Traders Eight

[Conan_the_Librarian]

I've had Dezzy's Bus for a bit over 400 hundred miles now. It has it's foibles, it's 20 years old and has over 227k on the clock. However, its performing the task I wanted it for and proving to be a cracking tow car.

So, I'm sat in the car with Dezzy the other day chatting away and I suggested I couldn't call it Dezzy's bus anymore as it isn't Dessy's! So, as I am almost a trader, I thought I would call it the Traders Eight. :ROFL:

Therefore, given it is now the Traders Eight, it therefore stands to reason that splurging money on it will bankrupt the business I don't have. So I have decided to maintain it on the cheap. Not by 'not maintaining' it. I will carry out all routine servicing but not with OEM parts; although they must meet VAG specs.

The decision to do this was brought on by Dezzy casually mentioning that he hadn't done a cam belt in his ownership and that he has done over a 100k and that by the paperwork its probably 10 years since the last one was done. An inspection of the paperwork bears this out; furthermore, the parts list for the last recorded cam belt doesn't include a tensioner! It looks like the cam belt is 50k and 5 years overdue. Is that a record?

A phone call to TPS was what really decided me on not going down the OEM route. Over £700 + VAT for a kit!!!!! WTF!!! :mad:

So, with some help from MikkiJayne, Audipages and Ebay. I have managed to get all parts, new from either Febi, Meyle or INA. I have gone for the cheapest on ebay with the exception of one part were the difference between the Febi part and the Chinese copy was £2.

So how much did I spend?

077 109 119D Timing Belt ABZ
077 109 244A Relay Roller (qty 2)
077 109 243A Tensioning Roller
077 109 246B Damper
077 121 004H Water Pump
078 121 113F Thermostat

I also have a seized V belt tensioner so some parts to sort that,

077 903 341 Relay Roller (qty 2)
077 903 427B Shock Absorber (tensioner)

The whole lot has cost me........
£315.29! +++

Watch this space for fitting and results.

[mattylondon]

Good decision Mike to DIY the timing belt service, and associated parts, yourself. There's satisfaction in completing this job. Look forward to the update +++

[HPsauce]

I think having a "tame MJ" on hand is a great bonus. +++

[ainarssems]

If you need timing tools for 32V let me know, I can lend them for the cost of postage.

I did mine even cheaper, It was some time ago so don't remember exact numbers but first time it was cambelt for about £30 and ribbed belt for about £20 + fresh grease in roller bearings. Second time £30 for cambelt, £80 for damper, 2x£20 for Ruville ribbed belt rollers and fresh grease in the rest of rollers again. So all in about £200 for 2 belt changes.

[Conan_the_Librarian]

If you need timing tools for 32V let me know, I can lend them for the cost of postage.

I did mine even cheaper, It was some time ago so don't remember exact numbers but first time it was cambelt for about £30 and ribbed belt for about £20 + fresh grease in roller bearings. Second time £30 for cambelt, £80 for damper, 2x£20 for Ruville ribbed belt rollers and fresh grease in the rest of rollers again. So all in about £200 for 2 belt changes.
Bargain! I might investigate the bearing in the rollers this time round to see if there is a generic replacement...

I have the tools thanks. +++. Courtesy of our sponsor.

[David's8]

For what its worth Mike, GSF have 48% off today (Sat 10th) only. +++

[Dezzy]

Belt was only changed at 122k and 10 years ago, can't see what the urgency is all about :) if the service book is to be trusted
Traders 8 was running as smoothly as ever the other day and I agree the D2 8 is the best tow car I've used to date.
You will need to get those roof bars in the right place though before you get any photos up :D

[Conan_the_Librarian]

Double O silly o'clock this morning saw me getting it all into one sock before driving the Trader's 8 of to MikkiJaynes unit for the cam belt change. Should have been a straight forward cam belt, water pump, V Belt and followers change. I had all the special tools (no I didn't) and access to Audi pages. What could possibly go wrong?

Well to start with the special tool that looks the harmonic balancer was missing.
Answer; Michaela fabricates one out of mild steel plate, tube and rod! Not quite 'just like that' but 2 hours work and we are off back on track, ish.

