Jessie2K

HI everyone !

I noticed for a while my car seems to have lost some top end power. recently after diagnosing some front end accessory rattle I found that the timing belt tensioner was completely dead. I replaced it and now everything is quiet.

My questions are is there a possibility the timing belt may have skipped any cogs? I bought the car at 150k km and now its at 230k and don't have the history of maintenance.

How hard is it to change the timing belt and how is it possible for me to find out if the timing is correct or off?

Thanks!

frob

Hey Jessie,

have a look here:
https://www.audiforum.ca/audi-a4/253...nge-99-b5.html
I recently ran into the same thing, some answers there for you.

I have the whole kit for sale cheap, PM me if you think you might want it to DIY.
I'll even leave out the tensioner and give you a rebate for that since you wont need it.
I was about to do it myself, since it looks easy enough, and then found out the job had been done just before i got the car, though the previous owner was sure it wasn't. go figure

here's a good step by step tutorial i found:

Timing Belt Job (1.8T)

The original timing belt is known to fail after less than 100k, and when it does it will cost several thousands to repair bent valves etc. its not something you want to take chances with. if it might not have been changed, its a time bomb that's already been ticking a very long time. if it was changed at say 100k km, then you're already overdue for another one anyways.

I don't know of an easy way to check the timing, but an experienced AUDI mechanic probably can without too much work, its easy enough to get the cover off the engine check the cam position relative to TDC. Maybe someone else will have a better answer on that.

Its also a good idea to change the water pump proactively at the same time, the original design also fails prematurely due to a weak plastic impeller.
Cheers
Frantz

Jessie2K

Thanks for the reply ! I plan on tackling this startig tonight since I have another car to drive for a few days. I do plan on changing the water pump while I'm in there. I'd pm you about ordering the kit but I already ordered the belt and pump from a local Audi Dealer.

WHat I'm concerned about is how do I know the timing hasn't jumped? I mean I can mark the cam gear and make sure it doesn't move but how do I know if the cam gear moved when I replaced the tensioner? I think it may have. Does the crank gear have a mark that lines up as well to know when it's at tdc? I would imagine so.