Timing Chain or Belt?

[Sinner2004]

Hi All,

I'm looking at doing the timing belt on my new purchase but I'm getting conflicting answers as some say its belt driven and others are saying its a chain? does anyone know which it is thanks?

[MikkiJayne]

Timing belt.

It does have chains driving the inlet cams from the exhaust cams but they're not a service item on the 32V engine.

Finding parts for the 32V is a significant challenge these days, with the tensioner roller being pretty much unobtanium. The FB groups are probably your best bet as new old-stock items turn up from time to time.

You need the cam and crank locking tools to hold the engine in time while you set the belt - Prestige (A8parts) have these which they rent out. You also need a replacement crank sprocket bolt and a ginormous torque wrench which can do some 400Nm. I borrow a five-foot-long 1" drive beast of a thing from the local tractor workshop!

[HPsauce]

Almost everyone with a D2 knows it's a belt, though there are chains further inside the engine.
And there's a load of other jobs best done at the same time as changing the belt(s), but I'll let the experts list them, I only pay for others to do them on my car....

Edit: "I'll get my coat". Resident expert was typing at the same time.

[Sinner2004]

Originally Posted by MikkiJayne

Timing belt.

It does have chains driving the inlet cams from the exhaust cams but they're not a service item on the 32V engine.

Finding parts for the 32V is a significant challenge these days, with the tensioner roller being pretty much unobtanium. The FB groups are probably your best bet as new old-stock items turn up from time to time.

You need the cam and crank locking tools to hold the engine in time while you set the belt - Prestige (A8parts) have these which they rent out. You also need a replacement crank sprocket bolt and a ginormous torque wrench which can do some 400Nm. I borrow a five-foot-long 1" drive beast of a thing from the local tractor workshop!

Ah right ok so I haven't got to worry about the chains just the belt. Wow that's some torque I'll have to see if my local garage has one big enough for the job lol, it's a shame that most of the parts are so hard to get as really was want to get this old girl back on the road soon

[Sinner2004]

Originally Posted by HPsauce

Almost everyone with a D2 knows it's a belt, though there are chains further inside the engine.
And there's a load of other jobs best done at the same time as changing the belt(s), but I'll let the experts list them, I only pay for others to do them on my car....

Edit: "I'll get my coat". Resident expert was typing at the same time.

Yes must admit new to the whole Audi world as I'm a Landover man normally, I have read that it's best to do the oil cooler pipe and seal while the front of the car is off as apparently makes it a bit easier. Would be interesting to see what a garage would charge to do the job

[MikkiJayne]

Originally Posted by Sinner2004

I have read that it's best to do the oil cooler pipe and seal while the front of the car is off as apparently makes it a bit easier. Would be interesting to see what a garage would charge to do the job

It makes a thoroughly horrid job about 10% less horrid, mostly because its easy to take the alternator off with the front end off. Normally I just take the engine out

The best advice I have for doing this job in the car is to buy a few sacrificial but good quality 8mm allen keys which you can cut down to the appropriate length for each bolt, as almost all of them are blocked by the chassis leg for virtually every combination of bits and extensions normally found in a toolbox. Also use a long extension bar or long centre punch to give each bolt a solid whack with a hammer before trying to remove them - this can help break the stiction in the threads so that they will come out without stripping. Do not use ball-end tools in them - they will snap or strip and then the engine has to come out to drill the heads off.

My standard quote for a timing belt on a car I've not seen before is 2 days, because the bumper bolts and front panel bolts can seize in place and make it quite an ordeal to get apart. If it all comes apart nicely then bonus, but if I haven't worked on the car before I'll assume its all seized and plan accordingly. The last one I did took 14 hours, in one day
Add half a day to that for the oil cooler pipe.

[Sinner2004]

Originally Posted by MikkiJayne

It makes a thoroughly horrid job about 10% less horrid, mostly because its easy to take the alternator off with the front end off. Normally I just take the engine out

The best advice I have for doing this job in the car is to buy a few sacrificial but good quality 8mm allen keys which you can cut down to the appropriate length for each bolt, as almost all of them are blocked by the chassis leg for virtually every combination of bits and extensions normally found in a toolbox. Also use a long extension bar or long centre punch to give each bolt a solid whack with a hammer before trying to remove them - this can help break the stiction in the threads so that they will come out without stripping. Do not use ball-end tools in them - they will snap or strip and then the engine has to come out to drill the heads off.

My standard quote for a timing belt on a car I've not seen before is 2 days, because the bumper bolts and front panel bolts can seize in place and make it quite an ordeal to get apart. If it all comes apart nicely then bonus, but if I haven't worked on the car before I'll assume its all seized and plan accordingly. The last one I did took 14 hours, in one day
Add half a day to that for the oil cooler pipe.

Ah right ok, I'm not sure if I would trust a normal garage to tackle the job as seems very in-depth. Don't suppose your close to rugby are you lol.
How much would you charge to do the job? Including parts ?

[sarg]

Another Rugby resident huh? Where are you?

[Sinner2004]

Originally Posted by sarg

Another Rugby resident huh? Where are you?

Yes live in Hillmorton

[Spanker]

Originally Posted by MikkiJayne

The last one I did took 14 hours, in one day
Add half a day to that for the oil cooler pipe.

Yes, but you did have me hindering you so you could probably have shaved a few hours off for that