[wsantos]

Very cool guide! Will definitely bookmark it. I like how it shows a possibly original belt going 13 years and 90 miles on.

And @SwissJetPilot, you crossed to the dark "premium" side of the forum I see 😲

 

[SwissJetPilot]

@ wsantos - Seems they gave it to me. Now I can minimize the column on the right to make the posts wider. Whoop-te-freekin'-do!
On a more serious note, if you're working on your TT, you may find this post useful since the links are specific to the 3.2 VR6 (BUB) engine -

FAQ - Mk2 3.2 VR6 (BUB) Maintenance & Service

Maintenance & Service - As the title indicates, these are service and maintenance procedures specific to the 3.2 VR6 (BUB) engine. For a better idea of what's inside, I've linked a YouTube video from 2007 of a cut-away 3.2 VR6 engine which shows many of the hidden features like the cyclone...

www.ttforum.co.uk

 

[Jezzie]

@ wsantos - Seems they gave it to me. Now I can minimize the column on the right to make the posts wider. Whoop-te-freekin'-do!

They gave it to me too - big deal - no idea why…
jez

 

[zsdom]

I have the parts now, just need to fit them in the coming weeks

The idler pulleys did come with replacement bolts, but the tensioner didn't. Probably not required, but I might get a new one from Audi

View attachment 444343

Thread resurrection! did you get the tensioner from GSF, they're the only one that I've found that stocks one but its listed as an unbranded premium part

 

[MT-V6]

Thread resurrection! did you get the tensioner from GSF, they're the only one that I've found that stocks one but its listed as an unbranded premium part

Yes I did. GSF seem to have become annoying in recent years with this hiding of brand names. I phoned them up and they checked the stock and told me it was SKF before I ordered. Note even the SKF part is actually made by Litens, as is the Audi OEM part (though a slightly different design)

 

[zsdom]

Managed to change my drive belt today after the tensioner poohed its pants & threw the belt

I managed to get it all changed without moving the charcoal cannister & also got a 3/8” ratchet on the bottom pulley

All in all a pretty easy job, took me just over an hour to get it all swapped over although I think having the belt already off saved 10mins

 

[MT-V6]

Nice one. That old tensioner looks a right state. What mileage was it at out of interest?

Also what brand is the tensioner? I can't make it out from your photo? Is it Litens in another brands box?

 

[zsdom]

The cars on 89k, the old belt doesnt look that bad even after a journey round the engine bay

The tensioner is in a Dayco box from GSF, its not marked Litens as yours was, the only markings on it are LAT 0489 although the pulleys are Litens from Carparts4less

 

[MT-V6]

That's interesting then. Audi OEM Litens and Litens, and Dayco all have 0489 on them. Must be a reference to the design of them

 

[Steviejones133]

Could do with some advice regarding this job, it’s one that was on my “to do” list as my VR6 is now sat on 82,000m and I have no history indicating wether it was done or not. So, popped out to have a look earlier today at the belt and tensioner - as much as I could see with an inspection mirror anyways.

From what I can tell, the tensioner isn’t OEM because it’s not the same as the one MT-V6 removed, but it IS the same as the one he replaced his OEM one with - I wiped a bit of muck off it to see.

Now, I have no idea when this was done, don’t know if the pictures of the belt below show a worn belt or not. It looks like the tensioner bolt was reused as it’s a bit more corroded than I would have thought a replacement would have been.

No idea if the pulleys were done as I couldn’t really see from the engine bay.

Would appreciate anyones thoughts on this and the pics below - if I can avoid the cost of paying a garage to do it, that’d be preferable as I can’t do this myself.

Id have thought that the tensioner would not have been changed at 30-40k, possibly meaning it’s a job I don’t need to worry about immediately.

Thoughts appreciated - pics below

 

[MT-V6]

That belt is definitely not the Audi part, so it does look to have been replaced along with the tensioner

Does the inside side/ribbed side feel brittle or cracked? Any signs of a frayed edge? If not you're probably fine for now

 

[Steviejones133]

It doesn’t feel brittle, cant see any sign of cracking, there is a bit of twist play in the belt - can move it by hand a bit. Also cant see any frayed edges to the belt and as you mentioned, I did wonder if it was an Audi belt or not.

I took it as a sign it had been done (perhaps only tensioner and belt) by looking at your pics. My tensioner is deffo not OEM as it’s the same as the one you replaced yours with by the looks of it, albeit the boot looks original and maybe reused.

Kinda puts me at ease a bit as I don’t think it’s one of those jobs that would have been done early on in her life, maybe 40k+ I dunno……if it was done then, there should be life in the old girl yet for a bit with the exception of maybe deterioration of the belt itself through age…..

Whats your thought on visual condition of the belt?

 

[TT'sRevenge]

Belt looks like a Gates belt--I can't make out the lettering 100% but it has a logo similar to theirs, that oval kind of shape with the writing in it. About 90% sure that's a Gates replacement belt.

On a side note I bought a Gates belt for my TT...it was actually slightly larger than the belt that came off the car, lol. And I think that belt had been on there since the car was built (never changed). I said whatever and let the tensioner take care of any extra (it wasn't that much). Didn't change the tensioner as it seems fine. Belt has been fine since it has been on there. Only has two things to run on the 2.0T anyway.

I'm pretty sure Litens would be the OE for the VW tensioner, so replacement with a Litens is good/fine. @Steviejones133, your belt looks okay to me though I don't know what kind of tension/deflection is considered normal for a VR6.

 

[Steviejones133]

Indeed it does look like a Gates belt, as far as I can tell from the pics I already took - will try and get a better pic tomorrow but certainly not an OEM belt or tensioner…..

 

[Steviejones133]

As luck would have it, turned the engine off after getting home and popped the hood…..bang in prime photographing area 😉 Do these markings fade with age? Could this be considered as fairly new ‘cos I haven’t got the foggiest 😆

 

[MT-V6]

They are normally smooth backed but looks like Gates are different in that respect. The back of the belt does wear a bit as it faces some of the guide pulleys

Sent from my SM-S901B using Tapatalk

 

[Steviejones133]

They are normally smooth backed but looks like Gates are different in that respect. The back of the belt does wear a bit as it faces some of the guide pulleys

Sent from my SM-S901B using Tapatalk

Yeah, I thought that when I looked at how the belt snakes around the various wheels/pulleys. The markings in my belt seem to be pretty fresh from what I know which is very little. Would these manufacturers markings still be as prominent on an old belt?

 

[zsdom]

I'm pretty sure my belt is textured like yours, yours looks ok, I'd move on & look at something else to work on your car

 

[Steviejones133]

I'm pretty sure my belt is textured like yours, yours looks ok, I'd move on & look at something else to work on your car

Thats fair comment, I was only trying to gauge if it was a job I needed to do or not……

 

[TT'sRevenge]

I'm pretty sure my belt is textured like yours, yours looks ok, I'd move on & look at something else to work on your car

Lulz. Well at least it's better to have nothing wrong and be "looking for problems" than to have a car where you're "plugging holes in a boat" trying to get it working right