Timing Belt Change interval Octavia 1.6 tdi CR

[cainy3]

Hi

I am new to he forum. Have read some interesting threads about Timing Belt change intervals and one thing keeps reappearing, everyone seems to have something different to say.

I am about to buy a Octavia 1.6 TDI CR registered in 2010 (60) plate. The car has done 80k. It was recently serviced by a Skoda main dealer, but it appears that the cam belt was not changed when it was serviced..

Q Is this correct. I thought they recommend they are to be changed every 4 years regardless of mileage.

Q Should I get the non Skoda dealer who is selling me the car to get the cam belt changed before I buy the car.

The car is priced at £6700

Any advice welcome please before I buy.

[alberg]

Mine is soon to reach 100k and this has a long life belt.

I believe 200k lifespan, i intend to max it out at 150k.

At 105k , next oil change, will check the belt( see if their is any cracking on the belts teeth) and from their check it at every 15k

[dieselV6]

If it is similar engine as CAYB/CAYC 1.6CR 90bhp/105bhp, the belt is a 130k miles belt, at least that's what is stated in my Roomster's service schedule.

4 year belt change was/is VAG UK con to increase dealership maintenance workload, has been going on for over 12 years, no other country has ever recommended that or similar interval.Change belt at mileage, before that inspect at regular intervals (I think service schedule says from half mileage) and change belt if it deteriorates.

[cainy3]

Thanks for your replies.

I spoke to a Skoda main dealer today who said the belt should be changed every 4 years or 140k which ever comes first.

Anyone else been told this. As a side issue what are the 1.6 tdi Cr cars like. Anything to look out for.

[alberg]

Your case at 120k change belt, at 240k six years later new change, stress free

Edited 18 July, 2014 by alberg

[Polto]

Her in Sweden i spoke to four skoda main dealer, all say its 210000km on first cambelt change and no years on 1,6tdi cr. Exaktly the same stand in my servicebook

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited 19 July, 2014 by Polto

[marcusthehat]

Hmmm?

Just asked our dealer re the timing belt change miles/years for a Sept 2010 1.6TDI Octavia

140,000 miles or 5 years (& would have been 4 years iffen August 2010?)

I could well be tempted to run it to nearer 100,000 or 125,000 miles regardless of years under the belt ( a good pun there innit?)

130,000 would be 8 years driving, and aiming to get 12 or 15 years out of the Car

Only got 65 thou on at present (or will have come the end of Sept)

Decisions decisions.

Marcus

[silver1011]

The mileage is potentially irrelevant here, at 80K there is plenty to go yet.

 

Up until earlier this year Skoda UK had a blanket 4 year interval on their engines, regardless of model.

 

dieseldogg's dealer is correct. Skoda UK recently extended this to 5 years on vehicles built / registered after August 2010.

 

it sounds as though the OP's car is right on the change over point.

 

The best thing to do it speak to Skoda UK (have your reg number / VIN to hand) on 08457 745745 (option 4), or email them (for a 24 hour response)...

 

http://www.skoda.co.uk/about-us/contact-us

 

If you do decide to get the belt changed then pricing is here (main dealers)...

 

http://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/service-and-maintenance/national-pricing/maintenance

[marcusthehat]

(i) I fully understand that ALL rubber or plastic products degrade with age, hence, just possibly,  the age limit regardless of miles.

 

And with the hugely extended miles/kilometers on a modern timing belt, on a little used car the 210,000km/140,000miles could easily translate to 10 or 15  years driving.

 

BUT!

(iii) How come the 4 or 5 year  age limit is unique to the UK market, apparently, per some of the posters above.

 

Or at least NOT applicable to the Swedish market.

cheers

m

Edited 15 August, 2014 by dieseldogg

[dieselV6]

Exactly.

[silver1011]

Who knows. Marketing ploy? Over cautious?

 

Either way the OP asked when he should his belt, now he knows.

[ufitsy]

Apparently the UK has always been known as Treasure Island by the motor industry (allegedly).

[skodacarman]

Belts have got better over the years, and the new CR motors are much kinder to their belts than are the old PDs.  Result seems to be rampant confusion over expected belt life, so you're not alone about being confused by the conflicting advice.  I'd say just stick with the handbook.

[alberg]

Silvet1011 Is correct. We don't even have the normal oil change at 15k (even though i do change mine) we have longlife at 30k

Marketing says it all. Remember back in 2001 when got my Megane 1.9Dci it was 30k oil change, changed it every 7.5 or 10k. If gone like Renault said the cars engine had long gone. Brother was just in from Canada and he says that vw cars must change oil at every 8k or else suffer the consequences.

Edited 16 August, 2014 by alberg

[marcusthehat]

Took a 1.9TDI to 253,000 miles (and engine still "perfect" when parked up).

On 5,000 miles oil changes on ord mineral oil.

