Gary Knox

I'd appreciate any input from you gurus who have lived the the D3 A8's for MUCH longer than I have (7 months).

What do you recommend for replacement schedule (years or miles/km) for the serpentine belt that runs the alternator etc.? I currently have 60K and the car was purchased new 6 years, 1 month ago.

Thanks,

Gary Knox

Brozee

60-75k miles. Replace it at the same time as the water pump and timing belt if you have an 04-06. As with any belt just check for wear.

Vicl

2007 most likely has BVJ engine code (FSI). Those engines do not have the Timing Belt and a result do not have "forced" schedule to replace the water pump and other good stuff. Personally I could not find anywhere the information how often should be replaces the serpentine belt on 4.2 FSI engine, but it sounds like it may not needs to be replaced ether (Recommended chain replacement interval = 300K Km or 185K Miles).

I used to have my Audi V8, 1991, 3.6 PT – I gave it for free last year to a nice guy who has a lot of Audi's on his driveway. That Audi never failed on me – not a single time... I decided to drive and drop the car myself (150 km from my house). Anyway, I never changed the serpentine belt there and it had no cracks or wear even after 21 year of every day driving and 266K Km (165K Miles).
So the chances are it will never fail. When it will you'll just replace it!

jakematic

Per Audi Maintenance Schedules


If it looks good I wouldn't bother with it.
Still, I do tend to automatically replace certain things every 75k miles out of habit and this would be one of them.

mishar

+1

It is cheap and it is easier to change it in your garage on your own terms than in the middle of nowhere on devil's terms.

Mister Bally

I'm traveling now so the phone app does not allow me to search and post the link. Search the D3 thread by me in July 2011, thread title "Road trip serpintine belt" I think that's what I titled the thread. I had a one year old defective belt that let go in the middle of nowhere....

Gary Knox

Thanks guys - I plan to do a good bit of stuff at 65K, and will add this to the list. Just plain good preventive maintenance in my mind!

Cheers,

Gary Knox

MP4.2+6.0

W12 just has an inspection interval, but last I checked at about 75K I didn't really see any obvious wear. I have changed it a couple times on the 2000 A6 4.2--tied to timing belt service and then when I pulled a head (and likewise changed timing belt again since parts cost is modest once you are in there). Fairly easy to do once you know where to release the tensioner pressure and get it around the fan. Have also done it back to my old C4 A6 2.8 V6 w/ a similar 90 degree V and timing belt set up at two timing belt intervals (used to be 90K miles).

In each case on the Audis, honestly I have seen little to no wear on the serp belt, so net I would only do it now if I already had it off for some other reason (timing belt, etc.) or saw any evidence of wear on inspection at oil changes or otherwise. By contrast, I have owned cars like a Chrysler T&C 3.8 that ate serp. belts due to even slight tensioner misalignment so I wouldn't just go this route w/ out knowing the car. Mr. Bally's breakdown to me also stands for not having the vendor use the background supplier du jour (at Blau Parts IIRC), but getting known brand parts only. For belts that usually seems to be Continental, and sometimes a Gates.