# cambelt interval query.. solved?



## ollierico (Dec 12, 2012)

There is a lot of debate about this.. 5 years/75k, 4 years/60k, and according to the service book 5years/115k.

After lots of research I think this largely depends on the model you have.. as I have just discovered the later 211 engines are chain driven so as long as properly maintainted service wise it shouldnt need replacement. If you have the older version though I think 75k/5 years seems to be the general consensus.

Anyone had any problems with the chains? They seem to be pretty bullet proof engines


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## keyowne (Sep 25, 2014)

i would follow the service book, in the book it says 114,000 miles for the belts with no time limit, the 5 years 75k is highly debated, and there seems to be no reported failures on these engines as of yet. Some say audi uk came up with that figure and its a uk manufactured scam. majority of people that have changed their belt have reported it to be in very good condition. the belts are specifically designed to do long milage.
i dont know much about the chains but i would check the service book and follow that.


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## puresilk (Nov 14, 2014)

I thought 115k was way too long but as rubber can perish in time it makes sense to have a age limit too, 5 years or 75k seems safe.


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## TT-driver (Sep 14, 2010)

There is no natural rubber in timing belts any more. It's all synthetic these days and far less susceptible to ageing. I tried to destroy an used TT belt from a 2.0TFSI engine (7 years, 90k miles). I couldn't. It wouldn't break even when bending the wrong way and torturing it with pliers. Could hardly pull off any of its teeth either. Only cutting it with a knife worked.

Fortunately replacement in the UK is not too expensive. In the Netherlands the Audi dealers charge up to 1000 Euro to replace it. But the dealers in the Netherlands still stick to the 115k miles limit.


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## Pete Mac (Apr 21, 2014)

Whilst this subject crops up repeatedly,the original belt is to be replaced at 65000 miles or 5 yrs. however, and this where things become even more confusing,after replacing a belt at the recommended mileage/time , Audi only gaurantee against failure for 2 yrs. No doubt there will be some plausible explanation. 
They seem to have us over a barrel here both ways . Who can afford to ignore their recommendations when in the event of a failure, no matter how unlikely, we would be faced with an extremely expensive engine rebuild . I for one, wouldn't take the chance.
Regards to all.
P.S. Sat in a mk 3 today whilst visiting Truro Audi. Very nice but at 30k for the base model I'll wait for the used market . Otherwise not a great deal of difference between it and my mk 2.! Will have a test drive next week.


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## Kyudo (Nov 29, 2014)

Only had mine 3 weeks 9000 miles 14 years old last owner wasn't sure when it was done so put a new kit on for peace of mind
And gave it a full service.


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## TT-driver (Sep 14, 2010)

Pete Mac said:


> Whilst this subject crops up repeatedly,the original belt is to be replaced at 65000 miles or 5 yrs. however, and this where things become even more confusing,after replacing a belt at the recommended mileage/time , Audi only gaurantee against failure for 2 yrs. No doubt there will be some plausible explanation.
> They seem to have us over a barrel here both ways . Who can afford to ignore their recommendations when in the event of a failure, no matter how unlikely, we would be faced with an extremely expensive engine rebuild . I for one, wouldn't take the chance.
> Regards to all.
> P.S. Sat in a mk 3 today whilst visiting Truro Audi. Very nice but at 30k for the base model I'll wait for the used market . Otherwise not a great deal of difference between it and my mk 2.! Will have a test drive next week.


It's not like we're ignoring their recommendations. Audi UK and the manufacturer are sending out mixed signals and thus causing confusion. Audi NL sticks to 115k miles limit, no age restriction (source: the Audi dealer and Audi maintenance database). Audi Germany seems to be sticking to 115k miles limit and possibly with a 10 year limit (source similar topics on German car forums)

The 2 years warranty after a repair is standard. It applies to all repairs with the exception of parts subject to wear. So whether it being a battery, a radiator, an oil pump, a water pump or a cam belt. 2 years it is.

I guess at the end of the day it's what's making you feel save. Replace the cam belt early? We could have a similar debate about how often to visit the dentist, having you blood analysed, or performing a full MRI body scan... 


Perhaps the best advise is to replace the cam belt slightly early if you intend to keep the car for so long that you'll have to replace it at some stage anyhow. But if you want to keep the car till it is 7 years old and it has done 85k miles, I see no point in replacing it, following Audi NL/Germany's recommendation. Provided you don't hear any noises from pulleys or the water pump starts leaking. Often the bearings of the pulleys or the water pump break before anything is wrong with the cam belt itself. And provided your car hasn't been subject to floods where water can access the area where the lower cam belt sprocket is (underside engine).


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## Graham'sTT (Dec 6, 2014)

Stafford Audi have now reminded me twice that my cam-belt is due for a change. My 2009 TT Roadster has done less than 10k miles from new, and they say due at 5 years. On specific enquiry (ie quoting reg and VIN nos) they tell me mine has a timing chain, so no routine replacement necessary. In the good old days cam-belts were rare/non-existent, and hardly any-one had trouble with timing chains.
More broadly though Audi dealerships seem to not be clear about such and similar routine maintenance work. I bought the above car (an Approved Audi) in September this year, and there was no record of the Haldex fluid being changed. Pursuing this I received three different answers from the dealership: change at 3 years, 4 years and never. Pleased to say they did it at no cost.


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