1998 Audi S8 4.2 32v - recent GB/Cambelt/coilpacks/fuel pump/cats/lambdas

[ainarssems]

Interesting comments about not changing the tensioners too...

I did change the tensioner as if it fails cambelt can jump over and cause terminal damage to the engine. I did not change rollers because:
1.There was nothing wrong with, no play and all running nice and smooth,
2.If they wear out in future they will just start making noise , no real risk for terminal damage,
3. If they do fail I can change them myself, no need to pay someone second time.

If you are paying £200 somebody else to do the job then it makes sense to replace them just in case to avoid paying second time for the same job.

Rollers are essentially ball bearings and ball bearings our days are precision made and with thermal and chemical treatments to metal and filled with modern high speed high pressure grease and under normal operation experience next to no wear. The problem in most cases is that with age grease dries out, becomes harder and as balls push it out of the way it does not flow back. This results in dry running and wear noise and heat. I have cleaned out old grease and filled them with a fresh grease and I am confident they will be good for at least another 5 years with low mileage I do and I can reassess the condition when I do next cambelt change. Even if I did more driving I am confident they would last at least another 50k miles and probably more.

but then I wouldn't run one of these cars on budgets or part worns either

I don't really understand people who does not use part worn tyres. When you put on new tyres after your first drive they are partworns already, do you go and change them the next day again? Or if you buy a second hand car it will have part worn tyres on it in 99.99% cases, is the first thing you do change the tyres to new?

I mean it's better for me as lower demand equals lower prices for me. If everybody was buying partworns prices would much higher due to low availabilityt and high demand.

[IT]

^^^ Totally agree with this tyre logic.

I *had* to buy two new tyres for the Q7 when I bought it as the chords were showing I had 300 miles to drive. I whinced in pain and coughed up.

Before that, I cannot recall when I last bent over and shelled over three figures for a circle of black rubber.

At least with a part worn you can visual inspect the tyre outside - and in - before you commit to running with it. Obviously avoid any tyres with puncture repairs, but there are some genuine top notch branded bargains out there. Folks with top end motors may get a puncture in one tyre and demand 4 brand new matching ones. It happens more than you'd think, leaving 3 really good ones for example.

Last time you bought a 2nd hand car, did you check to see if the tyres had been puncture repaired anywhere? Doubt it....

[PsYcHe]

Though make sure that the place will be happy to swap if any issues crop up within a couple of days.. Had a pair that both had bubbled sidewalls by the time I got home, looked OK at the place and when first inflated, but after a few miles driving...

[tintin]

Can't remember the last time I bought new either, was probably nearly two years ago, but that's more a factor of:

A) not using the car as much for work (plus three cancelled 'Ring trips in 12 months ...) and
B) currently having 3 full sets of tyres to choose from ;2 sets of 20" and 1 set of 18" (winters).

So quite fortunate really, since apart from major servicing items (e.g cambelt and gearbox), new tyres are probably the next most expensive item, excluding fuel of course...

[tintin]

Originally Posted by PsYcHe

Though make sure that the place will be happy to swap if any issues crop up within a couple of days.. Had a pair that both had bubbled sidewalls by the time I got home, looked OK at the place and when first inflated, but after a few miles driving...

...That's why I like using DM tyres in Oldham (found/recommended by ainarssems IIRC). When I bought my four 18" winters from them @ £40 a piece, they swapped one that turned out to be defective without any quibbles.