I am changing my timing belt in a couple weeks in my 2000 A6 2.7T. I believe I have everything needed to get that job done. I am still considering changing the valve cover gaskets and the cam chain tensioner gasket as they are known to leak (mine are not leaking yet).

I am not one to fix things unless they are broken. I am even gritting my teeth about the timing belt job but that is a little different than valve covers and tensioner gaskets leaking.... anyway...

The question.... is this easier to do the valve cover / chain tensioner gaskets while doing the timing belt job or could I wait and do this once something actually starts leaking?

I should rather ask... can this job be done without the front end off the car for easier access to the engine? (I would assume so but just thought I would ask)

 

the front end of the car will have to come off. i dont reccomend replacing the camseals until they start leaking, ive heard from other guys replacing them cause leaking. i really hope you have the cam lock bar and crank pin before doing this job, one degree off will cause damage there is absolutly no room for error.

 

So you are saying I should not touch it until it leaks but to do the job the front end will have to come off?

Why will the front end have to come off?

 

Oh yea... I do have a cam lock bar and a crank lock pin.

 

Two of the cam radial seals are behind the camshaft gears, so the timing belt and camshaft gears need to be removed to replace them. The passenger side camshaft radial seal behind the cam position sensor is alsom more easily done with the tb off. The other cam radial seal(theres 4 total) can be done without remoing the timing belt. The same goes for the camshaft adjuster gaskets(alothou the dirvers side can be a little tricky with the tb on. Personally im with you, if it aint broke dont fix it, but what it really boils down to is wheter you want to take it apart again to replace the seals later, or risk creating a leak now.