A6 4.2 camb belts or chains ?

[tuxman]

following my recent post about selling my A6 4.2 it has come to my attension that any new buyer would have to fork out for a new set of camb belts and this could be the reason why i have not sold it,so today i contacted my Audi dealer who has serviced the car and supplied it to me 3 years ago they have told me today that the car has chains to drive the cam not a camb belt :yikes: ok so now i am very confused does it have belts or a chain ? surely the dealer must know !! simon

[yertis]

tuxman said:

surely the dealer must know !! simon

You'll be new to Audi dealerships then.

Checkout the RS6 thread - the RS6 definately has cambelts and I'd guess that all 4.2 V8s do. I expect its cam belts for the timing, and chains to connect the cams. This is how it is on most Audi engines.

I'd be pleased to learn otherwise.

[tuxman]

oh crap don,t exactly fill me with confidence will try a differant dealer tomorrow to see if they come up with anything new ,have had a look in service book there does not seem to be anything in there about camb belts .starting to give me a

[door]

Brighty has just had his done. email him through his link. I think you should get the water pump changed at the same time.

[gmarks1]

Yes - just had mine done - definitely cambelt - there are also a number of guides, tensioners and the water-pump which should be changed at the same time.

[tuxman]

what is the recommended milage for a change audi dealer still does not know still saying it has chains !!! simon

[fortjefferson]

The 40 valve 4.2 V8 in the "S4" has cam chains on the back of the engine without a doubt. I could even send you a picture of mine if you doubt it. But this may be different from the V8 in the A6 because it was redesigned so it was small enough to fit. John

[tuxman]

boston Audi finaly confirmed today that my a6 4.2 does have a camb belt and does need changing at 80000 miles good job milage is only 57000 so don,t have to worry about it ,perhaps Audi dealers should use pistonheads for its information simon

[SJobson]

There are chains between the camshafts in each head, if that's the source of confusion.

Worth getting the tensioner thoroughly checked too (mine has just been looked at for a completely separate reason - found to lose hydraulic pressure and be so loose on start up that it's surprising the belt hasn't jumped a tooth), and get the water pump replaced too, since it is driven by the cambelt and if it fails it will also cause the belt to jump.