2003 A4 Timing Belt

Hello,

Does anyone have any experience with how long until I REALLY need to replace
the timing belt on my 2003 A4 Quattro v6? It has 80k miles on it. 90% of
the miles are highway miles. Dealer recommends I do it now, but my service
guide says somewhere around 100k miles.

What's been the practical experienece?

Thanks!
Troy

On Mon, 2 Jul 2007 21:52:24 -0400, "Shagster" > wrote:

>Hello,
>
>Does anyone have any experience with how long until I REALLY need to replace
>the timing belt on my 2003 A4 Quattro v6? It has 80k miles on it. 90% of
>the miles are highway miles. Dealer recommends I do it now, but my service
>guide says somewhere around 100k miles.
>
>What's been the practical experienece?
>
>Thanks!
>Troy

There've been too many disasters reported before the User's Manual recommended
replacement period.

I agree with your dealer. In fact I don't think I'd let it go to 80K...

/daytripper
'00 s4 6spd

"daytripper" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 2 Jul 2007 21:52:24 -0400, "Shagster" > wrote:
>
>>Hello,
>>
>>Does anyone have any experience with how long until I REALLY need to
>>replace
>>the timing belt on my 2003 A4 Quattro v6? It has 80k miles on it. 90% of
>>the miles are highway miles. Dealer recommends I do it now, but my
>>service
>>guide says somewhere around 100k miles.
>>
>>What's been the practical experienece?
>>
>>Thanks!
>>Troy
>
> There've been too many disasters reported before the User's Manual
> recommended
> replacement period.
>
> I agree with your dealer. In fact I don't think I'd let it go to 80K...
>
> /daytripper
> '00 s4 6spd

had mine done at 60K

make sure you get all the other bits done at the same time, water pump,
idlers, belts etc while its apart.

dj
'98 V6 2.4

"Yes Baby" > wrote in message
...
>
> "daytripper" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On Mon, 2 Jul 2007 21:52:24 -0400, "Shagster" > wrote:
>>
>>>Hello,
>>>
>>>Does anyone have any experience with how long until I REALLY need to
>>>replace
>>>the timing belt on my 2003 A4 Quattro v6? It has 80k miles on it. 90%
>>>of
>>>the miles are highway miles. Dealer recommends I do it now, but my
>>>service
>>>guide says somewhere around 100k miles.
>>>
>>>What's been the practical experienece?
>>>
>>>Thanks!
>>>Troy
>>
>> There've been too many disasters reported before the User's Manual
>> recommended
>> replacement period.
>>
>> I agree with your dealer. In fact I don't think I'd let it go to 80K...
>>
>> /daytripper
>> '00 s4 6spd
>
> had mine done at 60K
>
> make sure you get all the other bits done at the same time, water pump,
> idlers, belts etc while its apart.
>
> dj
> '98 V6 2.4
>
The conventional wisdom seems to be 4 years or 60k miles, whichever is the
sooner. I'm about to change the cambelt on my VAG product at 5 years, but it
has done only 15k miles, so I think a reasonable amount of latitude is
permissible i.e. less miles equals more time and vice versa. The
manufacturers seem to change the goalposts according to how many disasters
(disgruntled punters) there have been of late.

A friend of mine has a '99 petrol A4 Avant in which the previous owner had
the cambelt go at 67k. There is a nasty long list, with too many noughts
entered upon it associated with this event.

You are approaching, maybe already into, borrowed time.

oddly enough, my car just "pooped the bed".. driving home tonight it start
a REALLY rough idle and didn't have power... like it wasn't firing on all 6
cylinders... I got it home and smelled something like plastic melting.. I
popped the hood and could see something that looked like a fitting on the
end of a metal tubing GLOWING RED HOT. It's on the right side, towards the
firewall, and down lower than the spark plugs..

ugh. i think the dealer sabatoged me.




"Tosh" <Jerboa@topspeed .net> wrote in message
...
>
> "Yes Baby" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "daytripper" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> On Mon, 2 Jul 2007 21:52:24 -0400, "Shagster" > wrote:
>>>
>>>>Hello,
>>>>
>>>>Does anyone have any experience with how long until I REALLY need to
>>>>replace
>>>>the timing belt on my 2003 A4 Quattro v6? It has 80k miles on it. 90%
>>>>of
>>>>the miles are highway miles. Dealer recommends I do it now, but my
>>>>service
>>>>guide says somewhere around 100k miles.
>>>>
>>>>What's been the practical experienece?
>>>>
>>>>Thanks!
>>>>Troy
>>>
>>> There've been too many disasters reported before the User's Manual
>>> recommended
>>> replacement period.
>>>
>>> I agree with your dealer. In fact I don't think I'd let it go to 80K...
>>>
>>> /daytripper
>>> '00 s4 6spd
>>
>> had mine done at 60K
>>
>> make sure you get all the other bits done at the same time, water pump,
>> idlers, belts etc while its apart.
>>
>> dj
>> '98 V6 2.4
>>
> The conventional wisdom seems to be 4 years or 60k miles, whichever is the
> sooner. I'm about to change the cambelt on my VAG product at 5 years, but
> it has done only 15k miles, so I think a reasonable amount of latitude is
> permissible i.e. less miles equals more time and vice versa. The
> manufacturers seem to change the goalposts according to how many disasters
> (disgruntled punters) there have been of late.
>
> A friend of mine has a '99 petrol A4 Avant in which the previous owner had
> the cambelt go at 67k. There is a nasty long list, with too many noughts
> entered upon it associated with this event.
>
> You are approaching, maybe already into, borrowed time.
>

Shagster wrote:
> oddly enough, my car just "pooped the bed".. driving home tonight it start
> a REALLY rough idle and didn't have power... like it wasn't firing on all 6
> cylinders... I got it home and smelled something like plastic melting.. I
> popped the hood and could see something that looked like a fitting on the
> end of a metal tubing GLOWING RED HOT. It's on the right side, towards the
> firewall, and down lower than the spark plugs..
>
> ugh. i think the dealer sabatoged me.
>
>
Sounds like one or more of your ignition coil packs went bad or wasn't
fully connected. In that case the unburned fuel in the cylinder/s not
firing collects in the exhaust manifold and burns there making the
manifold glow red hot.

Replace coil pack or two and it should be fine. They are $30 each and
easy to change. Do not drive without fixing first. It can damage a
number of things including the catalytic converter/s. If you think the
dealer will handle it be sure to flat bed it to them.

"Tony" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Shagster wrote:
>> oddly enough, my car just "pooped the bed".. driving home tonight it
>> start a REALLY rough idle and didn't have power... like it wasn't firing
>> on all 6 cylinders... I got it home and smelled something like plastic
>> melting.. I popped the hood and could see something that looked like a
>> fitting on the end of a metal tubing GLOWING RED HOT. It's on the right
>> side, towards the firewall, and down lower than the spark plugs..
>>
>> ugh. i think the dealer sabatoged me.
>>
>>
> Sounds like one or more of your ignition coil packs went bad or wasn't
> fully connected. In that case the unburned fuel in the cylinder/s not
> firing collects in the exhaust manifold and burns there making the
> manifold glow red hot.
>
> Replace coil pack or two and it should be fine. They are $30 each and easy
> to change. Do not drive without fixing first. It can damage a number of
> things including the catalytic converter/s. If you think the dealer will
> handle it be sure to flat bed it to them.

or get them to come out to you...............