Fan belt change

Beerbaron

Beerbaron

Beerbaron

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My car (A3 x reg) in the last few weeks has begun to make a squealing noise for a few seconds when it starts. I believe it to be the fan belt slipping as recently needed a new temp sensor due to lack of in car heat and the rad fan constantly spinning. This is just a guess on my part as my knowledge of cars isnt that great.

I have already spent £500 on servicing and other replacement parts in the last 4 weeks and was wondering what this is likely to cost me. My local garage normally charges about £50 an hour but being closed on a Sunday i cant call them for a quote. How much roughly should a fan belt cost to replace as I dont really know what is involved in changing it.



Thanks.
 
Are you sure your A3 has a fanbelt? I would have thought the fan on the A3 would be electric.

Perhaps it is your aux belt?
 
They're very easy to change. Get some vice-grips on the tensioner and pull it right back, slot a pin through the holes to hold it back. Swap the belt over, hold the tensioner, pull the pin out. JD.

A garage shouldn't charge much more than £35 for that including parts.
 
Of course it is all dependant on the car, but in general it shouldn't be much at all. No more than £10-£20 for the part itself and a maximum of maybe half an hour labour.

[TW]Fox;18402973 said:
Are you sure your A3 has a fanbelt? I would have thought the fan on the A3 would be electric.

Perhaps it is your aux belt?
Click to expand...

His cooling fan(s) will be electric, but the Auxiliary/Serpentine belt is still commonly refereed to as the 'fanbelt' :).
 
Also, I forget to add, they often have slip pulleys on the alternator on these, if they seize up it can cause belt noise. The only way to tell if to get the belt off and spin the pulley each way sharply by hand, you should feel the pully slip when you try and turn it anti-clockwise.
 
Pretty much no such thing as a "fan belt" anymore. He means the aux drive belt. I would get it changed, not worth risking it going wrong since it runs a lot of pumps (I was in the same position as you, have just spent a fortune on servicing the car) - I know on my car it runs the power steering pump and various engine cooling pumps. Changed mine and it cost £100 - I have two, one was £60 and the other was £40. Of course, I assumed the mechanic was giving me a range of prices and I replied "I'll have the cheapest" - making myself look pretty stupid (since I know it has two anyway).
 
[TW]Fox;18402973 said:
Are you sure your A3 has a fanbelt? I would have thought the fan on the A3 would be electric.

Perhaps it is your aux belt?
Click to expand...

I think it maybe electric :o

If its going to be less than £100 then i'll probably just take it to the garage.


The noise only appears when i first start the car when its cold and its slowly starting to get worse so needs sorting.


Thanks for the replies.
 
UPDATE:

The squeal doesnt start for around 1 min and continues for around 1 min. The noise appears to come from just right of the yellow dipstick. Is this a water pump? The part in question vibrates and shakes quite a lot and the noise changes pitch when holding it/squeezing pipes.

The rad fan also starts when the squeal noise does. Im sure the fan shouldnt start when the car has just been switched on and is idle.

Any ideas?

It will need to go back to the garage :(

imag0178l.jpg
 
Thanks. Im still trying to confirm what this is. It appeared to not have any water in the pipes connected to it when squeezing them. The car doesnt have air con either. It may have something to do with the cooling and the rad fan kicking in.
 
Sounds like the alternator bearing that is squealing to me but then i can't actually hear it, You know what i mean. :p
 
Ive had the SAI pump disabled so no noise now.

Had a new radiator as leaking and a new thermostat as the old one completely fell to bits. Apparently the old one looks like it was broken on purpose as the valve doesnt open and close to allow water in. I need to have it broken again to allow water in constantly so it doesnt over heat....or i can take it to Audi to look at the ecu...that aint going to happen for a 10 year old car :D I have had to car 5 years without knowing the thermostat was broke :eek:

Looks like im driving it until it dies and then i can buy a new one.
 
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