v6 passat t-belt job *with pixxxx

[veedubmechanic]

Note: I am not responsible for any wrong doing on your car if you do not use the specified vw special tools. This is just a picture guide for those do-it yourselfers at home that want to save some denero =)
So I didn't find anything on google on a v6 t-belt,pump,thermostat job with actual pictures of the process. People (on google search) just had pictures of the car before, after front end removal, and belt routing. It is un-necessary to remove the front end for any reason unless you have ape sized arms. I bought my t-belt kit from www.FCPgroton.com for $215. Came with t-belt, hyd tensioner, 2 rollers, water pump, updated 87deg t-stat and seal, and serp belt. You will need about 1.5gal of 50-50 coolant and a can or 2 of brake cleaner from the parts store.
Approx time to replace everything with phone brakes, lunch break, beer brake : 4.5hrs, less time if you wife and friends don't call or text you 3245325 times
Tools:
32mm wrench
viscous fan pin wrench
3/8" ratchet
1/4" ratchet
1/2" breaker bar
5mm allen socket
6mm allen socket
6mm allen mid length
8mm allen wrench
12m allen socket (serp belt tensioner bolt)
10mm socket 3/8"
17mm socket 1/2"
16mm socket 1/2"
16mm wrench
cam lock bar
crank lock pin
cam gear puller
mirror
shoplight
prybar
10mm swivel 1/4" socket
12" long 1/4" extension
15/16 12pt socket (for crank)
phillips screwdriver
coolant drain pan
jack or ramps
beer of your choice
1: Start by draining the coolant from the red plug on the radiator behind the driver lower grille. Take off the radiator cap and Loosen the plug and drain the coolant.

2: Remove the engine covers and airbox cover

3: Loosen the PS pump pulley bolts but don't take them out. Using the special viscous fan pin pliers and 32mm wrench loosen the viscous fan. NOTE: to loosen the fan turn 32mm wrench clockwise, to tighten turn it counterclockwise.

4: Remove the serp belt (1/2" breaker bar and 17mm socket)
5: Remove ps pump pulley
6: Remove belt covers

7: Remove viscous fan bracket, note the 2 hidden bolts behind the pulley. The upper one is a 5mm and the lower one is a 6mm. 4 total bolts here

8: Using the 15/16 12pt socket turn the crank over to tdc and see if the cam lock bar fits in both sides. If it does not go in the crank is 360 off. After the car is at tdc, jack up the driver side of the car and reach look up and remove the plug for the crank lock pin. Its a 10mm. After removing thread in the lock pin all the way.


9: Remove the crank pully bolts ( they are 6mm and 8 of them)

10: Remove the crank pulley. If its stuck on ( yea they all do) spray a little rust penetrant on the inside and use a pry bar to gently pry back and forth untill it gets loose. Afterwards remove the lower belt cover (2 10mm bolts)


11: Now remove the little philips screw for the electric fan. Break off the little tab here and turn the fan assembly clockwise and pull it out.


12: Suprisingly at this point my belt was soo loose I just pulled it off (95k miles)

But the proper way is to loosen the cam pulley bolt on the passenger side, remove the cam lock bar, and use the puller to pop the cam gear off.


13: Remove the tensioner bolts (3 10mm) the toller tensioner, and roller (16mm)
14: Remove the water pump bolts and water pump. Clean off old gasket.

15: Remove the thermostat mounting bolts 2 here-

and the other one here-

Just pull out the flange aseembly and remove the thermostat (i had to pry mine out it was stuck in there)

16: Install new thermostat and lube the o-ring and tighten the flange bolts down.
17: Install the water pump and tighten bolts down
18: Clean off coolant with brake cleaner and let dry. Top off coolant. When it stops going down use the long allen to loosen the bleeder screw and top off coolant when untill it has coolant coming out of the bleeder.

19: Route timing belt arround the crank, the 2 new rollers, then the passenger cam pulley, then the water pump. Now put the belt arround the other cam pulley and pull it onto the camshaft. (make sure the cam pulley is on correctly, it only goes on one way, the center is tapered) Then take the bolt and tighten it so the pulley goes on flush then remove the bolt and take a small hammer and tap it on 1/4" and put the plate on the end of the cam with the big flat inside part and the big hole on the inside. tap it on flush and then put the bolt in all the way but dont tighten yet.
20. Re-install the cam lock bar and make sure the cams line up. (the driver side one should not have moved it should be straight and not move but the driver side might have moved up or down a little its ok)
21: After the cam lock bar is in place tighten the cam bolt to 55nm.
22: Remove the bar remove the crank lock pin from under the car and re-install the plug. Note: make sure the plug is in all the way and flush with the engine before tightening the bolt. DO NOT use the bolt to pull the plug in, its plastic, it will break.
23: Remove the hydraulic tensioner holding pin and wait 1min. Turn the crank over by hand clockwise 2 full revolutions. If it gets stuck after the first turn down it means the timing is off and reverse the crank back to tdc and redo the timing with the cams with the belt off.
24. Re-install everything and recheck the coolant level.
25: Start it up and check for leaks.

If all goes well sit back and

[Janasty]

Do you always do these without the front end in service position? Just curious. There are several things I do differently (I won't list them because it tends to confuse people when they are relying on a DIY to get the job done). Nice write-up though. If anyone is looking for a 2.7T T-Belt DIY the process is pretty much the same once the front charge pipes are removed along with the timing covers (5mm allens instead of clips).Power steering pump must be loosened to access the upper waterpump bolt (10mm bolt) as well on the 2.7t.

[Janasty]

Edit: Just realized you already covered the service position comment. I'm very insecure about my ape arms.

[veedubmechanic]

I thought the 2.7 was the same block as the 2.8...? The belt procedure is the same though for 2.7 once the charge pipe is off and the covers are off lol (same tools also)

[Janasty]

I thought the 2.7 was the same block as the 2.8...? The belt procedure is the same though for 2.7 once the charge pipe is off and the covers are off lol (same tools also)

You're 99% correct - The 2.8 is running a 10.3:1 CR while the 2.7T is running 9.3:1 CR. 2.7T uses 4 bolt mains opposed to the 2.8's 2 bolt. When it comes down to it, they both shared the same mold.

[Alistair]

wow great info and great post.

[Ya_yooBetcha]

Thanks for the write up. Just did this myself and used the pictures for reference. I must have ape arms though. Don't think I could do this with out pulling the bumper forward.

[thenar]

Damn. I just did a t-belt on my uncles 2.8 A6. I removed the whole front end, adding another hour or two to the procedure. I feel like there wasn't enough room to do it without removing the front though. Good job!

[jungle]

this post makes me like my 1.8t a bunch more! Thanks for the write up! Archived for personal reasons....

[veedubmechanic]

on the 1.8t you have to pull the core support foward, not enough room to get wrench in to loosen crank pulley bolts

[k-wood]

anyone done this on the 2.0t? (mine's a b6 passat)
what are the key differences in the procedure?

[veedubmechanic]

totally different bro... totally different....

[TurboMeTroy]

My A6 Wagon needs a timing belt replacement and I dont have the time to do it...anyone game?? Wife needs to cart the kiddos around asap! Thank you