I just read these posts and found them to be very educational. I took my car in to have an upper engine flush performed and was told by my mechanic that the car was in great shape and the only other thing he would recommend is to replace the timing belt because they tend to go around 75K. Is this the type of project I could/should attempt on my own if the biggest endevour I've taken on with the car is changing my own oil?

 

Fu@k you face I help peole out when I did my belt at 120,000 kilometer I did not change the W/P because I know it is external and its about a hours labour to change

 

No.

 

75k??? Do the Belt NOW!!! Don't risk it. it's 275 for the kit of 3500 for a rebuilt topend or a new engine.. Do the math

 

You must be on crack clconversion.. It takes more than an hour, and while you are in there with everything appart, and for the cost, it is deffinately worthwhile to replace even if its not broken. Its preventitve maintnance which is just smart to do with the timing belt according to most everyone in these forums as well as most mechanics.

 

thats deff what i would do, just get a whole new timing belt kit and install every ****** piece of it.

 

fu@k it is not internal you do have to remove some stuff but it is not all apart warrenty books say 2.5 hours

 

ok ok man, its up to you. others have other ways of doing things

 

I'm just not into spending money if I don't have to I never sell W/P's on 2000 and down cars if they are not leaking

 

Right, but for most, and for the 1.8t, it all comes as a kit for a killer price.. Sounds like you are missing out on some sales oppurtunities. But I do agree in not spending money if i dont have to, im also in to saving myself future time and labor. If you were to buy the belts tensioner, tstat, rollers, and waterpump all seperate, you would be spending more money than if you got it all as a kit.. Knowing that at some point in time all those things will need replacing, why not do it all at the same?? Most people relate a timing belt change with a water pump change anyway, so i dont know why you wouldnt try to sell a water pump for 2000 and down a4 onwers/customers-It just makes financial sense and saves yourself future labor times.... But from the sounds of it, your work is audi/auto related, and I know how you guys like to rack up the labor hours.. So I can see your point from a sales proffit point of view, but other than that what you said just doesnt make sense.