ok so today i took my car to the local stealership to have the timing belt tensioner recall checked out.. i wanted to see if it still had the old style tensioner OR the new style ... well they came back at me and said that the new style tensioner was already in the car..BUT my water pump was leaking ( pretty sure that is [sm=bs.gif].. just so that they can get me back in for the *** raping) and i should bring it back in to have the timing belt job done and the water pump replaced at a bargain basement price of $1500 .. lol .. so i of course said " No Thanks" to their offer... and drove over to the local Euro shop ( www.eurotech-atlanta.com ) .. and talked to the guy that runs the show over there..

this is the same place that installed my GIAC chip .. and i have seen nothing but good stuff over there.. they specialize in Porsche, Audi, BMW , VW .. and thats pretty much it... the shop is awesome and the main guy is filled with knowledge and had always been helpful..

so im talking to him about my situation... heres what we talked about : .. IN MY OPINION .. my 99.5 has 74k miles on it.. and if it has the new tensioner installed... then there should have already been a recent timing belt job done sometime before i bought the car.. i cant think of any other reason the new style tensioner would be in there.. but then again i dont have any service records and im not sure i want to take the chance of have the horrid T-Belt issues.. from what i understand .. the new tensioners should last a bit longer so should be fine for a while... i also have no reason to believe that my water pump is leaking.. i have no leaks.. and im sure that they didnt see anything either from their visual inspection..

anyway.. i talked to him for a bit .... asked him if i bought the timing belt kit online and had them install it .. what would it cost me.. and as i exptected he didnt reccomend that .. simply for the fact this since the parts didnt come from him they wont warranty any of the parts.. which i understand..

then he enlightened me with some tensioner info .. that i want to pass along to you guys.. they use their own style tensioner on the timing belt change that he says i will never have to worry about having problems with.. as you guys know all Audi tensioners are hydraulic style tensioners and they never are fail safe as hydraulic parts can and will wear out.. they use a roller type tensioner.... the same as on higher hp and 20v engines.. and since everything is roller and non-hydraulic he garranties no problems out of it..

so i got him to put together a price quote for me for the install of everything.. new roller style tensioner, water pump, thermostat, timing belt, tax, and labor.. i was delightfully surprised at the $751.44 price quote..

thats the lowest price i have ever seen for a timing belt job just from browsing new/old posts..

heres my dilema. .. do i use my gut feeling and leave my t-belt as is .. since the new tensioner is in the car.. OR .. not take the risk and jump on that offer from the local shop .. and know for sure that the t-belt wont be an issue for me for a long while?? .. i would love to use that money for some suspension [8D]


sorry that ended up being a super long post!!

thanks
-kris

p.s. im confident i can do this job myself.. but for the price he gave me im not sure that all the hassel and heartache of doing the t-belt job would be woth it .. just to save around $400

 

its called karma my friend...if you were to use the 750 for suspension your timing belt would skip teeth on you about 2 weeks down the road. I say get it replaced. its not worth the risk AT ALL.

 

Get that dang ol' belt done. Your motor could blow up causing a piston to fly right throught the firewall and then to hit the rearview mirror. When that happens a piece of glass from the mirror will go directly into your eye. then you will have a broke down audi, and a patch on your eye. Get the timing belt.

 

this man is a absolute genius....listen to him.

sir, i salute you. [sm=americanasmiley.gif]

 

yea i have seen that before i thin Tomritt is using that style of tensioner so him new motor doesnt eat ****

 

do the t belt, you never know if the old owner was cheap and only replaced the tensioner, do it and get it out of the way, like ateurv8 said you could go and spend 750 on your suspension and bam there goes your t belt.

 

My vote is T Belt as well.

 

I'm gonna have to go with the timing belt as well...

 

So its unanimous. Skip the suspension and the goofy eye patch and get hooked up with some new timing belt action. It may not increase hp or anyhting but it will increase peace of mind.

 

if this happens to me. im gonna be pissed... and it will only because you told me it would happen.. lol ..

.. for sure i will be doing the belt over the suspension ... just needed others to kick me in the *** and convice me to do it... since im not 100% sure the belt has been done