attached file) :(
How long the car had been running like that, I dread to think! The belt would surely have snapped anytime soon due to the lack of tension and point load from the bearing edge.

It should be noted that this was not visible by removing the top plastic cam cover => the issue only revealed itself with the engine mount bracket removed.

I will sleep better this evening knowing the car now has all new pulleys and a fresh steel impeller water pump.
 
This was an old thread you resurrected :) I think the change interval may have been reduced again?

Couple of questinons - what is that plastic thing - a tensioner? and where did you get you metal impellar water pump for your 1.4 petrol?
I'm aware of the plastic impellar water pumps on other VAG engines failing (1.9 TDI's) and 'Hepu' make a replacement with brass impellars for the 1.9 TDI.
 
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