timing belt question

[Michael L. Riebs]

>  I'm at 223k and would like to know if maybe I can get
> to about 250k another 30k without doing the belt and
> related stuff I'ts

Actually, I can tell you that I do indeed have a crystal ball, and in your
case, the timing belt is going to last more than twice the recommended
mileage interval. Don't bother changing it every 60K miles, as the
manufacturer recommends.

Yours was a Conti belt, and because of that sneaky ingeniousity, you are
fine to go more than 100K miles between change. Even the water pump, which
has already been on the car foe 133K miles will last another70K - 80K miles.
You will have absolutely no problems whatsoever. Your Audi is a special
build, which requires much less maintenance than all other Audis.

To *all other* Audi owners: Your cars need to have the timing belt changed
every 60K miles to be safe. It may not be too old in years, but is has
turned around the pullies, water pump, tensioner, etc., for many, many
miles, and is simply worn out. Ron is the only Audi owner who can get away
with changing every 7 years regardless of mileage. He has a special
"frictionless" bearing in the water pump, which never wears out!

> only been about 3 1/2 years
>  some listers saied the belt should last around 7
> years

I hope you find a little bit of humor in this post - it was meant to have
some....   :-)

Michael Riebs
Grand Rapids, MI
'90 V8Q
'98 A6QA