I've reassured myself that she's got quite a few miles left in her (she's got 110k right now).

I had done a piss poor TB job back at 83k when I got her used. All that job accounted for was a new belt and water pump. After lessons learned I went back in with the proper tools and parts.

Anyone reading that's contemplating a DIY timing belt job take the advice of the experienced folks here and get yourself the lock bar and crank locking pin. It will save yourself a ton of grief, PARTICULARLY when you're using a puller on one of the cam pulleys to change a leaking cam seal and the cam spins a little just as the puller pops the pulley. The use of the pin and lock bar are the only SURE FIRE way to get timing perfect. It also makes it very easy to put the new belt on.

On another note, the cam adjuster seals are a PITA on the passenger side. IMO anyone doing those with the 3366 tool should also consider just doing the temperature sensor in back there as well and therefore go ahead and remove the entire intake tube running to the throttle body to get more space back there.

98 A6 2.8 Quattro
Honolulu, Hawaii