My Octavia Tdi 1.9 is 4 years old. I may be clinically insane thinking this but I thought it should have a new cambelt.

So down to my nearby very big VW Skoda Audi Seat dealer. Asked Service Recepist for a slot to have a new cambelt. He took my service book and he began to act strangely. He looked around as though checking there was nearby backup while he dealt with an obvious lunatic.

He indicated to follow him and we saw the Service and repair Director---one of the three owners of the firm. Much furrowing of brow and wide stretched eyes. She gets on her computer terminal and the two of them spend ten minutes on research.Numerous books and charts dragged from drawers and heads shaken. Giving me strange looks as they do it. Phone call made. Chief mechanic arrives. He actually spluttered and snorted when told what I wanted.

Outcome. The three of them were incredulous at my request. They said they would never think of a cambelt change under 120,000 kilometers unless the mechanic saw actual damage like teeth hanging off. They said they knew nothing of the four year rule and asked where I had heard such tripe.

They said they would be happy to change the belt if I insisted for a very reasonable 770 euros.!!!:eek:

Please------what is going on here? Anyone any idea.

PS car is in Spain and has done 26000 miles in 4 years. (41000 km) So I'll book it in for a new belt in December 2016. Should be OK.:confused:

IIRC, Chapter and verse from my service manual is that the cambelt should be checked after 60k or 4 miles, and then re-checked every year or 20k miles and only replaced if damaged. Although advice in the UK is now to replace at 4 years / 60k, which is what I did. Maybe the milder climate in Spain helps the belts last longer...??? :confused:

According to the information on the back of one of my service reports it states:

Toothed belt change interval Octavia:

1.9 TDI & 130bhp PD from 08.2003 80,000 miles (120,000 KMs)

Then below this it states to inspect the condition of the toothed belt on diesel engines at service, but it does not state change at four years.

take it somewhere else, I wouldn't trust them, they sound incompetant

According to the information on the back of one of my service reports it states:

Toothed belt change interval Octavia:

1.9 TDI & 130bhp PD from 08.2003 80,000 miles (120,000 KMs)

Then below this it states to inspect the condition of the toothed belt on diesel engines at service, but it does not state change at four years.

Thats why they have stopped using those service sheets now, they are well out of date. Everything is now printed off ELSA which in our online resource so things can be updated. The recomendation is a UK thing for whatever reason as far as I know.

I have been told its 4 years regardless of mileage and the printed manuals are out of date now.

I have been told its 4 years regardless of mileage and the printed manuals are out of date now.

Is that regardless of mileage be it high or low? Or is it 4 years or xxxxx miles?

I 'saw' a Skoda document which was issued July 08 and states that for the Octavia II PD engine the intervals are 4 Years or 74,564 mls.

Octavia I is a little more complicated -

Octavia I TDi excluding PD up to April 2001 4 Years or 37,282 mls (Until cambelt 038 109 119 D has been installed, after which 4 Years or 55,923 mls)

Octavia I TDi excluding PD May 2001 onwards 4 Years or 74,564 mls (Until tensioner 038 109 244 M has been installed, after which 4 Years or 93,206 mls)

Octavia I PD up to July 2003 4 Years or 55,923 mls

Octavia I PD August 2003 onwards 4 Years or 74,564 mls

It does carry a couple of caveats -

Note: This guide represents the maximum change interval for Škoda cambelts and low average annual mileage vehicles should be

assessed on an individual basis. Škoda cambelt replacement intervals are strictly measured in kilometers. The mileage limits above

are based on a conversion factor of 1 kilometer to 0.62137 miles and should not be exceeded.+

Information is for guidance only. For the latest information please refer to ELSA.

And my favourite one -

Cambelts represent a significant profit opportunity. All customer-facing service staff should know the cambelt replacement intervals and the features and benefits of a genuine Škoda repair.

According to the service book for my 2009 1.9 PD its to be replaced at 150000 km (= 95000 miles)

however the main dealer replaced it after 75000 miles - but according to the book the tensioner wasnt changed..

There is no recommendation to change the tensioner or water pump EVER!

However the GOLF 1.9 TDi (same engine) recommends a timing belt every 60,000m and changing the tensioner at the SECOND timing belt change

It is only 4 years in the UK. Doesn't that tell you something?

Don't waste your money on a new belt when it's not needed! I never did mine on my old car and it run just fine. It's a UK money maker.

Maybe so, but it's also a money pit if not changed and it subsequently snaps. Even if not technically needed, there is the peace if mind factor to build in, and also, having the timing belt changed will totally alter how a future buyer of the vehicle looks at how it has been maintained.

Mike

It's not going to snap after 6 years let alone 4. If it does, you'll be very very unlucky.

It might be peace of mind but I don't fancy wasting 3/400 quid on something for peace of mind.

I managed to sell my 07 with 55k on the clock with no Cam Belt change. When they asked, I pointed at the service book which said it's not due yet and they were fine.

My local dealer told me mine on my 58 plate tfsi vrs will be due replacement in sept when it is 4 years old,it will have approx 36k on it by then.It does seem to be a uk thing to change it every 4 years.

It's not going to snap after 6 years let alone 4. If it does, you'll be very very unlucky.

It might be peace of mind but I don't fancy wasting 3/400 quid on something for peace of mind.

I managed to sell my 07 with 55k on the clock with no Cam Belt change. When they asked, I pointed at the service book which said it's not due yet and they were fine.

I don't think that motoring experts would share your view. Whereas in the old days, a camchain used to run in ideal surroundings, a cambelt is relatively exposed, and can suffer from degradation from the elements and contamination - oil, coolant, salt.

