Just bought a 99.5 A4 2wd and figuring out what parts to order. It has 116,xxx miles and after reading threads, I know I should replace the timing belt. No history of this being done. I am not a mechanic, but my first car was another german product, a Mercury Capri in which we rebuilt the motor from crank shaft up, so it looks like the timing belt will take some time, but in my skill set with help of the tutorials. I have decided to buy the enhanced timing belt kit from Blau and am also renting the tools to help with all the seals. The motor is leaking a little oil, but hard to tell excatly from where, so replacing the cam and crank seals will hopefully help.

My question is there is a slight jingling sound coming from the passenger side of the engine, possibly near the rear. I thought it was just a loose heat shield or something, but maybe it could be the timing chain. So tell me, if I am digging into this car, am I smart planning on the timing chain kit in addition to the timing belt kit, and since I am leaking some oil, possibly even the valve cover gasket kit (seeing some oil about 6 inches down on rear of block) Really don't want to overkill, but since my daughter does not have her hands on it yet, I have the time right now and it is not 20 below, it seems like the time to do the job right. Your thoughts and is there a thread or instruction on timing chain tensioner pad and cover replacement?

Also, the spedometer stopped working on the way home from the dealer. It worked last week when I drove it, but then it got very erratic and quit working driving 10 miles home from the dealer. I am assuming the cable, but maybe not?

 

Well to start off the Blau timing kit should take care of your woes and to the best of my knowledge B5 A4s only had timing belts, not timing chains. As for the speedometer I can't tell you what it would be. It could be a loose cable, a bad sensor, or a blown relay or fuse.

 

Thanks for the reply Airguard. I guess they must have timing chains, here is the link from the Blau site with the chain tensioner. I found a video of a 1.8 with a clanky timing chain and mine is not making any noises nearly that bad, so maybe it is ok.
Audi A4 Valve Cover Gasket Kit - Audi A4 Valve Cover Gaskets AEB

 

Thats for the cam chain tensioner under the valve cover. Guess its technically a timing chain considering it controls cam timing. Audis have a timing belt.

 

Thanks Audisaurus! Please fill me in on the cam chain tensioner if you have experience with it. Is this somthing I should do since I am in there, or am I being a bit too paranoid about the whole thing?

 

you wont need to replace it. But in order to do the tensioner gasket and rear cam seals youll need to remove the cams, hence the cam chain tensioner tool. but just valve cover gaskets no need. Are you leaking up top? If not there's no need to do any of it. Checkk the spark plug tubes, if they are wet with oil then you def have a bad valve cover gasket.

 

I disagree. As long as he's in there doing the timing belt job, that is the perfect time to change the valve cover gasket and the cam chain tensionser gasket and half moon vally seals.

Mekeraudi, I would do the whole gasket kit from Blauparts that you have listed in your earlier post.

Just my 2 cents.

 

jdahlen - I agree with you since its out might as well do it, my thought was If it aint broke dont fix it, but with these cars, preventative is always the way to go. No point in doing a job twice.

 

Wow, now I am thinking like you guys, my fiance / better half is scared to death here! She can't understand why I am going to tear the entire front off the car when it seems to be running just fine.

It was like $58 for the tensioner gasket kit, it comes with the valve cover gaskets and all the other stuff, even new plastic wear blocks for the chain tensioner, so it looked like it just makes good sense to dive in with both feet since I am that deep anyway.

Hey JDahlen, I see you are in Rochester, MN just about an hour south of me, I will shoot a flare in the air if I need help this weekend!

 

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