Jonathon1

I had a Ecoboost engine in a Ford Focus. Everyone told me it wouldn’t last more than 10000 km without the wet belt clogging and destroying the engine. Having spent a small fortune on replacing it at 75000 km I was amazed at how many were still running well after 200000 km without no intervention re cambelt. Although still glad I replaced it for peace of mind,

I have always thought a good way of checking is to look through second hand ads and put in the filter from 150000 and then look at the history!

I am returning to Skoda having left the group several years ago when VAG ruined my lovely 2012 Yeti TDI by stuffing it with software to cover up their crooked emissions scandal. (Before the software update I had 4 years of trouble free motoring) Another story! I then changed to a Ford Ecoboost which is now virtually worthless due the wet belt scandal. I am therefore anxious to make the right decision this time. I live in rural France and my nearest shop is 10 km away. I travel around 10000 km per year and most is on windy A & B roads and no more than 10 % autoroutes, mainly on holiday . There are lots of TDI’s around at reasonable prices and diesel is still a lot cheaper here than in the UK. The burning question is, will I be better off with a TSI or would a TDI still be a viable option? Any advice, comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

Well that sounds 100% conclusive. That also answers my other question. It’s only the 1 litre tsi which has 3 cylinders, the others have 4. Obviously I’ve been looking at too many websites with misleading info. Many thanks xman for the research and manual. Brilliant!

Timing belt in oil systems, also known as wet belt systems, have been around for over 15 years. Vehicle manufacturers such as Ford, PSA, and Volkswagen use them. Wet belts are fully encased within the engine, whereas ‘dry’ systems are positioned outside of the engine crankcase. Wet belt systems were introduced to reduce the weight of components, reduce the engine size, maximise efficiency and meet emissions targets. How can a wet belt system be damaged? Oil impurities such as soot and other oil oxidation breakdown debris can get between the belt teeth and pulleys, weakening the belt. Wear on the outer belt coating exposes the underlying materials directly to the oil, which may contain unburnt or partially combusted fuel that attacks exposed belt materials. The teeth can become detached, creating a smooth section on the belt. This causes the pulley to slip and changes the engine timing. The side wall of the belt being exposed to oil and oil debris can cause delamination of the belt layers. Any failure from the belt that creates belt wear debris can cause problems elsewhere in the engine, due to blocked oil pathways, particularly in the oil pick up strainer. This would trigger a low oil pressure warning.

https://www.millersoils.co.uk/

When I say ‘wet cambelt’ it’s because it runs in oil and it’s located in the engine casing compared to a conventional dry belt which is outside the main casing. There have been reports of the former shedding particles inside the engine and blocking the oil ports.

Hi, Having sold my Yeti I am looking to replace it and like the look of the Karoque Here is where it gets complicated for me. What is then difference between the 1litre TSI and 1.5 TSI engine. Apart from the obvious. I know the 1 litre has a 3 cylinder turbocharged unit with a wet cambelt. Does the 1.5 have the same system or is it a 4 cylinder with conventional cambelt? Thanks for reading.