Timingbelt 1.4 AUA - diagnostic?

O

Olerype

Member
The car is running on a 18 year old timing belt. The handbook states replacement interval of 90.000km. No age limitation.

Continental states also 90.000km but thereafter inspections every 30.000km.

Audi dealership is not sure..hehe, but they will inspect the belt next week. But guess they will just recommend replacement, but as that is £800 in Norway I would like to avoid.

Took some photos just now, and for me this looks ok. Anybody dare to diagnostic the belt?

B5C9387C-E8E2-4091-A3A3-C783F6E5EB9F.jpeg


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878B1530-5938-4639-8B48-862250FC617B.jpeg
 
You can only tell with the belt removed turned inside out and pinched to reveal cracks. We changed ours in Feb this year and it was fine, but it was changed in 2010 also. You are pushing your luck with that I reckon.
 
I have always worked on 70K miles or 5 years, change whichever comes first
The cost incurred with a snapped belt is many many more times the cost of the belt replacement, it is normal to change the water pump and tensioner pulleys at the same time as the belt
 
But where is 5 years coming from?

Neither Audi handbook nor Conti states any limitation in years. This is also supported by the fact that the car is still running on a 18 years old belt.

The same applies to my 1.9TDI where dealership in writing confirms they will take all cost related with engine(failure) in case of timingbelt snaps before 150.000km. Age not relevant.

Think this is the way forward; get Audi to provide such written statement that handbook prevails and any cost related to premature timingbelt failure is covered by Audi.
 
If I could get a written guarantee from Audi that they would replace or repair the engine at their expense then I would be happy to run a belt for more than 5 year ie up to the mileage limit
However I have never been able to get anything like that in the uk and the warranty on Gates timing belts which are the only belt I will use is what I stated above. Hence this is what I go by.
I am not suing that every belt will brake if run beyond 5 years just that the risk starts to increase significantly
At the end of the day you do what feels right for yourself
Cheers. Paul


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Fully agree with you Paul.

Have you ever considered Conti timing belts instead of Gates? Ref. no age limitation according to table in first post?

Edit: pretty sure the Audi/VW labelled timing belts are from Conti.
 
It probably depends what country you live in as extremes of temperature will affect the belt, hence the 5 year change. In the UK just this year we’ve had minus 15 up to 38 degC, and that in itself will affect the rubber I would have thought.
 
But there is not such thing described anywhere; neither from Audi nor Conti?

Norway is -40 to +35degC.

Understand dealer say 5 years because this is easy money for them; and you get easily scared when dealer tell you what happens with engine if the belt snaps.

I am looking for solid references to where age limitation is coming from, and also reference to how the condition of a belt is evaluated.
 
It’s a lottery really. I had a belt snap on a 5 year old polo with 48k on the clock. So you never can tell.
 
steve_c said:
Here is the ContiTech warranty: http://www.contibelts.com/pressreleases/LtdLifetimeWarrantyContiTechTimingBelts_Kits_2012.pdf
and here: http://aam-europe.contitech.de/pages/downloads/docs/PTG1015_5_Jahre_en.pdf

ContiTech do not offer an unlimited warranty, but one that is limited by distance travelled or five years, whichever comes sooner.
Click to expand...

Seems like Contitech disagree with themself; see this one for the AUA. Unlimited warranty.
https://www.contitech.de/getmedia/8...-DeEnEs-Timing-belt-replacement-intervals.pdf

I will go after Audi/Conti.
 
steve_c said:
At the bottom of the page you linked to it says: "The content of this publication is not legally binding and is provided as information only." So not warranted.
Click to expand...

Hehe yes; seems like Conti also can blah blah (with reference to your other document..)

I will go after Conti and Audi in any case.
 
there's a video on Youtube showing the change on a Golf with a 1.4. That belt was 12 years old and you can see the cracks in the rubber.

I would not chance it. Mine is 9 years old and will be changed at the next opportunity.

Note that it's not necessarily the belts themselves that go, but the bearings in the tensioners. When they die, the belt is not far behind and it is extremely likely to be a motor death at that point. You may be lucky and have just bent valves but you still need to take the head off to check that.

No way I'd risk an 18 year old timing belt.

Germany should get you a <€500 replacement price, it's essentially that here, I checked the other week.

- Bret
 
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