OMG Timing belt broke on my 2004 A8, catastrofic damage-WTF
07-24-2016, 09:04 PM
#51
AudiWorld Super User
07-24-2016, 09:19 PM
#52
AudiWorld Wiseguy
07-30-2016, 08:23 PM
#53
AudiWorld Member
Son has the TGSI A-4 2.0T (in a passat, same engine) 2008 with the early gen chains. at 70K he thought it was a bad alternator, engine running funny. Then next start it ran like a lawn mower. Still under warranty - drove to dealer. hydraulic cam tensioner failed - $1800, new chains, all new WV-Audi parts. fortunately it didn't hop enough teeth. research found they were on the E version of a cam tensioner now - his has B. So, i'm more happy with my A8L cam belt motor now. The chain systems wear at the same rate and it's way harder to swap chains. on the 4 cyl there were 3, i recall.
01-17-2018, 11:11 PM
#54
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I did the math on this the other day.
Suppose the TB replacement interval is 75k miles. Suppose you drive 15k miles year. You're going to do a TB job every 5 years. Suppose you pay $1k for the TB job. Amortized, that's $200 a year.
If you're driving 15k a year that's either 2 or 3 oil changes per year (depending on if you like 5k or 7500mile OCIs).
On those big *** engines, 3 oil changes a year with new filters and fully synthetic oil is going to cost you _almost_ $200 in materials. More if you pay someone else to do it.
What's the point?
Changing the timing belt every 75k miles costs the same as changing your oil. If you pay others to do oil changes for you, a timing belt is _way_ cheaper.
Trying to long-life the timing belt interval to "Save money" is a dumb move.
If you can't budget at least $500 a year to maintain an A8, don't buy one.
Suppose the TB replacement interval is 75k miles. Suppose you drive 15k miles year. You're going to do a TB job every 5 years. Suppose you pay $1k for the TB job. Amortized, that's $200 a year.
If you're driving 15k a year that's either 2 or 3 oil changes per year (depending on if you like 5k or 7500mile OCIs).
On those big *** engines, 3 oil changes a year with new filters and fully synthetic oil is going to cost you _almost_ $200 in materials. More if you pay someone else to do it.
What's the point?
Changing the timing belt every 75k miles costs the same as changing your oil. If you pay others to do oil changes for you, a timing belt is _way_ cheaper.
Trying to long-life the timing belt interval to "Save money" is a dumb move.
If you can't budget at least $500 a year to maintain an A8, don't buy one.
I'm at an amazing 139,000. 1,000 miles ago ive noticed a little more pulley noise, sometimes it's squeaky, but most of the time it just sounds like a nasty hollow bearing. my 2004 audi A8L is getting to the point where idk if it's worth the maintenance. value has dropped so quickly. I'm surprised it hadn't blown up and I think I'm going to park it and do ALL of the maintenance on it. idk probably take a while month to do, but since the timing belt lasted this long, I think this car deserves it. it really wants to live!
01-18-2018, 07:11 AM
#55
AudiWorld Super User
Glad to know @ 139k miles and yours is still alive and well. Mine is at 122k, so I can drive another year at least before doing anything. Mine has no bearing or weird noise from the pulleys or anything like that. Got to love Audi V8.
Cheers,
Louis
Cheers,
Louis
01-20-2018, 10:59 AM
#56
AudiWorld Senior Member
When buying, ask....
Before buying any of the last 8 Audi's I've owned, my question was: When (miles) was the complete Timing belt service completed? Regardless of the answer, my next requests it. "show me the documentation, (invoice, from a shop, or invoice for parts if PO did it himself). In the later, I also need to believe the PO was capable of doing himself.
In addition to, "I'll respect you in the morning" and other big lies, Audi buyers should be aware of these:
"I think it was done last year".
"The guy who traded it in said, he just had it done".
"The belt 'looks" good"
"There's a sticker under the hood with he miles i was changed which proves it"
Bottom line, if you don't have absolute evidence it was changed, they assume it wasn't.
In addition to, "I'll respect you in the morning" and other big lies, Audi buyers should be aware of these:
"I think it was done last year".
"The guy who traded it in said, he just had it done".
"The belt 'looks" good"
"There's a sticker under the hood with he miles i was changed which proves it"
Bottom line, if you don't have absolute evidence it was changed, they assume it wasn't.
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