Cambelt / Timing belt interval for vRS TDI CR

[Stevoraith]

Just for a bit of info really, for anyone who may be searching for an answer in the future.

 

I have a 2011 Octavia vRS TDI CR which is coming up for 4 years old but only on 38k miles. 

I thought it may be due a belt change at 4 years but unable to find a definitive answer for the time interval between cambelt changes, I contacted Skoda Customer services.

 

The very nice man there informed me that in September 2010 Skoda changed the design of the belt fitted to these engines and were therefore able to extend the recommended interval from 4 years to 5 years.

 

So build date before sept 2010 = 4 year interval.  Build date September 2010 or later = 5 year interval.

 

I'm not sure if this applies to any other engines (it probably does) but it certainly applies to the 170bhp 2.0 TDI CR as used in the MkII Octavia vRS.

 

As it was not applicable to me I did not ask about the milage interval but I think most people change their belts on time rather than distance so hopefully this is some help to someone

 

[Stuart-h]

going off track what about the 2 liter tdi engines? Does any one know when it should be changed? mine was changed at the end of 2012 at the 100,000 mile service.

[M11UKR]

New Continental cambelt needs to be replaced on 120.000 or 4 years interval by skoda manual. I replace on 140k all kit was like new

[JeremyAndrews]

Skoda said 98,000 on mine. Plus cars 7 years old.

[Tinbum]

I was told by Skoda last week that my 2011 140 CR 2.0 Tdi was  140,000 miles or 5 years. That was them looking it up with my Reg. number. Being ex Kent police I have a full service history  but I'm not quite sure what their service codes mean!

Edited 19 March, 2015 by Tinbum

[Stevoraith]

New Continental cambelt needs to be replaced on 120.000 or 4 years interval by skoda manual. I replace on 140k all kit was like new

 

Can you define what 'new' means above?  What age of car?  And on what engine?

What Skoda manual do you refer to?

 

This is the problem I find with this issue, there are so many different sources of information.

 

As I said above, giving my reg no to Skoda I was advised that as my car was built after september 2010, it was a 5 year interval.

[silver1011]

going off track what about the 2 liter tdi engines? Does any one know when it should be changed? mine was changed at the end of 2012 at the 100,000 mile service.

 

The extended interval includes the 2 litre diesel engine.

[silver1011]

New Continental cambelt needs to be replaced on 120.000 or 4 years interval by skoda manual. I replace on 140k all kit was like new

 

The manual is printed at a point in time. Things change, including service intervals. There is a disclaimer included in the manual.

[silver1011]

Skoda said 98,000 on mine. Plus cars 7 years old.

 

There are two qualification criteria for the cambelt change, age (time) and distance (mileage). The mileage varies by engine type, country and model year.

 

As mentioned by the OP (and quite a few other cambelt related threads) Skoda UK have recently extended the age (time) interval on all of their cambelts from 4 years to 5.

[Stevoraith]

 

As mentioned by the OP (and quite a few other cambelt related threads) Skoda UK have recently extended the age (time) interval on all of their cambelts from 4 years to 5.

Sorry if this was 'yet another' thread about the same thing. 

I'm not on here all that often these days and upon a quick search I found it difficult to find a definitive answer so I thought I'd stick up an unambiguous statement so that people who are searching in the future can get an answer without having to trawl through a million replies stating different things.

[silver1011]

That wasn't a pop at you Steve, the more evidence to support the move the better.

 

It's just there is so much opinion bounced around on cambelt intervals that things can get a little heated, I just wanted to support your feedback by demonstrating it has been documented before.

[Stevoraith]

 That's the way I read it to be honest, but I know it can be a little tedious when the same topics come up again and again!

 

As you say, the more evidence the better.

 

And if people don't have to read through 14 pages of

"My car have 165,000,000km and be 94 year- CAMBELT NO SNAP YET!"

"But my dealer said you have to change it if it snows in winter"

then all the better!

[wd20]

Thanks for that. Best get it changed asap. I'm surprised my Skoda garage did not flag this up at the last service.Also they recommend water pump change too !

[abaxas]

Probably 5-6 years 60-75k miles.

Why not send an email to skoda UK, I'm sure they'll be happy to tell you.

 

[abaxas]

One thing to add. Many car's servicing regime changes once the manufacture has data on actual use. What might be right today, might be wrong tomorrow.