So I had just recently finished a t-belt job and got it to start and ran for a few seconds, figured everything was alright. Until I tried to start it a couple days later and it wouldn't start up. After some long and unnecessary troubleshooting, I found that I had put the timing idler pulley on backwards which caused the belt to seize and shred like so:



I would like some advice on what I should do next.
So far, I put the pistons in the correct positions to prevent hitting the valves and put the cams back in the correct position. I plan on buying a another belt and a new tensioner then trying a compression test. If I do find that the compression is really low (which would suggest bent valves) what do you guys think I should do next? How difficult is valve replacement?
Thanks in advance!

 

Wow what happened? The waterpump & tensioner look new.
If the timing jumped then more then likely there are some bent valves. You could put a new belt on & see what happens. If the valves are bent , time to remove the heads.
Sorry ,read the top part afterwards.

 

sorry but you bent the valves. but theres only one way to find out for sure though. sorry to see this. you could try compression testing, but that would mean doing the tbelt again and if the valves are bent (which im guessing they are) it would have been pointless

 

yeah... I was hoping I might be able to get away with this. But I guess not. I'm just saving up some money to buy a new belt again and then test compression. I'm not expecting a miracle but I'll do it just to be sure. I'm just scared at how much it'll be to have a machine shop redo the heads, valves, etc, and if it'll even be worth it since she's a little high on the mileage (190K).

 

yeah... I was hoping I might be able to get away with this. But I guess not. I'm just saving up some money to buy a new belt again and then test compression. I'm not expecting a miracle but I'll do it just to be sure. I'm just scared at how much it'll be to have a machine shop redo the heads, valves, etc, and if it'll even be worth it since she's a little high on the mileage (190K).

 

Wow, what a train-wreck!

I don't remember for sure as it's been nearly two months since I put the tensioner on my son's A4, but I really don't remember there being any way to mount the tensioner backwards, and from your pictures above, it almost looks like it is mounted in the wrong spot. Then again, that may not be possible either.

 

OP, I have several timing belts in my garage from timing jobs. I'm in Binghamton, so if you can get down here, I'll happily give you one.

 

Oh, and we have an engine/race shop in town that redid heads for a friend's 300ZXTT - cost him $700 but that was to rebuild two heads with all new valves, seats, springs, etc. the other option is to pull heads off one of the parts cars at our junkyard and put them in.

 

Thanks for the responses guys. Devil, thanks for the offer but Bing is kinda far for me. I guess I'll start my quest to look for some used heads. shipo, I didn't put the tensioner on backwards, I put the idler pulley on backwards.This guy: Audi B5 A4 Quattro V6 30v > Engine > Timing > Roller > ES#514278 Timing Belt Idler Roller - 078109244H. I still can't believe I didn't catch that.

 

Devil, if you have some used heads you wouldn't mind giving me for free, I'd come down in a heartbeat. Hahaha. But seriously, where would you suggest looking for some used heads near CNY?