Cambelt or camchain

[P3P5I]

Service intervals including recommended oil changes for market area A (United Kingdom and most of Europe)

[P3P5I]

Extended scope of inspection

[P3P5I]

And finally any additional work/inspections...

[P3P5I]

Please note, that inspection intervals very from market to market. Values from the previous posts apply ONLY to countries from band A (includes Cyprus - not shown on this page). Groups B & C are NOT complete on below screenshot. Other groups may have different recommendations.

 

Sourced from 2016 Skoda Citigo Workshop Manual.

Edited 13 April, 2019 by P3P5I

[Citigopher]

I've just booked our Citigo in to our local Skoda dealer for a minor service, brake fluid change and MOT. It will turn 5 years old in early October and we've owned it from new (to a factory order). We bought the car from this dealer and have been very pleased with the service they've offered throughout, both pre- and post-sales.

 

When I called, the guy on the service desk was quite insistent that our car is due a cam belt and water pump change at 5 years. Even when I challenged that, saying that I have read the official service manual and it is only due an inspection at 5 years, he stood by his original recommendation. I've left it for now. It does seem though, that Skoda UK are not correctly communicating the schedule to dealerships, or at least it's patchy. Shouldn't the dealerships themselves RTFM though? See the 5th post in this thread:

 

[Tech1e]

About right to be honest. 

 

The whole inspection thing is a joke anyway. All you are doing is putting the onus on the technician to guarantee that it’s ok. Sod that, if I have to inspect it and make that call, it’s having a new one. My balls are golden not crystal. 

 

And water pump not required, it’s not driven off the cambelt. 

Edited 20 August, 2019 by Tech1e

[Snaefell]

The engine designer and manufacturer (Volkswagen) say inspect belt at 160K miles and replace if necessary.

 

If the manufacturer doesn't understand his engines, then who does?

 

Has anyone had a cambelt fail, and if so, what were the circumstances?

 

 

[Ootohere]

Derren Brown was employed by VW when it was decided that the 1.0 3 cylinder engine could maybe go 16 years or so before needing inspected.

 

[Defenderben]

11 hours ago, Citigopher said:

I've just booked our Citigo in to our local Skoda dealer for a minor service, brake fluid change and MOT. It will turn 5 years old in early October and we've owned it from new (to a factory order). We bought the car from this dealer and have been very pleased with the service they've offered throughout, both pre- and post-sales.

 

When I called, the guy on the service desk was quite insistent that our car is due a cam belt and water pump change at 5 years. Even when I challenged that, saying that I have read the official service manual and it is only due an inspection at 5 years, he stood by his original recommendation. I've left it for now. It does seem though, that Skoda UK are not correctly communicating the schedule to dealerships, or at least it's patchy. Shouldn't the dealerships themselves RTFM though? See the 5th post in this thread:

 

For the sake of a couple hundred quid (independent) I had my wife’s car done at 5 years or thereabouts, even with only 11k miles. We have owned it from new and want to keep it till it dies; no point messing around. Was told by Skoda dealer 5 years or 160k miles, which ever comes first.

No need for water pump as it’s the other side of the engine and on its own separate small belt.

Edited 20 August, 2019 by Defenderben

[Citigopher]

I read on another thread that the EA211 isn't an interference engine, which is pretty unusual these days. Is that correct? If it is true, then the consequences of a belt failure aren't exactly dire anyway.

[Emil]

Service guy didn't even know that water pump is at the other end of the engine but want to change it. Or do they really change water pump too. I would like to know how much it costs. 

[freemansteve]

FWIW, I don't think I have ever had a car that had a water pump driven off a cambelt. They may exist but it would be poor design - a normal 'V' drive belt will handily slip and shriek on the pulley if a water pump started to seize, which does happen, rather than stripping the cambelt teeth...

[freemansteve]

On 21/08/2019 at 09:36, Citigopher said:

I read on another thread that the EA211 isn't an interference engine, which is pretty unusual these days. Is that correct? If it is true, then the consequences of a belt failure aren't exactly dire anyway.

That is not so common, as you say - do you have a source reference?

 

[Emil]

23 minutes ago, freemansteve said:

FWIW, I don't think I have ever had a car that had a water pump driven off a cambelt. They may exist but it would be poor design - a normal 'V' drive belt will handily slip and shriek on the pulley if a water pump started to seize, which does happen, rather than stripping the cambelt teeth...

I wonder what kind of cars you have owned then. It is quite common that water pump is driven by cambelt. 

 

And V-belt is history. Not common after 80's.

Edited 22 August, 2019 by Emil

[freemansteve]

Well, pickup trucks of late!

They tend to have cam chains!

Oh yes, I meant a v-shaped toothed belt as they often are for ancillaries, or the radially toothed types, not the old smooth v-belts.

 

 

Edited 22 August, 2019 by freemansteve

[Tech1e]

46 minutes ago, Emil said:

I wonder what kind of cars you have owned then. It is quite common that water pump is driven by cambelt. 

 

But not the Citigo oddly enough.

[Emil]

Somebody on this forum thought it was funny when I told water pump is not driven by cambelt. I guess I was first who told it. 

[Tech1e]

2 minutes ago, Emil said:

Somebody on this forum thought it was funny when I told water pump is not driven by cambelt. I guess I was first who told it. 

 

I remember changing my first one in 2011 and thinking this makes a lot more sense lol

[Emil]

Since when VW put water pump opposite end of engine? I don't know. 1.0 mpi was first? 

[Candyw]

On 05/03/2013 at 12:40, dave hendy said:

The cambelt is changed to stop damage to the engine if it breaks so if the water pump isn't disturbed changing it (unlike most engines) can't see why you would need to change that belt and pump?? That just sounds like a good earner for the garage!

Totally agree here, I went to local Skoda and they said it's on the opposite side & does not need to be done, but still quoted £500.