[MT-V6]

Would these manufacturers markings still be as prominent on an old belt?

My original Audi one with 90k miles was still pretty legible so it doesn't fade off that much really

 

[1wheel_drive]

I've just managed to change out the serpentine belt. Thank you for the clear instructions and links to helpful videos.

To make it easier - I did take off the wheel and wheel liner. This made it easy to access the pulleys on the side of the engine and verify that the belt sits correctly.

I used my iPhone with flash on to take pictures in hard to reach areas and this was tremendously helpful.

In doing the service, I did not change the pulleys/tensioners. I did take a video. Perhaps one of you guys can confirm if they look worn to you. Based on one of the Youtube videos Swiss referenced, the pulleys should not spin so freely. Please check this video: PULLEYS at 95K MILES

 

[83kY]

The pulleys should be almost stiff to turn, if they turn freely for several seconds and make noise while rolling.. Time to change. The V-belts on these ain't the weakest spot but once there is something. I would replace everything including the water pump just for the peace of mind. It is quite easy to do at the same time if the belt and pulleys are coming off. Just need to lift the engine (undoing the right hand mount is necessary) a bit to clear the frame rail.

I did mine around 250k kilometers, all of them as the tensioner roller was noisy. The gates micro-v kit was still available back then so I used that (came with Litens tensioner and pulleys). The pulleys were shot, that is for sure. Water pump was ok but like said, an easy swap while at there. Only hassle was to drain the coolant (so I actually used the same drain to swap the thermostat but touching that can be a can of worms if the 'crack-pipe' moves and breaks seal/breaks itself).

 

[SwissJetPilot]

@ 1wheel_drive - I did mine this past fall at 150,000km (93k miles), and replaced the tensioner, tensioner bolt, both pulleys and the belt. There were a few tiny cracks in the belt, but since it was the original factory belt, it's one of those maintenance issues that's just as much about time as mileage. The Gates YouTube video recommends replacing everything at one go, since they consider everything a set and they all wear equally. IMHO it make sense, otherwise you just end up going the same job twice.

 

[MT-V6]

The idlers shouldn't be that stiff, they are bearings after all. It they won't freely spin for long. As long as they feel smooth and they don't have any free play they are probably ok, but they are also cheap so I replaced them for peace of mind

The tensioner is good practice to replace since aside from the bearing, the tension it gives might not be to spec - difficult to say or judge

That's an interesting belt pattern there, what brand is it?

 

[zsdom]

I would change the tensioner as a minimum, mine failed, shredded the belt & resulted in recovery home for the sake of not much money & time it’s 100% worth swapping

old failed one

Old & new

 

[1wheel_drive]

@MT-V6: The belt is a Continental one. They started making them with this sort of pattern a few years back.

What about the largest wheel in my video (is it the water pump). It seemed a bit wobbly. Should I let that be for now?

 

[FNChaos]

What about the largest wheel in my video (is it the water pump). It seemed a bit wobbly. Should I let that be for now?

That is your air conditioner compressor pully.
SJP provided the following earlier in the thread:

 

[MT-V6]

My belt seems to "chirp" when pulling away now, not sure why yet

It is louder when the AC is on (more load on the belt), and only seems to do it when in Drive, and not Neutral - this part confuses me? Why would general engine load affect this?

I think I'm probably going to get a new belt, and while I have the current one off, give the pulleys an inspection for play or rough bearings. The idler and tensioner were new, so I'll also check the AC compressor, water pump, alternator and crank

Any other ideas?

 

[SwissJetPilot]

Both Gates and Dayco point to misalignment, so your plan of action sounds about right -

Misalignment: A chirping belt typically indicates an alignment problem between one or more components in the drive . Components that are out of alignment by as little as one degree can create belt chirp as the belt ribs slide down one side of the pulley grooves.

The chirp makes a series of sharp, intermittent, “rhythmic” sounds. As the belt speed increases, the pitch and volume stay constant, hence why you hear a continued belt chirp when accelerating.

Six Reasons for the Chirp

• Pulley misalignment, the #1 cause of noise
• Improper installation
• Worn belt ribs
• Worn pulley bearings, which cause wobble or excessive free-rock
• Contamination from oil, power steering fluid, antifreeze or belt dressing
• A low quality belt was installed

Solutions for the Misalignment Chirp

• Check alignment of all pulleys, either with a straight edge or a laser alignment tool.
• Ensure all accessory pulleys and brackets are tightened snug to their mounting surfaces.
• Inspect and replace all accessories and pulleys that are difficult to rotate due to rough or seized bearings, or show excessive wobble or free-rock. Keep in mind that power steering pulleys and worn harmonic balancers can also cause misalignment.

