Hi Folks

Have to say this forum has been brilliant at answering my questions.. the typical problems that everyone seems to experience with their fabia!

Any hows, I've a question which i can't seem to find the answer to.

Its been four years since the timing belt on my 2001 Y Fabia 1.9TDI was changed so its an independent garage is fitting the parts for me. I'm buying them from vwspares as its a saving of £50 from the garage (got ten quotes, all about the same).

This includes the timing belt kit and the water pump with metal impellor

The garage highlighted to me that when they rung for prices on parts, a new damper may be required though they said this wasn't normal. The main skoda dealer didn't quote me including this so i'm wondering if it is really needed.

www.vwspares.co.uk Is the link to the tension damper. The car has 107K on the clock and if its better that this is changed then i'll purchase it. But i really want to know if it is important to change the damper at all (if it fails could it damage the engine?), particuarly when the skoda dealer didn't mention anything about a damper?

Any help greatly appreciated...

Many Thanks

Dave

Depends if yours actually has a damper or not, not all do.

If it does id change it.

Now that makes sense (can you tell i'm not strong in the field of mechanics!)

Is the part easy to see (like the belt itself) If I can spot it/know where it'd be I guess that'll be the answer!

Thanks!

The Timing belt is hidden inside a plastic cover on the side of your engine so I don't think you can check about the damper.

Have you had you Auxiliary Belt (Ribbed V Belt in the service book) changed in the last 4 years. If not get it changed because you need to remove it to get to the timing belt anyway.

Thanks Jim H

I haven't owned the car for that long so can't advise if it has been done or not. I see the part is only about £8 so i will invest in an Aux belt.

With regards to the damper, is there any way of finding out if one is present by engine code or anything like that which you are aware of?

Cheers!!

I have just had a look in the Haynes Manual about timing belts and there is no menton of this damper at all.

I have looked on Vagcat.com and unfortunately there are 2 diagrams for your engine code ATD. One of them is only for that engine and has this damper. The other diagram is for the ATD and ASZ (Furby vRS) and that has no damper. I can't see any difference in the drawing other than that part. My mothers 53 1.9 TDI Fabia did not have it changed, if it had one, when a new timing belt was fitted. It was just the belt and 2 tensioner rollers, (this should come in the kit). I would post a link to the diagrams, but you have to be a member of that site to see it.

My only advice would be to ring the technical department of your dealer or a VAG specialist and ask them to make sure, unless anyone else on here can shed any more light on this matter?

With regards to the damper, is there any way of finding out if one is present by engine code or anything like that which you are aware of?

The dampers are only fitted on the 100Hp ATD engines up to 2003.

If you have the 101Hp AXR engine, or the 130Hp as fitted in the VRS then there is no damper, as they have a spring loaded tensioner pulley instead.

Hi thanks for all your help, well since mine is a 2001 100HP ATD I'm guessing there is a damper and therefore will need replacing ... Another £45...

I'm assuming here that if its the original part, and the cars on 107K then it must need replacing. I guess better to be safe than sorry