NO NEED TO SHOUT!

sorry to hear of your bad news. I've not heard of cam belts failing in q3

 

Thank you for the response, noted

 

Welcome to the forum Inno. I have not heard this happening on a Q3 at all. This sounds very suspect to me and would have a word with the dealer.Just a small side note. In text speak, words in capitals mean that you are shouting the words. Can you please use lower case unless you meant it to be shouting!

I feel traumatised afterbeing shouting at! I think you'd better save it for the dealer.

 

Seems Cocopops beat me to it!

 

I thought the Q3 engines had timing chains or is that not the same thing?
Excerpt from Audio Q3 training manual http://www.audi.co.uk/content/dam/audi/production/PDF/PriceAndSpecGuides/q3.pdf

Technical features
• Common rail injection system with exhaust turbocharger
• Electromagnetic injectors
• Engine management via timing chain</font>
• Injection system with injection pressures of up to 1800 bar
• Twin balancer shafts
• Adapted belt drive (minus the power steering pump)
• 4/2-way valve in the cooling system
• Electrical exhaust gas recirculation valve
• Low temperature EGR cooling
• Particulate fi lter with separate, integrated oxidising catalytic
converter
• Start-stop system and recuperation
Reference
For further information on the design and operation of the 2.0l TDI engine, refer to Self Study Programme 420
"The 2.0l TDI Engine with Common Rail Injection System" and Self Study Programme 442 "The 1.6l TDI Engine with Common
Rail Injection System".
602_008

 

Ooops wrong link.
Try here http://admin.audionlinetraining.com/Upload/SSP/506_ssp602_Audi Q3.pdf

 

I am surprised but looking at the engine illustration it looks like there could indeed be a belt driven camshaft system.

@Inno, I hope the car is still within the warranty period?Edited by: Boxbrownie

 

It's a belt I'm afraid....

 

Hi Inno, welcome to the forum - sorry it's to report a problem that serious. BoxBrownie has a good point - in the UK the warranty runs for 3 years or 60,000 miles, so mileage-wise yours should still be in warranty. Check it out.

Even if out of warranty the belt should not have failed that early - contact Audi via your local main dealer (or direct if they aren't helpful) and they may be prepared to make a contribution. It's always worth asking.

 

I believe the service schedule lists cambelt changes at c 120,000 miles.

 

Does the 2.0 TFSi petrol engine have a cambelt or chain?

 

2 litre petrol tfsi has cam chain . happy days.

 

Does the new 1.4 tfsi engine have a chain or belt driven camshaft ?

 

The latest 1.4 tfsi engines have a belt. Some early versions of the engine had chains but they were not totally reliable.Audi keep changing the rules but I think the service interval for the beltwill be around 5 years and 60k miles.

Cheers Spike

 

Cheers Spike, I wonder how much Audi charge for that?

 

Shouldn't worry too much about belt drive cams nowadays as they are very reliable (with the occasional exception it appears) as there is not much to actually wear, which seems odd it being rubber/composite kevlar usually.
They have come an awful long way since the old Ford Pinto cambelt

 

Don't remind me - I worked for a Ford main dealer group in the early '70s and can vouch for the frequency with which those belts let go.

Mind you, it was a great step forward from their previous idea, as used in the Essex V4/V6 engines - a fibre timing gearwheel. Now when THAT let go it was a bit spectacular - and expensive.

 

Yes but it was quiet in operation...............until it did go bang!

 

I had a cambelt go on a Ford Sierra at 9000 miles and just over a year old. In 1983/4 warranties were for one year. The engine was wrecked and a replacement obtained at my cost. Ford did not want to know. I must say that cambelt replacement at 120000 miles is at a far higher mileage than most other manufacturers.

 

I am worried that a cam belt will last 120,000 miles. It doesn't have to necessarily snap to cause damage. If one or more of the teeth on the belt goes then thats enough for it to cause problems.

 

There's nothing wrong with a bit of preventative maintenance, Grumpy - change it at around the 70,000 mile mark if you're worried.

My previous car had a reputation for knackering automatic transmissions prematurely (they were Jatco 'boxes of somewhat dubious reputation) so - on the recommendation of my Tame Mechanic - I had the fluid changed at 60,000 miles. The Jaguar main dealer thought I was crackers but I had the last laugh - it was still running beautifully when I sold the car with over 100,000 miles on the clock and no transmission troubles at all.

 

Actually with a timing belt if you do loose a few "teeth" from the belt you wouldn't even notice it, as each pulley is griped by many more teeth than would be the case with a chain sprocket system.
Virtually all the failures we ever saw in development vehicles were due to a faulty belt structure (very rare) or physical damage caused when the new belt was fitted, ham fisted levering etc.
Usually the belt will start to delaminate from an edge and the first sign will be a strange noise as a bit of cord from the belt structure whizzes around inside the cover making a **** of a racket. It is very rare for a belt to just snap without some kind of noise first, but a chain can in fact keep going up until it just gives way a link as the tensioner will keep it all tight.
Basically either way is a good design, and either design can have flaws.........Russian roulette anyone?

 

Big difference is at 5 years 50000 miles. Mr Audi wants £500 to change the belt. With a chain you can keep that money in your pocket. Or allow the wife to spend it !!!

 

There's nothing wrong with a bit of preventative maintenance, Grumpy - change it at around the 70,000 mile mark if you're worried.

I agree with you Gromit, a bit of preventative maintenance can save you a **** of a headache later.

 

Actually with a timing belt if you do loose a few "teeth" from the belt you wouldn't even notice it, as each pulley is griped by many more teeth than would be the case with a chain sprocket system.
Basically either way is a good design, and either design can have flaws.........Russian roulette anyone?

Thats good to know BB. Lets face, most cars won't make past 60,000 miles before they're out of warranty. If the belt snaps at say 100k miles and is 6-7 years old, you'll be lucky to get a goodwill gesture out of Audi.Whatever happened to the "safe" engines that the Toyota and other Japanese manufacturers were developing? It has a set of internal cogs that allow the engine to spin down safely if the belt snaps, hence only a belt replacement is necessary instead of engine rebuild.