Cambelt change at 111K? That can't be right......

[LordRaiden84]

Forgive me if this sounds ridiculous but according to my car info (VRS 170 CR) the cambelt should be changed at said mileage. She's just under 68K and I've had ownership for just over 12 months.

Can someone please confirm if my model, as it's a 2011 plate fits into the category of cambelt renewal at the 6 year mark as opposed to 5.

Car registered Dec 2011 so by rights, is due this dec as I'm nowhere near gunna get to 111K.

Incidentally, as per title, reason I stated 'that can't be right' is would anyone actually get to that sort of mileage? Sounds very high to me. How far have you derv's gone before biting the bullet?

I should be safe under 70K you think? Car's not been battered by me but the last 58K when I picked her up who bloody knows.

What would you do?

[KenONeill]

Cambelt change interval is usually stated as "Mileage or Age, whichever comes first"!!

[roaddetective]

Cambelts deteriorate with mileage or age, so the best and safest thing to do is get it changed. You don't want a snapped belt and a blown engine. 

[langers2k]

As Ken says, it's whichever comes first so if it hits the time limit then it'll need doing regardless of mileage.

 

Mine 140CR is a few months older so I'll be in a similar position later this year. I looked at the service manual yesterday I could find no reference to an age limit for the cambelt, only that it should be done at 210,000km (if I remember correctly) for my engine code. The vRS might be slightly earlier at 180,000km but please double check.

 

If you ask a dealer I expect they will tell you it's every 5 years. Might be worth contacting Skoda UK or even Skoda if you want a real answer

[Guest]

After reading various threads on here about what the age limit was on the cambelt change, SUK confirmed the following;

Vehicle registered prior to September 2010 4 years.

Vehicles registered after September 2010 5 years.

Don't even start me on the 'When Is The Haldex Oil Change Interval?'!!

[LordRaiden84]

Cheers for the replies gents and thanks Fin69 for that confirmation there regards age limit. Seems my car is infact due in December even though I got the intervals wrong

 

Next step (in time of course) is to find somewhere that will do the cambelt & water pump for a good price. Thanks again.

[mark antony]

I wonder how many miles some have waited before changing the cab belt? I finally bowed to the thought of it going and did it at 145k. Can't say I it was checked it under lab conditions, but I bent it every which way and it showed no sign of wear.

[simonsheil]

Remember of course it's only the "special" UK belts that have an age limit.

[mark antony]

The whole job was done, tensioners, water pump et al. Certainly wouldn't recommend it to others, but my judgement was coloured by way back in the 80's, leaving it to 160+k before changing the belt on a Sirocco

[Jevpls]

I wonder how many miles some have waited before changing the cab belt? I finally bowed to the thought of it going and did it at 145k. Can't say I it was checked it under lab conditions, but I bent it every which way and it showed no sign of wear.

 

After my cambelt change I asked the garage guy how good/bad was the belt. He said that he can't say much about these belts (unless they are in really poor condition). If the other belts (for example alternator belt) seem to get older and worse then this one doesn't. It looks fine until one day it's dead.

[mikey vrs]

The belt on my 2008 petrol vrs was replaced at 4 years old & around 40,000 miles if i remember correctly,i asked for the old bits so i could inspect them,the belt looked fine with no visible signs of wear at all,however the water pump showed signs of coolant staining from the bearing area & one of the tensioners was slightly noisy when spun. 

[0ctavist]

New HNBR technology of Conti belts goes up to a engine lifetime of 300000kms or 15 years.