Is fate making me do another t-belt service?
#1
07-28-2017, 12:50 PM
Is fate making me do another t-belt service?
Previous owner had T-Belt service done on 2005 A8 at 217,000 miles, by a very good Indie. Complete, original documentation came with it when I purchased in March of 2015 (I never buy a used Audi without complete service records). Now it's at 252,000 miles which is only 35,000 mile. It runs great and thought belt service would be good till 290,000, maybe even 300K.
I hope I'm wrong. Maybe someone will make my day and tell me it's not the thermostat. Here's the story:
Driving Tuesday, temps in the 80s and humid, AC on and I was comfortable. Drove an hour to destination, parked for three hrs till late even and outside temps cooled but still muggy so I headed home with AC on. Halfway home (30 minutes) I noticed temp gauge climbing. It got close to 3/4 mark. Shut AC off and opened windows. Gauge hovered about ¾ conservative highway speed. Closer to home couple stop signals and idling, gauge went little higher but moving again, it settled at 3/4 mark. (I do not recall if the gauge read high on the way to my meeting) I simply wasn't aware.
At home, popped hood, thinking coolant level was down. It was fine. Yes, fans were running really high. Nothing blocking radiator. Let it cool down for an hour and started. Fan operation normal. Turned on AC and both fans went on high. Did not leave it run. Went to bed and let it sit over night.
Did not drive again until Thursday, to doctor office 15 minutes from house; did not turn on AC. Gauge started at “C”, came up normal, 1/2 for a short while, then a little higher as I got to appointment. I'm sure no one wants to where the doctor stuck his finger.
Left doctor, drove home 15 minutes. Gauge at 3/4 when I pulled into garage. It did not appear super- hot, no blowing off steam, not overly hot to touch radiator or coolant tank. Coolant is specified orange kind and not dirty at all, Never any additive.
I really, really hate to think it’s the thermostat because everyone knows, "just' changing the stat is a folly. Once you pull things off to get to stat, might as well do the whole damn T-Belt service. It's not a 1962 Chevy V8 where the stat could be changed by loosening two, 9/16 nuts on the goose neck in 20 minutes at a cost of $5 bucks or less.
Grasping at straws. Don't need to shell out bucks for a t-belt service
I hope I'm wrong. Maybe someone will make my day and tell me it's not the thermostat. Here's the story:
Driving Tuesday, temps in the 80s and humid, AC on and I was comfortable. Drove an hour to destination, parked for three hrs till late even and outside temps cooled but still muggy so I headed home with AC on. Halfway home (30 minutes) I noticed temp gauge climbing. It got close to 3/4 mark. Shut AC off and opened windows. Gauge hovered about ¾ conservative highway speed. Closer to home couple stop signals and idling, gauge went little higher but moving again, it settled at 3/4 mark. (I do not recall if the gauge read high on the way to my meeting) I simply wasn't aware.
At home, popped hood, thinking coolant level was down. It was fine. Yes, fans were running really high. Nothing blocking radiator. Let it cool down for an hour and started. Fan operation normal. Turned on AC and both fans went on high. Did not leave it run. Went to bed and let it sit over night.
Did not drive again until Thursday, to doctor office 15 minutes from house; did not turn on AC. Gauge started at “C”, came up normal, 1/2 for a short while, then a little higher as I got to appointment. I'm sure no one wants to where the doctor stuck his finger.
Left doctor, drove home 15 minutes. Gauge at 3/4 when I pulled into garage. It did not appear super- hot, no blowing off steam, not overly hot to touch radiator or coolant tank. Coolant is specified orange kind and not dirty at all, Never any additive.
I really, really hate to think it’s the thermostat because everyone knows, "just' changing the stat is a folly. Once you pull things off to get to stat, might as well do the whole damn T-Belt service. It's not a 1962 Chevy V8 where the stat could be changed by loosening two, 9/16 nuts on the goose neck in 20 minutes at a cost of $5 bucks or less.
Grasping at straws. Don't need to shell out bucks for a t-belt service
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