Some months ago on a thread about when/if cambelts should be changed to a time limit someone posted that when their cambelt was out they would photograph it and let us all see it.

Did they ? There are so many threads on cambelts I admit I am trying to get the info an easy way. Sorry.Mercy.

Thanks

Its interesting to note that on the new 1.6CR diesel, the interval is around 100,000 miles (IIRC). Dealers will tell you its due at 4 years irregardless of mileage, however the service schedule does not state a time limit (as it does for other items such as spark plugs and filters). So I am convinced the 4 year limit is bunkum.

On my 1.9Tdi (AHU 90bhp) engined Alhambra I went 75,000 miles/ 6 years (deliberately) and the removed belt and tensioner were both in pristine condition.

PD engines are another matter as they have poorly designed cambelt driven injector system that puts the belt under great stress.

Don't the new engines have chains rather than belts though, so don't require changing?

I've had official confirmation from Skoda UK of the 4 year change, on the pre-chain 2.0TFSI at least.

Chains being metal will outlast a fibre belt many times over, goes without saying.

Fibre belts deteriorate, fray or even snap, whereas a chain will start to clatter and give off noises as a warning require changing.

I think it's safe to say every 5 years regardless of mileage as a relative landmark, to change a fibre belt and auxcilliary fibre belt.

Edited 9 July, 201015 yr by giandougl

Its interesting to note that on the new 1.6CR diesel, the interval is around 100,000 miles (IIRC). Dealers will tell you its due at 4 years irregardless of mileage, however the service schedule does not state a time limit (as it does for other items such as spark plugs and filters). So I am convinced the 4 year limit is bunkum.

On my 1.9Tdi (AHU 90bhp) engined Alhambra I went 75,000 miles/ 6 years (deliberately) and the removed belt and tensioner were both in pristine condition.

PD engines are another matter as they have poorly designed cambelt driven injector system that puts the belt under great stress.

The cambelt change interval on my new MK6 Golf 1.6TDI is 300,000Km or approx 200,000 miles ! This extended interval is due to a new design of cambelt by Continental (ContiTech) .

Like tyres , cambelts have a finite life regardless of mileage.The "rubber" construction does degrade with age and can get small hairline cracks. Also a vehicle with a low mileage but with lots of stops / starts could have a more highly stressed belt than a high mileage belt that is used mainly on motorways.

Thanks. I think the cambelt topic will run and run. All I know is Mlada Boleslav have told me clearly my engine (BJB 105 hp Tdi) is good for 120,000 Kms with NO TIME mentioned.

BUT does anyone recall if the unknown poster DID post photos of his cambelt on removal ?

Please.

Conti have claimed for many years that their belts will outlast the car.

The weak points have been poor quality plastic tensioner parts and rollers that allowed VAG to save a few pence on a few years back. Also the PD engine design is very poor in the cambelt dept. but they are no more..

IMO, apart from the plastic tensioners more issues come from incorrect incompetent cambelt replacement and the use of after market parts. AFAIK the 4 year thing (which is in the uk only) came about due to legal threats made against VAG uk by disgruntled owners, and VAG uk obsession with closing the warranty/goodwill door firmly at 3 years.

"the PD engine design is very poor in the cambelt dept. but they are no more.".

WHAT ???!!! The PD engine is no more???!!

Hells teeth I've just shot out the house and looked under my bonnet and thank god it's still there.

I wish you would be more careful---you had me worried there.

Conti have claimed for many years that their belts will outlast the car.

The weak points have been poor quality plastic tensioner parts and rollers that allowed VAG to save a few pence on a few years back. Also the PD engine design is very poor in the cambelt dept. but they are no more..

IMO, apart from the plastic tensioners more issues come from incorrect incompetent cambelt replacement and the use of after market parts. AFAIK the 4 year thing (which is in the uk only) came about due to legal threats made against VAG uk by disgruntled owners, and VAG uk obsession with closing the warranty/goodwill door firmly at 3 years.

When ContiTech announced the new "high flex" design used on the new cambelt for the Golf MK 6 , the claims were fully supported by extensive stringent tests above the the claimed mileage , so I don't think it's an idle off the cuff claim .Certainly VW are happy to agree with the extended life. There are numerous design improvements to both engine hardware and to cambelts so that the life expectancy of a belt on a new car is far longer than the old belt on older models. I'm not sure when other VW marques will pick up this improved belt .

