My crank pulley failed on my 2015 tdi. Changing it this weekend, any advice, tips or even how to? Will I need a pulley puller to get it off or just remove the 8 bolts? TIA

 

I'm curious about this, too. I was going to get a new harmonic balancer this year, but decided to wait until next year. I did get new idler pulleys and tensioner for the serpentine belt, as they are all a little noisy in the bearings. The space looks pretty tight on the crank pulley, but it sure would be nice if fan and/or radiator removal is not necessary!

 

I changed out the crank pulley/balancer on our '15 TDI in garage. It was actually pretty easy on the '15, as their is fair bit of open space right in front of the crank pulley. Mark the Serpentine belt direction of mounting/rotation if reusing it...needs to go back on the same way it comes off. I've seen a video online that says you need to install an alignment tool, but my repair manual doesn't mention anything about the TDI requiring this step, and I've included the pages from repair manual below.

Be aware you will need the 8 new bolts/hardware as those are torque-to-yield fasteners on the crank pulley. (single use only) I saw FCP Euro has the Corteco ($250), OEM part on a good price and has a Febi branded one for bit less than that too. The bolts are $6.99/per at FCP, and they do sell a 'kit with the Corteco crank pulley/balancer and the bolts packaged together...simple.

ECS Tuning has the required bolts on sale for $6/per currently, but do check at local VW dealers, etc. Maybe ECS Tuning also has the crank pulley/balancer for decent price also, but their online catalog is a mess...probs have to chat with them as lots of their parts show up searching on the VW T-Reg, but not showing up in the Audi Q7 TDI search, which is just a cross-reference/catalogue error on their part.]

Remember you will need 8 bolts and the shim below them is also suggested to be replaced; The bolt part # is N91005902

Here's excerpt from the Audi Q7 repair manual (Gen 2 TDI motor)

 

OE part take-off from our '15 TDI; replaced with the OEM, Corteco branded part for literally hundreds of $$$ in cost savings vs the OE branded part in an Audi box. Don't forget you will need new bolts for this part when replacing it. If you click into photo or expand page view, then you can really see the details of how corroded it is, as well as read the Corteco box part # sticker.

 

Just have to remove the bolts and it comes apart. Changd mine on my 2014 Q7 TDI.

 

I'd say the hardest part for me was just keeping count of the 8 new bolts when putting the final torque turn on them (Torque to yield), as I was having to place the socket by feel, not by sight, etc., so couldn't mark or directly see which bolts had been full torqued. I did keep a tally/tick-sheet and started at a specific point, and was very careful so I'd catch all the bolts on that final turn and not end up snapping any off.

Other than the attention to detail required during the torque procedure, it's just really basic wrenching to swap this part out, and so easy to save huge $$$ by DIYing this.