The A2 Cambelt Debate

Sounds like they are just saying the current standard Audi "formula" for when to replace was never adopted for the A2. So it's on some other formula (4 years/ 60000 miles?). They aren't saying it doesn't need changing. They are just giving you the specific rule for all post 2004 Audis except those two.
 
I remember this being discussed a while back, and I thought the informed consensus was every 5 years or 60,000 miles - whichever is the sooner. HTH
 
I think it is good practice to change it every 45,000 miles i have done this on every car i have ever owned as you never know you might push the engine slightly harder than the average driver and over 60,000 miles that effect is multiplied.

Chris
 
I did mine in January and for a 5.3 year old belt, with 75k miles on it (and being linked to a more powerful than usual engine!), the belt was in remarkably good nick with no cracks or signs of impending failure.

5 years is a given really, but the other one is mileage: for those of a nervous disposition, do it every 50k miles. For the bolder owner of pre-2003 cars, go for 60k miles and for later models, 75k miles is fine (Audi did at one point recommend 80k miles!).

Cheers,

Mike
 
Hi guys

Good responses. I have been having this debate with my local Audi centre who now seem to have 'discovered' this info about the A2. It says 80k in my manual (although I know it should be sooner) but even then the 4 years and 75k miles it seems AUdi do not think applies to 2004+ A2 models.

I will write to Audi Cust Serv to get the low down on this and report back

kind regards
 
4 years or 60,000 miles seems sensible

I've just changed the timing belt, tensioner & roller on my Touran 1.9 TDi. Very similar engine to the A2 TDi (same belt part no, and tensioner & roller part nos only differ in their last letter).

VW advises it's changed at 4 years or 60,000 miles, whichever is sooner. Mine's 5 years old and has only done 37k miles. On examining the old parts, the belt and tensioner were in excellent condition, but the roller was not. Its bearings had a little play and it didn't spin as smoothly as it should.

I considered replacing the water pump, but decided to leave it until next time if there were no signs of wear or leakage. It span smoothly with no play, so I left it.

So, the roller would have got worse and eventually siezed causing the belt to overheat and snap. I can only guess at the mileage this would have happened at.

The moral is that the parts involved are of variable quality and can fail surprisingly early. So I agree with VW's advice of 4 years or 60k miles, whichever is sooner. It's also definitely worth listening to that end of the engine for any unusual bearing noises, and change early if you have any concerns.

Incidentally, it wasn't too bad a job. Took me an afternoon, including wasting an hour on the one-liner "remove mount downwards", the mount being the mounting point that bolts onto the engine and gets in the way of changing the belt. Turned out to be impossible to take out, but I didn't need to, I could work around it in the end by moving it around. Only a couple of small, cheap, special tools are needed and the parts only cost about £72 incl (genuine VAG repair kit from TPS). Hopefully the A2's kit would be about the same price. An afternoon of my time was well worth giving up to save a couple of hundred quid :)
 
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The 1.4 is basically a 3 cylinder version of the 4 cylinder 1.9, no? So maybe the stress on the same cambelt would be more on the 1.9, so it might last longer on the 1.4.
 
Just having bought a 1.4 petrol A2 I checked its service history. A VAG dealer had found small cracks on the cambelts at 120 000 km (6,5 years). Former owner replaced them shortly after and now it runs with Gates belts. Lets see if they last the same time, anyone that knows if Gates belts have the same life as the original ones?
 
Timing belts and kits from Gates are generally regarded as top quality. Problem with a belt that comes in an Audi box is not knowing who made it. I was pleased when my independant VW/Audi specialists fitted the INA timing belt/tensioner kit made by LuK in Germany. LuK is well regarded for both OE and aftermarket parts which are easily available from motor factors.
Paul
 
What you do have with any part in an Audi box is the knowledge that you are buying a good quality item that carries a 2 year warranty.

Fit aftermarket parts if you wish, but in working on Audis for 7 years now, I've yet to have a duff OE part.

Cheers,

Mike
 
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