Hello everyone. I just bought a 99 A4 1.8T from my neighbor and I've never ownedan Audibefore. The car has 160K on it and, you've probably already guessed, the timing belt went out. I bought the car knowing this which is why I got it at alow price. I'm prepared to take the engine out (yes, even if just the valves are damaged) to rebuild (or replace) the motor and install a new clutch. I know, it's going to be a bit of work but still manageable.

I was wondering what everyone thought about the trans (5 speed manual) and its longevity or other parts including the crank and con rod bearings. How well do you think they'll be after this many miles? Also, has anyone had any issues with the clutch in this car? I figure since the engine is out I might as wellspend the extra money and replace the disc, plate, and bearing. Perhaps someone can recommend the best manual to have for my project. Just wondering what everyone thought. Also, has anyone done this themselves and have advice and possibly a post discussing it?

Thanks!!!

 

Depending on when the clutch was replaced last it is probably a good idea to do it again. The main internals that weren't damaged by the timing belt snapping are probably still good, but definitely lookatand maybe replacethe bearings when you have the oil pan off.

 

Thanks. I have a feeling I'll be taking everything apart and inspect for wear. I don't think I ever want to do it again so I might as well improve what I can while I havethe engine out. Does anyone have recommendations for parts (aftermarket or OEM) and where to get them? Obviously, I want to get them as cheap as possible but not at the expense of quality.

 

I took the head off today and wasn't shocked with what I saw. I wanted to get look to see if I had to remove the entire engine. At this point I'm leaning towards leaving the bottom end in place and just getting the head work done.

For those not wanting to do the work or spend the money on changing the timing belt and tensioner you may regret it. I'm pretty sure that all of the valves are bent. 1 intake and 2exhaust valvesare open on each cylinder and the cams are even on the head. The other intake valves are probably not much better. Not a pretty site.