What is this 'hydrallic tensioner yadee yadaa' part related to the timing belt/WP replacement?
04-27-2004, 10:13 AM
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What is this 'hydrallic tensioner yadee yadaa' part related to the timing belt/WP replacement?
Just got informed by my shop who's about to do my TB/WP replacement that they might need to replace a $200 part also. 'Sometimes it's needed and sometimes it's not' from what they are saying. Anyone else ever been told this going into a TB/WP replacement?
I ask because it's going to make the difference between a $1240 job to a $1440 job.
I ask because it's going to make the difference between a $1240 job to a $1440 job.
04-27-2004, 10:17 AM
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That's the "timing belt tensioner"...you have the revised part in your car...
but I would highly recommend replacing it as well as the tensioner rollers. That is the part that frequently fails (even the newer revised part that you have).
04-27-2004, 10:53 AM
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This right here
<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/59187/tb9.jpg"></center><p>The piece to the left with the zinc plated colored tab. That's the tensioner pulley, the piston looking thing is the actual tensioner, and the small wheel on the right of the tensioner housing is the idler roller. The piston pushes against the pulley, which is offset like a cam, which then keeps your belt tight by turning about the zinc plated bolt. You can see how it works in the picture.
This is the updated version. The older versions had a set screw type design, instead of the piston, and are known to fail. You had to torque the tensioner pulley manually (you can still see the residual hole in the pulley) and then tighten the set screw. My car has a build date of 01/00, so it would be safe to assume that all 00's and up have the updated version. I don't know about earlier models.
For all those that ever wondered, the water pump is the nice shiny new aluminum housing at the bottom center of the picture, since I replaced it when I did my timing belt :-)
This is the updated version. The older versions had a set screw type design, instead of the piston, and are known to fail. You had to torque the tensioner pulley manually (you can still see the residual hole in the pulley) and then tighten the set screw. My car has a build date of 01/00, so it would be safe to assume that all 00's and up have the updated version. I don't know about earlier models.
For all those that ever wondered, the water pump is the nice shiny new aluminum housing at the bottom center of the picture, since I replaced it when I did my timing belt :-)
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04-27-2004, 11:20 AM
#9
That tensioner is NOT a $200 part. It is something that takes all of 5 minutes to take off when the
belt is removed...
<img src="https://www.audiworld.com/tech/pics/eng35/beltpath.jpg">
<img src="https://www.audiworld.com/tech/pics/eng35/beltpath.jpg">
04-27-2004, 12:43 PM
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I'm willing to bet the majority of people that have paid a 'reputable' mechanic...
to replace the TB/WP pay on average $800-$1200. Anything less than $700 for all of that is just tough for me to believe for professional and experienced workmanship.
Aside from that, if it were realistically and/or commonly THAT cheap to do, then why do the majority of A4 owners wait till over 70k to do anything about the TB/WP. I'd say you are one in a million aside from the AWers who can do their own work which I unfortunately am not qualified for.
Aside from that, if it were realistically and/or commonly THAT cheap to do, then why do the majority of A4 owners wait till over 70k to do anything about the TB/WP. I'd say you are one in a million aside from the AWers who can do their own work which I unfortunately am not qualified for.