 

[zsdom]

Mine did this before the tensioner decided it didnt want to tension any more

Before

After

 

[MT-V6]

Might is specifically when pulling away, rather than rhythmic like that, but I'll check the tensioner anyway to be sure

I think I might be able to take it off this weekend. I won't have a replacement but I do still have my old original one, don't know why!, so if all the pulleys seem ok, I might refit it to see if it still happens

 

[SwissJetPilot]

Here's the parts list from my receipt. All of these are original Audi parts purchased over the counter. Prices are in Euros.

Here's the information printed on the belt -

Audi Part Number: 022 145 933 AP

Mitsuboshi Part Number: 6PK1610

Based on the logo this belt is manufactured for Audi by Mitsuboshi from Japan (Mitsuboshi Belting Ltd.). While I'm disappointed it's not made in Europe (Continental) at least it's not Chinese!

I looked through their website and can't find any information on the date code or the Type (PK) code so that remains a mystery for now.

 

[MT-V6]

Thanks. My original belt ends AG and is a 6PK1610, so 1610mm long

My current one is a Dayco 6PK1613, so 1613mm long. All the aftermarket parts catalogues suggest 1613mm for some reason

I am wondering if the revised AP part has increased in length also?

 

[zsdom]

I guess the extra 3mm is short enough to keep tight but long enough to reduce some tension off the system, I have a 1613 belt & it's been fine for nearly 2 years

 

[SwissJetPilot]

My question now is how to determine the date of manufacture. I'm sure when we buy them, they're not fresh out of the factory and have all been sitting on the shelves for a while...but for how long...?

 

[MT-V6]

Sometimes genuine parts have the manufactured date on the sticker, and definitely an expiry date if it applies which I assume a belt would have

My original Audi and replacement Dayco don't have any dates on them

I have the belt off and there doesn't appear to be excessive play in any of the pulleys, and they all rotate freely

The idler pulleys are smooth and continue spinning a little, no noise

The alternator is very smooth and has a weighty feel, as I'd expect really

The AC compressor doesn't really freely spin, but when turned it's smooth. It makes a little noise, hard to explain as it doesn't grind. Not really sure how it should feel

Water pump is very smooth, slightly weighty, very quiet

Tensioner much the same as the idlers. Has a lot of spring to it so I don't think it's at fault

Crank pulley obviously doesn't rotate freely, but has no play. The rubber damper doesn't appear perished

As far as alignment goes, I don't see how you could adjust them. I assume they only way they would go out of line would be through excessive bearing wear?

I'm going to clean them all and refit the old belt to see if the problem still exists

 

[MT-V6]

I cleaned up the pullys, not that they were dirty really, and refitted the old bolt. This is temporary and I will get hold of a new 6PK1610 one

If seems the noise has stopped. I will see how it goes over the new few drives

However, as I mentioned, the AC compressor wasn't "silent" when turned by hand like the water pump and alternator were

It is a bit noisy too. This is the best I can get, but I am assuming it should be quieter than this? Didn't seem to make a difference whether the AC was on or off, so I am suspecting it is the clutch mechanism of the compressor at fault?

 

[CMO7R4S]

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread but I kindly need assistance with all the items required for this as having my local mechanic to do the job.

Please can someone kindly put a purchase link for each of the items?

 

[SwissJetPilot]

@ CMO7R4S -

All the parts for the 3.2 VR6 engine are listed in the beginning of this post.

To help us give you the best advice about any problems with your TT, please be so kind and provide the following information. This way everyone can see how your car is set up and more accurately discuss the specifics of your vehicle.

• Year:​

• Engine: 1.8 TFSI, 2.0 TFSI, 2.0 TDI, 2.5 TFSI, 3.2 VR6​

• Engine Code*: CDAA, EA888, EA113, CEPA, BUB​

• Gear Box: DSG or Manual​

• Drive Train: FWD or Quattro​

• Model: Coupe or Roadster​

* Your engine code is really important since there are two very different 2.0 TFSI engines available. The code can be found on the VIN tag either in the boot/trunk or inside the front cover of the Owners Manual or Service Booklet.