96 A6 Quattro Drive Belt

[Kent McLean]

S P SHERMAN wrote:
 > I am looking for a definition of Drive belt on these cars.
 >
 > I am starting to look for a replacement to my old 86 Avant 5000CS
 > quattro, and am checking into a an A6 Quattro. The current owner
 > is not a mechanic, and his mechanic mentioned that this car needed
 > a "drive belt" replacement (for about $400). He said it was not a
 > timing belt. Not being familiar with these newer Audis, I can't
 > guess from the description and price what they are talking about.
 > Can someone enlighten me.

The only two belts I'm aware of are the timing belt and the serpentine
belt (that "drives" the power steering pump, AC compressor, and the
alternator).  A $400 serpentine belt would be a rip-off. That belt
is about a $20 part that should take 15-30 minutes (1/2 hr labor, $50)
to swap out.  A $400 the timing belt job sounds cheap. You'd want to
replace the belt, probably the idler and water pump. The kit is $250,
and the labor has to be more than an hour and a half.

The question should be "where do I find a good mechanic," because
I think that one is blowing smoke.

Serpentine belt:
<http://www.blauparts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=GJ16510-B>
Timing belt kit:
<http://www.blauparts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=GH21112-B>
Timing belt labor:
<http://www.audiworld.com/tech/eng39.shtml>

-- 
Kent McLean
1999 A4 Avant, V6 Tiptronic
1990 200 Avant mit V8 conversion
gone: too many to count, including my first, "Bad Puppy"