Is this an original Timing Belt?

[USN]

Bought a 2003 A4 1.8T Quattro 5 speed with 107,000 miles on it. The CarFax was clean and looked like the previous 2 owners kept up with regular scheduled maintenance. However I'm still not sure if the timing belt has been replaced or not. I'm not sure if timing belts replaced by the dealer use VW/Audi parts? I can tell by the cracks on the "green" part of the belt that it will need to be replaced sooner rather than later. But any help with this issue would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

-J

[Greedo]

It has cracks - replace it.

[Charlie240sxt]

X2 replace asap.

[Dubsport Inc]

tick... tick... time bomb!

[walky_talky20]

The cracks and genuine markings pretty much guarantee it's original. But the cracks themselves are the least of your worries. It is often the teeth that fall off. Those cracks are on toothed side of the belt and you can't see them. I wouldn't even start that car again. At 107k and 9 years on that belt, you are on some seriously borrowed time. I've seen these belts fail at 10 years/75k miles or less.

[f1torrents]

Get that replaced with a full kit ASAP.
belt,tenshioner,water pump.

Seriously do it tomorrow.

[Unum]

Holy hell.

[A4SoftWalker]

The cracks and genuine markings pretty much guarantee it's original. But the cracks themselves are the least of your worries. It is often the teeth that fall off. Those cracks are on toothed side of the belt and you can't see them. I wouldn't even start that car again. At 107k and 9 years on that belt, you are on some seriously borrowed time. I've seen these belts fail at 10 years/75k miles or less.

2nd dont even think of commuting in that car other than to get it fixed. I would have it towed if I didnt know how to fix myself... Just Sayin.

If that was a FL car??? This might have saved it from breaking earlier with no extremes of temp and not to forget - humidity???

[diagnosticator]

Bought a 2003 A4 1.8T Quattro 5 speed with 107,000 miles on it. The CarFax was clean and looked like the previous 2 owners kept up with regular scheduled maintenance. However I'm still not sure if the timing belt has been replaced or not. I'm not sure if timing belts replaced by the dealer use VW/Audi parts? I can tell by the cracks on the "green" part of the belt that it will need to be replaced sooner rather than later. But any help with this issue would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

-J

Have any Audi dealer check the service history via the VIN, if the TB has been replaced at a dealership, then there should be a record of the service and the mileage. Regardless, that belt on the car now is done, as already stated prior by others. Without a replacement record you can safely assume the belt installed now is the OE belt.

[boostedAvant]

Lord.

[imnuts]

Does it matter if it's the original belt or not? For any belt, I would say cracks equals replace immediately, regardless of how old it is.

[walky_talky20]

Something interesting to me, which I didn't mention before, is how intact the printing is on the belt. By 107k, you would usually expect the printing to be very faded, if not gone altogether. I don't know if that is indicative of anything specific, but just interesting.

[kwimberly]

I just replaced a timing belt that had 30k on it because my water pump started leaking. I'll pull it out of the trash when I get home tonight and take a look (it's pouring in Orlando, so the belt will be soaked). Pretty sure it had those "cracks," too. By no means am I suggesting that you not replace it immediately - especially if you have that many miles and there's a chance that it's original - but could those cracks just be crackling of a printing coating or something?

[old guy]

Here's one with 50k on it:

[IMG][/IMG]

I would say replace it for sure.

[Charles.waite]

here's one with 50k on it:

[img][/img]

i would say replace it for sure.

nein! Achtung! Nicht nicken!!






......

[old guy]

It's my belt and I'll damn well bend it if I want to!!

[A4SoftWalker]

Nicht knicken = Do not crimp

So ur in the clear to bend away on that old belt; old guy...

[kwimberly]

Here's 30,000 miles (no cracking):