Cam Belt

[Ski]

Wazzup fellas...
Ive had a look at my service receipts and i cannot find the cam belt being done on my car for a good few years (not found any trace of cam belt being changed). so i guess its time to do it.

the problem is... i love my car and will only let experienced pple touch it.. but the audi dealer is saying it will cost me like £400 or even more to get it changed.

HELL NO!!!!

what do pple recommend?

I know what the cam belt looks like and where it is, but that about it, have no idea about tuning n timing should i even attempt to change it myself?

Clueless Ski

[Pisobiker]

Ski, any time somebody asks about how to do cambelt replacement I always address them to this article I find pretty helpfull and well described.
Car of this article is a S4 (the old one based on the A6 chassis, I think) so that removal of front bumper is slightly different. But engine is just the same as well as all the work needed over it (including tensioner and water pump change).

Go and take a look. Then for further infos here on the forum somebody will certainly help you:

link to "cambelt change" infos


Marco

[Ski]

but but but... is it true that 1 mistake will blow my engine?

specially being so clueless with timing and tension etc.. maybe it better idea for me to get a pro to do it?

For example i always get dealer to do my brakes as i think it is v important on a super fast car

ur thoughts..

[Pisobiker]

Ski, dangerous mistakes can only be wrong timing of cams gear vs crank gear (but the article explains pretty well) and wrong tension of belt.

As for the timing I would suggest : you put both cam gear and crank pulley at the right position (signs aligned). Then you unbolt tensioner, take away belt, replace water pump and tensioner, without touching cams and crank.
Then you put in the new belt so that right side (the one without tensioner, where belt goes from cam to water pump to crank sprockets) doesn't have much play, then tension the belt. This way you shouldn't have changed anything in the timing.
Right tension is when part going from cam to water pump sprockets + part coming from crank to tensioner pulley can only be twisted 90° keeping it with two fingers.
Turn by hand crank 720° clockwise (two full turns) so that crank signs are aligned again;
check and eventually correct belt tension;
Double check correspondency of camsprocket signs alignment with the crank ones.

That's all.

I'll suggest you first read the article i told you. If then you still don't feel confortable to do the job yourself.... go to a machanic you trust.


Marco

[desmo888]

Are you mechanically inclined? Even with the best instructions you need to have that "knack".
If you have the mechanical ability, a cambelt is a breeze.
Check out the instructions written for a 7A at:
http://20v.org/belts.htm
This is very close to the S2 set up (same chassis, similar engine).
Best of luck!

[Ski]

ooooo.. tricky one...

the answer is.. ive got a technical mind.. but not abotu engines as im SCARED of em.. now i didnt touch my 2.8 quattro engine and that is peice of piss compared to the inline 5.

I was thinking of maybe starting it myself and if i dont feel able to do it then maybe take it to dealer to finish off.. then again, they have 4 week wait for bookings..

should i chance it with a backstreet garage? £400 is a bit steep for me tbh... i take it i should also replace water pump while im there?

I mean, when i had the audo 80 i changed the radiator myself etc.. etc.. so i got a good mind to working mechanics jsut never experienced with the actual mechanics of the engine.. descisions descisions.

i take it the cam belt is around £30 and water pump about £50 ? that would be a quite a big save... descisions descisions...

[Pisobiker]

Ski,

whatever your decision might be, bear in mind if you go as far as taking off the timing belt, from then on there is no chance you can take the car anywere else if not using a wrecker (or breakdown van, or whatever it's called...).....


Marco


P.S. you better also change the tensioner bearing.

[Ski]

Did i just see someone posting about a s2 from the US of A ? dont them s2's come without a turbo ?

hee hee...

i dont have a garage and with the weather nowadays i think i better taking to someone who knows what they doing (and hopefully asking them if i can watch )

AAAnnnyways... thanx for all ur support fellas

[Vagsport]

If you're willing to drive down to Essex, I don't mind doing it for free (you supply the belt / water pump) and you can watch and learn! Is you car ABY or 3B?

Siena

[desmo888]

Originally posted by Ski
Did i just see someone posting about a s2 from the US of A ? dont them s2's come without a turbo ?

hee hee...

don't rub it in!!
We have the Coupe chassis, it just has the lame 7A engine. We gotta build our own. So no complaining!!

[Ski]

hey i feel for you guys!!!

OMG who was generaus enough to do it for free?

i dont mind driving it across the ocean as its a lovely drive

PREPARE FOR PM

[Doug_RS2]

Marco - that is a good link - I've never seen that before!

Sienna/anyone - whats the trick to getting the bonded-in front crank seal out and do we need to bond a new one in? I have a lot of oil around ther so I am expecvting that to be leaking.

Ski - I'm in the process of doing this myself - actually a bit more since the head is off - if you are doing it yourself, make sure you are capable of locking that crank in place and you have a driver long/strong enough to get that bolt off - don't use the gearbox - Lee measured his breaking torque over 800Nm! This is the first time I have taken an engine to bits and the main thing to learn before you take everything off is what is TDC and find all the marks so you know for sure you have got your head round getting everything lined up. See how long it takes you to find the flywheel TDC mark and see if it lines up on the cam sprocket. Don't turn the crank round without the cambelt on!

HTH

[spink]

Free cambelt changes, get in!.Form an nice q lads

[Vagsport]

Doug, the best way to remove the crank front seal (without removing the oil pump) is to pull it out , using a couple of self - tapping screws. The new one must be carefully drifted in. Make sure it goes in square, and smear the lips with grease. If your car is still off the road, best to strip down the front end AND remove the oil pump. Less risk of damaging the lips of the seal; you WILL have the mother and father of all leaks if you do!

Siena

BTW The seal is not bonded in.

[Doug_RS2]

Cheers Siena,

Removing the oil pump means removing the sump - correct? Which means dropping the front of the subframe down?

This small task just gets bigger and bigger!

Does that suction pipe(19) have to be removed from the pump? - just so I know if I should get that seal (8)

Cheers