Opinions on Hours needed to change Cam Tensioners......

[Aronis]

Hi,

I was hoping to get a quick estimate of how many hours it would take to start from this:

17718

and remove the 26 bolts, then the cam's, cam chain tensioners, cam chains, then replace those parts with new CCT and chains, along with all new seals to bring it back to the above position?

My dealer estimated about 6 hours to do both sides for the Engine Out of the Car position as seen.

Mike

[Dmb408]

So you are in luck. I just had my car in to do full timing belt with water pump, as well as the full valve cover kit, but I didnt have them do the tensioner pads thus bringing timing into play. They flat out didnt want to. If they did they were going to quote me an additional 4-5 additional hours. But that was in service position.

[hahnmgh63]

I can do it from this point in 3hrs or less with the parts available. Probably at least 4hrs on my own car as I'm anal and bound to do extra cleaning & tidying up that a dealer would never do.

[Aronis]

I can do it from this point in 3hrs or less with the parts available. Probably at least 4hrs on my own car as I'm anal and bound to do extra cleaning & tidying up that a dealer would never do.

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So you would just wing it if doing someone else's car? Good to know! 3 to 4 hours sounds about right to me!

Mike

[Aronis]

So you are in luck. I just had my car in to do full timing belt with water pump, as well as the full valve cover kit, but I didnt have them do the tensioner pads thus bringing timing into play. They flat out didnt want to. If they did they were going to quote me an additional 4-5 additional hours. But that was in service position.

Thanks for the information!

[hahnmgh63]

No I wouldn't myself but I guarantee dealers don't take the time to clean up every little part as well as most would do on their own vehicles. Funny how they will change a coil without changing the plugs at the same time or vice versa. No good home mechanic working on his own car would do that. I wipe down the gasket surfaces until they're nice and clean, then get the gasket/cover ready and of course take a nice clean cotton cloth and wipe them one more time before assembly. Just small little things that a dealer would never take the time to do. I would never shorten the time on my own car or a friends but a dealer would.

[lswing]

14 from touching the car to closing the hood..., but as mentioned 4-6 is fair once already in SP.

[DHall1]

From this position was the timing belt changed in this repair?

if no, then add more time

if yes, then subtract time


Hi,

I was hoping to get a quick estimate of how many hours it would take to start from this:

17718

and remove the 26 bolts, then the cam's, cam chain tensioners, cam chains, then replace those parts with new CCT and chains, along with all new seals to bring it back to the above position?

My dealer estimated about 6 hours to do both sides for the Engine Out of the Car position as seen.

Mike

[Bigglezworth]

It's a solid 1.0 hour per side extra with valve covers removed, engine in service position, and timing belt already removed. Add an additional 20 minutes to drivers side for valve cover and double that for the passenger side where you need to fuss with additional vaccum lines, fuel lines, and coolant pipe. 1.0hr/side includes for removal of cam sprockets, cover plates, removal of intake cam housings, tensioning of the tensioner, removal of intake cam enough to remove tensioner (while keeping the chain on the cam gears so that you don't have to fuss with retiming), cleaning and installation of new pads (or straight install of new unit), and reverse of everything above plus torquing. If you felt it necessary to remove the exhaust cam also and remove the timing chain, it will take an additional 30mins per side to realign timing marks and triple check everything. Personally, I only did that once - the first time. Since then (3 different times now), I have left exhaust cam in situ and only remove intake cam to lessen the frustration of retiming.

[04rs6cdn]

Thinking of doing my tenioners , what is the best source for the Tenioners ? What can I expect to pay ? Do I need to be aware of cheap Chinese knock offs?
Thx .....

[Aronis]

with engine in car...nothing else being done......probably 16 hours of labor.....

Parts:

Cam Chain Tensioners: $1538.57 (Audi, discounted 15% with tax) TWO DIFFERENT PART NUMBERS...

Cam Chains: $49.00 (Pelican, OEM, non-audi)

Seal Kit: $149.95 (Blauparts) includes all seals needed and replacement plastic shoes for the cam chain tensioners.

Bolts 52 $69.64 (from Audi, special order part)

Mike

[lswing]

As stated above...15-20 hours depending on mechanical knowledge. You can just do the pads for $30 also...it seems Blauparts might offer ones made of better plastic, but who knows.

Why are you doing the work?

You need to be aware of Chinese crap with all parts. Personally I'd never risk my engine to cheap parts...

[Aronis]

. Personally I'd never risk my engine to cheap parts...

HERE HERE!

I used a cheap knockoff fan/blower for the heat/ac and it's noisy at all speeds. Cheap CRAP! (accept all Apple Products for some odd reason)

Mike