[s-cars] t-belt and things

[David Giannandrea]

--- The bad timing belt service story ---

I took the car to the shop that had maintained it for the original owner. I
bought the S4 with 90K on it, got all service records from the owner and
expected continued good service.

What I got was what you would expect from an Audi Terrorist:
	Low coolant when delivered (light on!)
	Slot cut in fan shroud for wrench access
	Mangled crankshaft seal flange ($400 oil pump!)
	Ruined new seal in installation (leaked 1 qt/ 1Kmi)
	Unbuttoned under panel (which blew off and self destructed)
	Under panel rear brace about to fall off (loosen bolts??!)
	Disconnected A/C Fan relay (said they never disconnected it)
	Missing radiator guide vanes (said they never existed!)
	Stripped/missing bolts on cross member above headlights
	Radiator hold-down bolts missing
	Broken then glued plastic belt cover at Hyd pump pulley
	Broke crankshaft pulley (They: it came out that way)
	                        (Me: no timing error codes thrown,
					     Please explain.)

I called AoA for help, they were useless. Sued in small claims and won 75%
of my claim...and I claimed EVERYTHING right down to the missing 1/4 turn
fasteners and their washers.

And that's the story of Michael VW/Audi/Porsche of Fresno, CA.

I think they've gotten better since because their reputation was shit. My
cousin worked for them on their GM side and quit because of their customer
service attitude. That bad.

That was about 5 years ago. I'm doing my own t-belts now.


---- why t-belt pulleys fail -----

But responses about why a t-belt pulley fails seem to indicate that it
doesn't fail in 'normal' service: 
	1) It breaks on removal/installation
	2) It breaks because the crankshaft pulley/bolt lets it.

----------- that's all folks ------

David G.