Edited 11 July, 201015 yr by vwcabriolet1971

I am personally sticking to the 4yr/60,000mile rule on my 2006 pd140 engine. I changed my cambelt on the weekend and at just under 4yrs and 59,000miles it was showing some signs of wear as you would expect, it would probably have lasted much longer but I would rather spend £200 getting it replaced than £2,000 getting a new engine.

Blimey still not clear as to when the cam belt needs changing,

Just had my 04 1.9Tdi serviced and the garage said have you had the cam belt done couldn't tell you said I! seeing as tho they have serviced it the last 4 yrs!

So he looked on the computer at the service intervals pre 2000 every 90K after 2002 90k again or 4 yrs so what about my 04 he puzzled it and said didn't no, and reading the posts I still dont know! It's a 105 bhp and runs fine and the belt looks Ok and besides it isn't exactly a very stressed engine either

Soooooo!

if it's 4 yrs oh feck cars 6 1/2 yrs old 73K but it looks fine

If its 90K fine I'll get it done at MOT in September

anyone know about the 2004 ones and why suddenly are newer cars not as reliable as pre 2000!!!!!!!!!

Blimey still not clear as to when the cam belt needs changing,

Just had my 04 1.9Tdi serviced and the garage said have you had the cam belt done couldn't tell you said I! seeing as tho they have serviced it the last 4 yrs!

So he looked on the computer at the service intervals pre 2000 every 90K after 2002 90k again or 4 yrs so what about my 04 he puzzled it and said didn't no, and reading the posts I still dont know! It's a 105 bhp and runs fine and the belt looks Ok and besides it isn't exactly a very stressed engine either

Soooooo!

if it's 4 yrs oh feck cars 6 1/2 yrs old 73K but it looks fine

If its 90K fine I'll get it done at MOT in September

anyone know about the 2004 ones and why suddenly are newer cars not as reliable as pre 2000!!!!!!!!! "

"anyone know about the 2004 ones and why suddenly are newer cars not as reliable as pre 2000!!!!!!!!!

-----because the engine and belt design & construction change in later cars !!

Edited 13 July, 201015 yr by vwcabriolet1971

I am personally sticking to the 4yr/60,000mile rule on my 2006 pd140 engine.

My Service book says 150,000km (93k miles) for my 2.0 PD140 engine (2008 model) so looks like they are getting better all the time

My Service book says 150,000km (93k miles) for my 2.0 PD140 engine (2008 model) so looks like they are getting better all the time

I think my service book say's 100,000km or 120,000km (at work so going of memory) for my 2.0 PD140 but no mention of age and for the sake of a couple of hundred pounds to get it changed for piece of mind I'd rather get it changed, when we were changing it the exhaust timing was out slightly due to wear on the belt and that was with 59,000 miles on it.

My old PD130 was every 4yr or 60,000 miles and for piece of mind with this car I will keep with that.

Edited 13 July, 201015 yr by matt@theforce

I think my service book say's 100,000km or 120,000km (at work so going of memory) for my 2.0 PD140 but no mention of age and for the sake of a couple of hundred pounds to get it changed for piece of mind I'd rather get it changed, when we were changing it the exhaust timing was out slightly due to wear on the belt and that was with 59,000 miles on it.

My old PD130 was every 4yr or 60,000 miles and for piece of mind with this car I will keep with that.

I agree with you was just saying they seem to be getting longer all the time.

I changed my vRS cam belt at 52k Miles and it was only just under 3yrs old

Its interesting to note that on the new 1.6CR diesel, the interval is around 100,000 miles (IIRC). Dealers will tell you its due at 4 years irregardless of mileage, however the service schedule does not state a time limit (as it does for other items such as spark plugs and filters). So I am convinced the 4 year limit is bunkum.

On my 1.9Tdi (AHU 90bhp) engined Alhambra I went 75,000 miles/ 6 years (deliberately) and the removed belt and tensioner were both in pristine condition.

PD engines are another matter as they have poorly designed cambelt driven injector system that puts the belt under great stress.

What a load of bo***cks the pd engine puts no more strain on the cambelt drive system than any other, Apart from which the only thing the belt drives is the crank the cam the water pump and the tensioner and a couple of idler gears it doesnt drive anything to do with the injection system directly, You are poss thinking of the pre pd engine which is affectionately know in the trade as the "donkey engine" which has a cam belt driven diesel pump. As for replacement intervals be carefull cos if you go over your interval either in miles or time and anything should happen you are F***ed and skoda will tell you to go and take a walk in the kindest way. for the price of a belt kit and water pump its not worth the hassle and they are a piece of cake to fit (but i am a skoda techy so i would say they are easy lol)

I agree with you was just saying they seem to be getting longer all the time.