I have seen first hand evidence of a snapped cambelt on two occasions, the first was a Ford Escort (luckily the owner rebuilt the cylinder head himself), the second a BMW, and this wrote off the engine.

Most manufacturers have cut the service interval to around 36K to 40K miles and 4 - 5 years. It is a good idea to change the waterpump at the same time.

+1

I've had a cambelt snap on SWMBO's old Renault Megane 1.6 petrol. The interval for this was 40k or 8 years, and it snapped at 34k and just over 7 years old. Considering the damage to the engine wrote the car off I'd sorry it wasn't done as the manufacturer's suggested -- it would have saved us having to fork out for a new car.

Mike

Thats interesting Mike. I have a '97 Alfa GTV in the garage, and Alfa changed their intervals to 36K from 72K a while ago, because of the early failure rate. I know that some engines survive, because they have what is called a "non interference" engine, and the cambelt lets go without taking anything else with it.

As you say, it does focus the mind somewhat, knowing that you could end up with a scrap car just for the sake of a couple of hundred quid every three years.

I replaced the cam belt on my 2006 2.0 TDI BKD last Saturday. The car has done 64,000 miles and has never had a cambelt change, so it was 2 years overdue.

The old belt was in excellent condition, which wasn't a huge surprise as I've seen that (belts that appear good) when i've done cambelts in the past. What did surprise me was to find the 2 rollers and tensioner that I replaced in pristine condition. There was no play in the bearings and they spun freely and smoothly. In fact I had to take care not to mix up the new and old rollers on the garage floor!

I am sure the belt would have made it to the original 80,000 mile interval with ease....and probably well beyond. I did read somewhere that there was an issue with a batch of faulty rollers on early 1.6 petrol skodas which prompted the revision of cambelt intervals.

I'm still glad I replaced it though, as I'm not an advocate of pushing the limits with cambelts.

Just for interest, It cost me £100 for the gates cambelt kit (same as oem) and I spend £20 on a male spline drive set (they are everywhere on VAG cars)......Oh and 4.5 hrs of mine and a friends time!

Edited 3 May, 201214 yr by booke23

On the subject of Cam-belts any recommendations for in/around West London? I've been quoted £400-450 for cambelt+water pump change on my 2008 Octavia Estate 1.9TDI.

Edited 3 May, 201214 yr by mtx512

On the subject of Cam-belts any recommendations for in/around West London? I've been quoted £400-450 for cambelt+water pump change on my 2008 Octavia Estate 1.9TDI.

A pity that you don't live in Kent, because I use an ex VAG mechanic, and he charged me £325.00 for supply and fit cambelt/tensioner/waterpump around a month ago.

Andy

It's a VW group Uk measure only, going back to the early twin belt 16v engines in polo/golf the idler/ tensioners started to let go just outside of warranty. And has stuck ever since.

My preferred local indie garage quoted £299 for a new belt kit (genuine VAG parts) and water pump inclusive of vat.

Lets get some facts on this matter.

The 1.9tdi PD is 80k miles interval. ONLY in the UK is it a 4 year interval. Nowhere else in the world do they have a timed interval afaik.

A friend had his cambelt changed on his 9 year old PD130 Golf last year at 30k miles and the cambelt and was in pristine condition. In fact, it pained the mechanic to change it. I still have the belt somewhere (i had it changed for him as he is away 8 months of the year). The belt is covered and protected from oil, salt and any other contamination such as UV.

If you are abroad and the dealer have said not to change then why would you?

+1

I've had a cambelt snap on SWMBO's old Renault Megane 1.6 petrol. The interval for this was 40k or 8 years, and it snapped at 34k and just over 7 years old. Considering the damage to the engine wrote the car off I'd sorry it wasn't done as the manufacturer's suggested -- it would have saved us having to fork out for a new car.

Mike

That's common on renaults nothing to do with the age of the belt,Did a piece of ur alternator belt go in behind ur belt cover by any chance?

Edited 3 May, 201214 yr by Davidsr20

According to the service book for my 2009 1.9 PD its to be replaced at 150000 km (= 95000 miles)

The 2.0VRS TDi I went to look at Tuesday and now buying was on 107,000. I asked if it had had the timing belt/waterpump changed. The car dealer couldn't find a specific reference to it in the history so phoned the Skoda dealer in Warrington where it had had most of it's extensive servicing done. They said they hadn't done it and that it was due at 95,000 miles. On another tack I went to see an Octavia 2.0 TDi sport earlier in the day and asked the same question. That one said they had a timing chain. :wonder:

The '99 Vectra GSi I currently drive had an original interval change set at 80,000/4 years by Vauxhall when the Vectra came out but they changed it to 40,000/4 years. Obviously Sewards in Blandford never heard about this. So when I went to buy it 8 years ago and knowing that the interval was revised to 40,000, I was mildly surprised to see that it had gone to 80,000 before being changed.

Oh and the VRS is having the belt/pump done before I pick it up Tuesday too.

Edited 3 May, 201214 yr by hatchy

The 2.0VRS TDi I went to look at Tuesday and now buying was on 107,000. I asked if it had had the timing belt/waterpump changed. The car dealer couldn't find a specific reference to it in the history so phoned the Skoda dealer in Warrington where it had had most of it's extensive servicing done. They said they hadn't done it and that it was due at 95,000 miles. On another tack I went to see an Octavia 2.0 TDi sport earlier in the day and asked the same question. That one said they had a timing chain. :wonder:

All TDIs have belts!