Just the cambelt changed
 

Hi Folks

Just got a 99 Facelift S8. It's at 88k and a non-VAG garage have recently done the cambelt.

They've not changed the water pump or the tensioners.

Now I know the safe answer is just to say: 'pop it into the local Audi shop and bend over!', but really, how worried should I be by this partly done job- and am I likely to get any clues if, say, a tensioner goes ****-up?

Simon,

I know you don't want to hear this but,

The excepted wisdom is to have it all done at once. I'm surprised the tensioners were not done at the same time, If they fail then there is great potential for major damage. With the water pump its more a case of a preventive change. The whole front end has to come off so most of use change out the water pump at the same time as a preventive measure. If it goes it's another big labour charge to change a £50 pump.

I'd ring the garage to ask why the tensioners weren't changed. You may find they were. With the water pump, cross your fingers.

If the tensioner goes, you'll be lucky not to escape with a big bill as these are interference engines. If it just slips off by a notch, you might get away with just some really bad running, but much more and it's bent pistons.

Do you know which garage did the work?

Yes, The bill is in the car- which is waiting in London for me. I think it was Hyper-formance or such like.

I'll give them a ring when I get the car home. Not really worried about the pump. If it goes it goes-I know what to do. More worried about the tensioners. I was thinking/ hoping that they/it would get noisy prior to failure.

Its asking a lot for them to go to 160,000. The cars only at 88k now though, so might still be ok-especially as the V8 is such a slow turner, most of the time!

Not sure if the tensioner can be done by itself without a front-off.

Seeing as you're not 'too' far away, I'd give Andy at A4audi a call and see how much effort he thinks it'll need.

Psyche

Good idea. I'll ring the folk who did the job first and see what's what. Suspect I'll be meeting Andy soon anyway. +++

btw, do the water pumps on these tend to leak when knackered or do they tend to sieze up instantly- like a BMW I used to run- or my wifes Renault Laguna recently did. Needless to say, that one was FATAL!

Hi Simon, looks like mostly answered - I concur with all the above advice, it would seem silly in my opinion to go to the effort of replacing the belt, and not doing the tensioners and pump at the same time. To be honest, for £600 at an independent I would have expected it all done at that price really, unless it was central London or something.

We've had one A8 4.2 in with a failed water pump, its had 130,000 on the clock, and I'm sure Audi engineer in some decent tollerance, but, If it were my car I'd be getting it done sooner rather than later as its unlikely to make 160K in my eyes.

Depends on how the pump fails as to how 'bad' it will be. If it siezes, then it'll be messy. If the vanes start to go, or the shaft snaps, then you might just have to replace it.

Just the timing belt changed WARNING
 

I thought I should just point out that certainly with regard to the ABZ engine there is a very important stage in the procedure that I have laboured over many times and lots of people do not grasp it;

Replacing the timing belt requires special locking equipment for the cam shafts, these bolt to the rear of the cylinder heads and hold the cams in an exact position. You then have to undo the cam pulley bolts (you must counter hold the pulley to undo the bolt not let the cam locking equipment take the load, damage will result!) Then you have to "tap" them with a dead blow hammer (special plastic mallet) to release them from the taper, them set the pully bolts to half a turn back from just touching the pulleys. Once you have fitted the belt and tensioners then you re-torque the pulley bolts (again you must counter hold the pulley whilst you tighten)

What this is actually doing is reetting the position of the pulley to the correct position, this is required as they are on a plain taper and they slowly "creep" round slightly out of time.

Whats wrong with that you ask? well when you fit a new belt without following this procedure the problem is made worse as the new belt is not stretched and the slight slippage (creep) now becomes an issue. On the Alfa Romeo V6 this is often the kiss of death just after the timing belt has been changed but these are much closer running than the Audi A8 ABZ V8.

My point is that universal pulley locking tools should not be used and this important step in the procedure skipped.

"If ignorance is bliss then it is folly to be wise":tuttut:

An excellent procedure is available at www.audipages.com

Incidently I do have these tools but they cost me £500 , if anyone would like to use them I may be willing to come to some arrangement.

Hence I have got my car booked in at the dealer next week. I wanted the job done properly. £660 all in for belt, tensioners and pump after a bit of bargaining.