They do indeed, I think the new Polo Diesels are now over 100,000miles.

I do find it strange that VAG seem to be so far behind other manufacturers when it comes to cambelt change intervals, Ford have been around 100,000miles on their diesels for a few years

What a load of bo***cks the pd engine puts no more strain on the cambelt drive system than any other, Apart from which the only thing the belt drives is the crank the cam the water pump and the tensioner and a couple of idler gears it doesnt drive anything to do with the injection system directly, You are poss thinking of the pre pd engine which is affectionately know in the trade as the "donkey engine" which has a cam belt driven diesel pump. As for replacement intervals be carefull cos if you go over your interval either in miles or time and anything should happen you are F***ed and skoda will tell you to go and take a walk in the kindest way. for the price of a belt kit and water pump its not worth the hassle and they are a piece of cake to fit (but i am a skoda techy so i would say they are easy lol)

Sorry but go to the bottom of the class mr techy - the PD unit injectors are driven off the camshaft. So bo***cks to you double!

Edited 13 July, 201015 yr by xman

There is no more load on this system because the Cambelt is not directly driving the injectors smatyy pants, the injectors are operated by the cam as you have kindly illistrated. Its only like having another set of valves being opperated so would you tell people not to have a 16 valve engine because its putting more strain on the cambelt than a 8 valve!!!!!!! Dont think so. This system has been used by different manufactures for years in one form or another with no problems, But you carry on thinking this because you obviously now BETTER! and i wiil keep working on them.

Edited 14 July, 201015 yr by sherlocks VRS

:p

Hmm...so its not important to use special PD oil that has super high shear additives? VW was evidently just imagining the massive forces imposed on the camlobes when fuel is compressed to well over 2000 bar?

Please yourself, I'm sure your talent at throwing insults around will make you many friends.

There is no more load on this system because the Cambelt is not directly driving the injectors smatyy pants, the injectors are operated by the cam as you have kindly illistrated. Its only like having another set of valves being opperated so would you tell people not to have a 16 valve engine because its putting more strain on the cambelt than a 8 valve!!!!!!! Dont think so. This system has been used by different manufactures for years in one form or another with no problems, But you carry on thinking this because you obviously now BETTER! and i wiil keep working on them.

The cambelt drives the camshaft from the crankshaft pulley .The injection cam profile is part of the common camshaft that drives the valves. Now if the cam has a minature hydraulic pump driven off the camshaft , and the pump imposes a lot of pressure on the cam ( via a roller) , then the belt has to overcome this pressure to drive the camshaft. Thus the cambelt has a far higher load on it than if it were merely driving the valves . It takes a fair bit of power to pressurise the fuel at 30,000 lb/sq.inch.

If the total valve spring load on a 16V engine was higher than those of the equivalent 8V engine , then yes the 16V engine would impose a higher load on the camshaft belt. Also, as is likely, the 16V camshaft has a more agressive cam ramp-up then this will also increase the load on the cambelt.

Edited 14 July, 201015 yr by vwcabriolet1971

:p

Hmm...so its not important to use special PD oil that has super high shear additives? VW was evidently just imagining the massive forces imposed on the camlobes when fuel is compressed to well over 2000 bar?

Please yourself, I'm sure your talent at throwing insults around will make you many friends.

This is obviously going of topic but answer me one question why is it then that some pd engines in the vw/skoda range can run on longlife oil which is totaly different to pd oil when the car has been set to variable servicing, surely this in your eyes would cause a problem. the only prob we see with the cambelt side of things is long overdue intervals, water pump failure, idler pulley failure but never as you put it a bad designed injection system.

This is obviously going of topic but answer me one question why is it then that some pd engines in the vw/skoda range can run on longlife oil which is totaly different to pd oil when the car has been set to variable servicing, surely this in your eyes would cause a problem. the only prob we see with the cambelt side of things is long overdue intervals, water pump failure, idler pulley failure but never as you put it a bad designed injection system.

The only difference between oil specs for PD engines which are on variable servicing interval ( long life oil ) ,is if the vehicle has a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) or not . For non DPF engines VW spec 506.01 oil is required for variable service interval. For vehicles with DPF VW spec 507 is required.

I think you're confusing the terms "long life oil " & variable service . Variable service requires long life oil as the variable intervals can be up to 2yrs and up to 20,000 miles ( or even higher in the optimum conditions ) .

Most cambelt failures are due to neglect ( not changing belt & tensioners early enough at the recommended interval ) or water pump failures - nothing to do with the injector design .

Edited 14 July, 201015 yr by vwcabriolet1971