STEP ONE IN AUDI TIMING BELT REPLACEMENT

This is normally a time consuming task and would devote 6-8 hours to do the job right. The following is a list of everything needed:


First and foremost you need a timing belt kit. Always replace the water pump and tensioner when replacing the timing belt. These kits can cost anywhere from $99.00 on ebay to $250 for a quality brand name kit. I also sell these kits so if you need any pricing or would like to order just comment or call me (my phone number is listed on my first post on this blog.)


These kits will include the gasket for the water pump, tensioner "consists of small pulley and a cylinder to keep tension on the belt at all times, and the belt itself. The belt itself is a notched unit and the notches align with the single cam shaft gear and the crankshaft gear. The camshaft gear is the larger one on the top of the motor that controls the timing of the valves and is also connected under the valve cover with another cam almost exactly the same through a chain, two gears "almost like a bike sprocket" and a hyd tensioner. The timing belt drives all of this and is essential to the timing of the engine. If this belt breaks while the car is running the valves will impact the tops of one or more pistons ruining the engine. I will discuss more in regard to the hyd tensioner that works with the timing chain on your A4 if you let me know. I have replaced many and know exactly what symptoms to look for. These parts are very expensive so you want to make sure before you replace it!

2002-2005 Audi A4 1.8T INDEPTH TIMING BElT REPLACEMENT WALKTHROUGH

Previously I had discussed Timing belt replacement on a 2002-2005 Audi A4 1.8 T, this was a brief snapshot of how to accomplish such a task. I will now take it one step further and give detailed instructions on every step from start to finish. EVERY SCREW, NUT, BOLT ETC... I know when I was attempting to do this for the first time, even though I had help and someone looking over my shoulder I still had issues on certain tricks to remove these hard to repair routine maintenance items.

I will accomplish this entire walk-through throughout multiple posts so please be patient and comment if you would like instructions further than the point I have summarized. 

THANK YOU FOR READING!

audi timing belt change in detail coming tomorrow!

PHASE ONE (SUPPLIES NEEDED)

Here is a list of the supplies that are essential to the removal of the engine. Some parts may be rusty, "mainly the exhaust system" and will possibly need improvisation.

1. Cherry picker "engine removal jack" preferably a two ton.
2. Floor jack
3. Jack stands/wood blocks
4. Full deep well/normal 1/2 inch, 3/4 inch socket set.
5. Full torque spec set
6. Multiple short and long screwdrivers

PATIENTS :)

AUDI A4 2002-2005 1.8 Turbo Engine Removal

My Next blog posts will be a walk through on the Audi A4 1.8 Turbo 5 speed engine removal from start to finish. The clutch installation will also be included along with common problems and parts that will need to be replaced.

Post Timing Belt Replacement Audi 1.8 T 02-05

After the timing belt is changed and everything is put back together it is time to start her up! But before hand the main thing that must be monitored closely is the coolant level. Because the system was partially drained during the belt change it is very possible that the system will have a bubble.

The term for this process is BURPING.

1. Make sure the reservoir is completely full and leave off the cap.
2. Start up the car for 45 seconds or so then shut off
3. Let the car sit for a moment and check the fluid level
4. Squeeze the coolant hoses, you should hear a bubbling or gurgle
5. Start up the car again and this time let it run for 2-5 minutes while keeping an eye on both the temperature gauge and the coolant level.
6. After the 2-5 minutes has passed let the car sit for 15 minutes
7. Start the car and take it for a short test drive while keeping a steady eye on the temperature gauge, after check everything again and if all the levels look good then your coolant system is ready to go and you have another 100k before changing that darn belt again! Hope these posts helped you and please comment if you would like anymore information. 

Audi 1.8 T Timing Belt replacement

Now that the bumper, radiator, belts, hoses and lines have been removed along with the timing belt cover itself it is time to REPLACE THE BELT!
It really helps to have a cam clamp. This allows you to keep your hands off the cams while you install the new belt.
I would also recommend a type of heat safe sylicone sealent for the water pump. the gasket you get with the kit works very well by-itself but it is better to be safe than sorry.

The water pump and tension-er are installed first. There will be a notch on the tension-er to pull it back enough to make room to install the belt. Keep in mind to check, check and triple check that the cams and crankshaft are aligned.

ALIGNMENT OF CAM SHAFT AND CRANK SHAFT: When aligning the cam's and crank shaft while installing the new belt the biggest thing to keep an eye on is the small dots on the cam shaft and crank. The cam shafts will align with a small arrow on the valve cover so make sure the valve cover is installed before trying to align the cams. While the cams are aligned on the arrows slowly slip the belt over the gears while the crank shaft is aligned on the small arrow on the block. This is much easier said then done.... and will probably take a few tries before it is aligned perfect.

After the belt is installed take a deep well socket and ratchet to the crank bolt. Do not loosen the bolt but crank the motor over by hand a few revolutions. This will insure that the engine is timed correctly. After you crank it over by hand use the starter motor without the coils on the plugs. Crank it over a few times, not long but enough to make sure everything is moving correctly.

You can now start to assemble the entire front of the car back together...

I will continue with after assembly start up in my next post.

Steps in Replacing 2002-2005 Audi A4 1.8T timing belt

I will give a brief walkthrough of what to do in the process of replacing the timing belt of a 2002 to 2005 Audi A4 with a 1.8 L Turbo:
Supplies.....Jacks, Jack stands, full socket set, full torque spec set, breaker bar, some bandages for bloody knuckles and misc screwdrivers and such. When replacing the timing belt always replace the WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT TENSION-ER, AND A NEW Belt. The replacement of these parts now can save a huge headache in the future...
The first step is to: Slightly jack up the front of the car, Remove all covers on the top of the motor, Remove all connections that you can get your hands on.

Step Two: The front bumper will have to be removed and it is attached to the each fender along with eight long bolts located on the front of the bumper. The inter-cooler is also located in this area and the connections must be removed.

Step Three: Once the bumper is removed then you can start to remove the timing cover. After the timing cover is removed you can then align the cams and crank shaft while slowly removing the timing belt. Be careful that your fingers do not get caught in the gears because tension can sometimes still be held under the stretching of the belt.

MY NEXT POST WILL COVER THE INSTALLATION OF THE TIMING BELT, WATER PUMP, AND TENSION-ER

More specific repair issues! AUDI PROBLEMS :)

Audi's are great cars, the awd quattro system is one of the best in my mind. But they come with a lot of up-keep issues. One of which I will cover is the timing belt change. This can prove to be a very difficult task but with the proper knowledge of someone who has made the mistakes before it can be quite easy.