I just purchased an B6 A4 3.0 w/ 91k miles and from what I've been reading, it looks like I need to get my timing belt replaced asap. Also read that it makes sense to replace the water pump as well if the timing belt is getting replace. From everyone's vast experience on this forum, where is the best place I can buy a timing belt & water pump kit?

The best price I found online is $389 incl. shipping and that seems a bit steep.

Any feedback is appreciated...thanks everyone.

 

most common recommendation is blauparts or ecstuning. $389 is actually about right considering it includes all the "extras" you need to do the job properly.

beware, I believe that the 3.0 is considered the biggest PITA timing belt job there is.

 

I would suggest extreme caution when considering a BlauParts kit for any Audi, but especially the A4. A failure of the timing belt or water pump in this engine results in very expensive repairs due to the tight clearances between valves and pistons.

I purchased a kit from them for my 1.8T engine and the water pump seized after 12 months resulting in a $4000 repair that required the removal and rework of the head. The pump was a no-name knock off with the manufacturer's markings machined off.

Save some money and buy reputable parts from another vendor such as FCP or ECS. BlauParts did not offer any help or acknowledge that they had supplied defective parts and I was out the $4,000.

NEVER AGAIN!

 

Thanks for all your advice & insights.

 

Justin

I have not replaced the belt on a 3.0, so can't advise on the procedures involved. I did do the job on the 2.8 engine and it was pretty straight forward, though required a jig to hold the cams in alignment. The $300+ charge for parts isn't way out of line because you are also replacing the idler and tensioner in additon to the water pump and thermostat. The jig was available online for under $100.

I would also recommend purchasing the Bentley manual prior to attempting the job.

Audi makes some fun automobiles and they are engineered well, but do require a bit of maintenance and that can be pretty costly if you are not able to do the work yourself.

 

I've installed probably 50 ECS Tuning kits and recently have done several from FCP Groton and have found them to be equal in quality and significantly less expensive. They don't include the G12 coolant but the price difference far outweighs that. I'd say go with FCP.