does anyone know how often the cambelt is meant to be changed

its a octavia 1.8t vrs

its now done 119000 miles

and was last changed on 26.03.08 and the mileage was 68974

hearing different things some say change every 60.000 others say 75.000 miles or 5 years whatever sooner

should i get this done or is it ok for a while as dont have the spare cash at the moment

does anyone know how often the cambelt is meant to be changed

its a octavia 1.8t vrs

its now done 119000 miles

and was last changed on 26.03.08 and the mileage was 68974

hearing different things some say change every 60.000 others say 75.000 miles or 5 years whatever sooner

should i get this done or is it ok for a while as dont have the spare cash at the moment

I think it says every four years/40000 miles in the service book.

Should be OK until you've got the money.Needs changing ASAP because better to be safe than sorry.

The service schedule says to inspect at 60,000 miles and replace if required, if not replaced re inspect at 20k intervals thereafter. Skoda UK then added replace at four years. So 60,000 miles and four years is what we stick to, and with the 1.8T belt dont chance it.

Every 40k was what I was told plus replace the water pump at the same time.

4 years/40k miles - whichever comes first

get a new oem water pump and hydraulic tensioner while you are at it, esp if on the 80k/8year service

The garage where I recently changed mine told me it's getting very hard to tell (with the newer belts) if they are going. So they recommend just replacing when due, so as to not risk anything.

The garage where I recently changed mine told me it's getting very hard to tell (with the newer belts) if they are going. So they recommend just replacing when due, so as to not risk anything.

Just replaced mine with new water pump at 60k miles. Mechanic said the old one looked good.

are there such things as uprated belts available?

Going to be changing mine over the next month, are they easy to do and do you need any special tools?

Belive it or not it is actually 120K or 4years. The same as the MK2

are there such things as uprated belts available?

Yes there is gates do a kevlar one but lots of money and a lot of people running up to 800bhp in the states run oem one so no need imo the only upgrade you need to do when going big power imo is manual tensioner setup

As said previously is this a diy job? I fancy giving it a go but have no way of checking timing if I screw up and although not shy when it comes to engines I dont really have any special tools so is it possible and how easy would it be to mess up the position of pulleys when dong this.?

Belive it or not it is actually 120K or 4years. The same as the MK2

Not unless it has changed recently. VAG standardised the change interval across the range a number of years ago at 60k miles or 4 years whichever is soonest.

Not unless it has changed recently. VAG standardised the change interval across the range a number of years ago at 60k miles or 4 years whichever is soonest.

I changed the belt on my MK1 and sought advice from both local dealerships who told me the change is 120K or 4years provided the belt is OK at inspection intervals. In the Octavia haynes manual page 1A.5 it confirms the first inspection is 60K then every 20K interval until the renewal interval of 120K.

you would be mad to wait until 120k on a 1.8t engine

If you get it done at the dealers and it snaps before 120K they would have to repair the damage. It is what Skoda specifies.

Edited 6 January, 201214 yr by 07 vRS Taxi

you would be mad to wait until 120k on a 1.8t engine

Thats what it used to be. the service book used to be 120k for the 1.8 petrol (all variants including turbo and non turbo) and 100k on some of the deisels!

however as has been stated it's now every 60k or 5 years, personally I feel this is about right but they do last longer as my dads did 100k in just over 6 years before it was changed with no problem and I changed mine on my diesel when I bought it with 83k on the on the clock, unsure though if it had been changed or not in the past as it wasn't marked in the service history so I wouldn't be suprised if it hadn't been.

Im sure if you ring Skoda they will confirm 120K or 4 years....dont shoot the messenger lol

If you value your engine I'd change sooner rather than later and do water pump while you are there. Maybe they can go to 120k but i wouldn't want to be writing a post on here saying that mine didn't make it !

I read original Skoda documentation in czech language,cambelt change for 1.8T and RS is 112.500 miles or 180.000Km

After 90.000Km autorized visual inspection is required every 15.000Km and only if is visual damaged or worn will be changed.

Diesel engines have 90.000km changing intervals

That's in the original manual.

Edited 6 January, 201214 yr by IulianE

As said previously is this a diy job? I fancy giving it a go but have no way of checking timing if I screw up and although not shy when it comes to engines I dont really have any special tools so is it possible and how easy would it be to mess up the position of pulleys when dong this.?

Do not touch it then. You have to remove an engine mount amongst other things IIRC.

Edited 6 January, 201214 yr by Liverpool-Lad

When I asked Skoda I was told 40k or 4yrs, you would be mad to leave it to 120k.

As it has been said the belt change is 120k or four years, however part of the service schedule is to check at 60k and 20k intervals thereafter and replace as required.

So basically they were saying after 60k on your head be it, so I'd change at 60k

It's not really mega expensive these days, a lot of places will do the cambelt and waterpump all in for £250, i'd say that's easily worth it for the piece of mind. My VRS had its first one done at 79,000 miles in 2007 (that was when it was regularly serviced by Skoda and they followed the "check every 20k after 60k" rule) and the second one at 120,000 miles in 2010 just because it was time it was done.

If they are doing the belt for 1.8T for £250 they aren't changing the hydraulic damper under the tensioner. Personally having seen as many as I have leak I just wouldn't chance it.