When the cam belt covers came off there were the dreaded white paint marks of doom.......................... Dezzy; whoever did your last cam belt, did they wear a Stetson?

By the time the cam locks are on, Bank 1 is a degree or more out and bank 2 is 3 degrees plus!!!!!

Then I manage to shear one of the water pump bolts off. The stud has to be drilled out. A guide is needed to keep the drill bit dead centre. What to do?
Back on her lathe, Michaela turns up a guide while I drill out the offending hole on the old pump to 10mm so that the turned up guide can be interference fitted to the old pump with a 5mm hole in its centre which allows Mikki to drill out the steel bolt run a tap through the hole and Robert etc.....

Reassembly is, as they say, the opposite of disassembly and by a lot later o'clock than planned I turned the key and it, as fully expected :rolleyes:, fired up.

What's more, on the drive home the engine was noticeably smoother with more poke. On the way over I got 19.7 MPG, on the way back I got 24.5 and the driving was a tad more spirited! +++

A long, and at times fraught, but ultimately satisfying day. The Traders 8 will get to the 250k mark soon and then Infinity and Beyond! :ROFL:

[Goran]

Well done Mike and Michaela!
If my 8 makes it to its next belt change I'm definitely going for the cheaper option. Last time I am sure I forked out well over £1000.

[Dezzy]

A stetson maybe Mike, I wouldn't know. The belt has never been done in my ownership, so over 100k done with it as was. We'll there you go, maybe worth pulling the covers off to check if you haven't done the job yourself eh.
Sounds like she'll be good to 350k plus now.
Keep an eye on oil level as it does use a drop.

[Conan_the_Librarian]

Another job done today with a lot of help from MJ.

Got a full front suspension arm kit from Ebay with all nuts and bolts and TREs, £169 delivered! Front end scraped the MOT but was clunking, groaning and creaking a bit more than is good for it.
The kit has a 3 year warranty so we'll see how it goes. I could buy almost 3 kits for the price from TPS.....

Also did an unorthodox change of the front engine mount which had parted at some stage in its life. Certainly won't find it in the Audi workshop manual!

Thanks once again to MJ. +++

Drive home was a lot more civilised.

[ainarssems]

Can you post a link, I think 6 out of 8 arms will need replacing on mine soon.

[Dezzy]

Another job done today with a lot of help from MJ.

Got a full front suspension arm kit from Ebay with all nuts and bolts and TREs, £169 delivered! Front end scraped the MOT but was clunking, groaning and creaking a bit more than is good for it.
The kit has a 3 year warranty so we'll see how it goes. I could buy almost 3 kits for the price from TPS.....

Also did an unorthodox change of the front engine mount which had parted at some stage in its life. Certainly won't find it in the Audi workshop manual!

Thanks once again to MJ. +++

Drive home was a lot more civilised.

+++ Welldone mate. I bet it's nice being able to do these unotherdox changes with out fear. Have you managed to get it to look like an A8 Allroad yet?

[Conan_the_Librarian]

Can you post a link, I think 6 out of 8 arms will need replacing on mine soon.

Item number is 320842619300. Search for that and it comes up.

[Conan_the_Librarian]

+++ Welldone mate. I bet it's nice being able to do these unotherdox changes with out fear. Have you managed to get it to look like an A8 Allroad yet?

Not yet. Got the springs just need to find time and spring compression tool. Also changing the propshaft and handbrake cable. Did you manufacturer the one piece exhaust?

[Dezzy]

Not yet. Got the springs just need to find time and spring compression tool. Also changing the propshaft and handbrake cable. Did you manufacturer the one piece exhaust?

The one piece sports performance full race exhaust? sort of, it was rough, the cat and down pipe flanges were almost rotten through. The flanges that are on there i had lasered out in 2 pieces so they could be put around the tubes before the flare and welded together then the 2 bolted together. The centre tubes were replaced for some poor quilty stainless i imagine. It was a local guy that had a tube bender and tube. It's been as it is for years now.

The quad exit exhaulst i was going to sleave somewhere so the 2 could be swapped over in a matter of 2 u blots and a couple of rubbers but never got round to it.