One of the catch-22s of the 1990 Audi V8 Quattro I recently bought is that it's an interference engine. I say it's a catch-22 because it basically means I have to put a bunch of money into a car that I can't really drive until the job is done.
Scenario 1: you drive the car for a week, see if you like it. Day 7, timing belt snaps, engine is trashed. Now, you have a legit obscure paperweight no one wants. Scrap. Scenario 2: change timing belt and related components, spend a few thousand dollars, drive car home, realize you hate it. OK, that's no fun, but at least you can sell it as a running car with some smart maintenance done.
So, I had German Motors embark on replacing the belt, rollers, and tensioners on the DOHC 3.6 V8. The kit also includes the water pump and crankshaft seals, and I also grabbed a new serpentine belt and thermostat.
This is not a simple job, which is why I trust all my project work to German Motors. And there's the complexity of performing a timing belt job on a dual overhead cam engine. Don't ask me to explain; it's just the way it is. There are no workarounds on a job like this.
Well, the belt job is complete. The car is drivable. But we're not done yet: punch list includes changing the transmission fluid; replacing the oxygen sensor; replacing the engine mounts; and converting the A/C to R134 (even though it still blows cold on R12!)