Okay so the timing belt in my audi a4 1.8t quattro 5 speed is ready to be changed (a.k.a. i might as well since my alternator whent out on christmas eve). I installed 034 motorsports track density engine and trans mounts a few months ago and besides the fact my keys gingle alot while idling I love them. I also have a JHmotorsports snub mount to be installed as well when I get in there. So originally I was planning on going with the blau parts kit (Audi A4 Timing Belt - Audi A4 Timing Belt Kit - 1.8 Liter) but I've read alot about there parts going bad and all though the price is right and the kits complete i just dont trust it. So I've been looking around and i found Intergrated Engineerings manual timing belt tensioner and I was wondering what the benifits of that kit are as well as the reliablitilty. I would also be running a gates belt with this kit and all the other seals/thermostat(fail safe) would this be a better option for my car?(Integrated Engineering 058 1.8T Manual Timing Belt Tensioner Kit W/Pump)


Also how do you tell what block you have in your a4 these kits are block specific, I have a 99 a4 1.8t quattro with AEB head if that helps.
Thanks for the help.

 

Looks like from their description that it is a static tensioner, whereas the typical tensioner we use is dynamic. Not sure if it's necessarily beneficial, but you can bet it won't fail as early as the stock-type tensioner would.

However, I personally see no point to a static tensioner like that. As long as you follow the normal T-belt service interval reliability is generally not an issue.

As for other upgrades; about a month ago I did my T-belt service, and while I was in there I replaced the crank pulley with ECS Tuning's lightweight crank pulley. yesterday I attempted to remove it to put the stock crank pulley/damper back on to see the difference, but I couldn't get a bolt off so the ECS pulley is still there.

And just fyi I used the Blauparts "enhanced" kit. you don't really need to know which block you have because it's the head that we use to identify our engines.

 

I'm do for a TB job soon too and wondered if there's a certain way to change the cam seal? I need to change it since it's been leaking oil from there since I've had this motor.

 

i used the ie manual belt tensioner on my built awm block thats yet to be installed. i bought it from rai motosport for 340$. this included their kevlar belt, ie conversion, and a water pump with metal impeller, thermostat, and housing. yes it was expensive but as far as i know this is the top of the line as far as tbelt kits go. if you already have the gates belt, id order the ie conversion. it definately wont go out. the downside is that youll have to check the belt tension every oil change and need to buy the spanner wrench to but tension on it with the e-centric pulley. all of the big name guys like matco, snapon and mac have it. i order mine from matco just cause i like our matco guy. cost 32$. other than that yeah do your cam seal and front main crank seal. personally id forgo the lightweight crank pulley. the stock one is meant to dampen vibrations. ecs's is one solid piece. unless you wanna drop 400$ on a fluidampr pulley, id keep the stock harmonic balancer

also metal man, block is what the ie conversion kit, or any timing belt kit, goes by, not the head. as i have an aeb head on my 06a block, but i still needed to order the 06a timing belt kit, but i did need to run the 06a cam gear on the aeb head, as well as the awm cam chain tensioner, cam window, and cam position sensor. head makes no difference. im guessing this guy has an aeb vlock and head as stated, so it doesnt matter. 06a and 058 tbelts are different lengths, thats why its block specific and not head specific. if a small port head is used on an aeb block, an aeb tbelt kit is still needed.

 

@metal: Just out of curiosity, why did you want to put the stock crank pully back on?

 

I was questioning the same thing.

 

says right in his post to "see the difference". though I'm not entirely sure what he expected to "see" as it doesn't make that much "difference" (it does make a difference, just not so much that I would expect it to be perceptible)

To the OP, so far it seems like this thread should answer most of your questions. don't be afraid of the "horror" stories from the blauparts kits. most of the problems were with older kits and it is my understanding that they have changed some of their suppliers as a result. all their stuff should be good now. additionally, most of the available kits contain the same/similar parts, just from a different online retailer. I agree that you probably won't need a kit with a manual tensionser. make sure when you do get a kit it is compatible with your AEB engine code. I don't know why, but I have noticed that some of the pricier "performance" kits list that they are not compatible with the AEB(?)

 

Hehe, that's just how I am! Well I'm getting a vibration at idle, was kinda curious if that might be the cause (the stock crank pulley is also a damper). It's more likely that the snub cage just needs to be adjusted since I have a Stern snub mount.

 

How asessable is the tensionior when its all said and done is it a thirty minute job or three hour?

 

It's a full teardown to get to it - it's under the lower timing cover, which is blocked by the crank pulley.

Metalman, I agree that the snub is causing your vibration - they're known to do that.