I have a 2001 A4 Avant 1.8T. At 80000 miles, I had the timing belt replaced,
along with the timing belt tensioner (as recommended by the service
technician at the dealership).

I know that at least in the past it was standard practice on some cars where
the timing belt drives the water pump (many makes, Honda and various
Chrysler models come to mind) to replace the water pump along with the
timing belt.

The service technician says replace the pump only if it is leaking. While I
would certainly do that, my greater concern is that the pump shaft might
seize and break the timing belt, trashing the engine.

Any experience or advice on this. The timing belt will be due for
replacement again in about 2 years. Should I replace the water pump at that
time?

Don Borowski

On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 18:50:46 -0700, "Don Borowski" <donb (AT) runway (DOT) net> wrote:

Of course. By the time you've carved your way to the timing belt and tensioner
you might as well change the pump and not have to worry about it 'til the next
belt change - when you'd change the pump again...

/daytripper
'00 s4 6spd, there's usually a good reason why this is "standard practice" ;-)

As long as you change it with a NEW OEM pump. If you put in a rebuilt,
you might have a failure sooner than it you left the original one in there.

daytripper wrote:

Unless there is some sort of magic in Audi water pumps that make them go
160K miles, you would be better off changing it out as a preventive
maintenance item. As one poster noted: this is pretty much trivial to do
once you open up the front of the engine to replace the timing belt.
Conversely, if the pump should fail between timing belt changes, it's also
trivial to put in a new belt.

Labor is a big price factor in changing these things out.

Ken

"Don Borowski" <donb (AT) runway (DOT) net> wrote