Then switched to 10,000 miles on semi-synth oil.

SO!

See NO reason to disbelieve VW when they suggest 18,600 miles changes for fully synsethic oil to '507 spec.

And

I intend to keep the car for 200,000 to 250,000 miles.

My money, my measured decision.(and only 140,000 to 190,000 to go, fingers crossed)

cheers

marcus

[SomaleZu]

Hi

I am new on this forum. I have a Skoda Octavia 1.6TDI Automatic from 2010. I have no service history therefore I don't know if the time belt was changed. The car has 94k miles and I don t know if the timing belt will be ok for another 20k miles. I have to say the car runs perfect and I am very happy but I just want to know what is the interval for the timing belt because I red on forums it should be 120k but my friends keep saying maximum 90k.

 

 

Can you help me? Thank you 

[silver1011]

It goes on both milage and age.

Skoda UK extended the time interval from 4 years to 5 years for cars registered from September 2010.

If the car has been serviced at a main dealer there might be some history stored electronically, contact your nearest Skoda dealer with your VIN (on the windscreen under the passenger wiper).

I'd be playing safe as and getting it changed.

[SomaleZu]

It goes on both milage and age.

Skoda UK extended the time interval from 4 years to 5 years for cars registered from September 2010.

If the car has been serviced at a main dealer there might be some history stored electronically, contact your nearest Skoda dealer with your VIN (on the windscreen under the passenger wiper).

I'd be playing safe as and getting it changed.

Hi I just phoned SKODA main delear and they say they are not able to help me ...they have not even checked the system to see if there is any info abut my car...My service history handbook is missing so I have nothing but I looked on my windscreen and there is a stiker with a car service dealer so I pohoned them but offices are closed today so I left a messege. If I am lucky they may have a record of my car. The car is may 2010 so is not that old therefore it was definately serviced by SKODA or a good service so I need to look further. I will also contact DVLA maybe they can provide something. I will return with some updates 

[alberg]

I had the belt changed on mine as the water pump started to leak, it has 115000km, the belt was ok, the outer belt seemed better. Got a Bosch kit .

[SomaleZu]

I had the belt changed on mine as the water pump started to leak, it has 115000km, the belt was ok, the outer belt seemed better. Got a Bosch kit .

So at what mileage is timing belt recommended to be changed/.? 

[alberg]

200000Km or 5 years.

I was going to change it at 150000km, better earlier than later, and will have 5 years in June.

Bosch kit includes water pump, outer belt not included but is new also from bosch.

Paid 400€, (discount on kit as was installed at bosch center, kit itself is 290€ without discount, just 10€ less than original)

[silver1011]

It should be noted that whilst the age or time measure on the belts is fixed across all models the mileage can vary by engine.

 

The only way to know for sure is to either refer to the service booklet in the glovebox or ring Skoda UK with your VIN / registration number.

 

I've known two Octavia's with the same engine but different model years with different mileage intervals for the cambelt.

[xman]

Xmans opinion on cambelts....

 

I'm surprised no-one has stated this fact. The OE design and belts are by Continental. Continental have for at least 15 years made written claims that their belts/designs are lifetime components.

In practice in the 90's the weak point was the tensioner which had plastic components, (manufactured by a Canadian company I think.) VAG uk set the recommendation at 60,000 miles/5 years. Then the PD came along which had an unintentional design issue of very high impulse loading and the task of driving the water pump as well on an underrated design. Low quality water pumps seized occasionaly and the impulse loads from the injectors/light flywheel/dmf which I think engineers didnt appreciate led to many early failures. Tweaks were made and Vag Uk reduced the period to 40,000 miles/4 years, mainly out of fear of litigation - I think you'll find some early brochures describing a maintenance free cambelt, (as well as some foolish references to lifetime cam chains in other engines).

Anyway over the years this has become a steady revenue stream for dealers and when the CR diesels came along with the latest Continental lifetime designs, UK dealers made a great effort to ignore and obfuscate much longer intervals. In many cases downright lies, backed up with out of date documentation.

 

OE Timing belts on the latest engines are, generally, lifetime items subject to sensible inspection to take into account the possibilty of contamination, or failing items, tensioners, rollers, water pumps etc.

 

Having said all that, bear in mind that there is much scope for additional problems caused when belts are changed, and also, importantly the quality of the replacement items.

 

For instance, many independents use Gates kits. These belts in my opinion, despite their claims, are NOT a patch on Continental belts and, personally, from experience I would avoid them, unless you are prepared to change them regularly as a service item.

Edited 12 April, 2015 by xman

[Dan65]

On 12/04/2015 at 12:11, xman said:

Xmans opinion on cambelts....

 

I'm surprised no-one has stated this fact. The OE design and belts are by Continental. Continental have for at least 15 years made written claims that their belts/designs are lifetime components.

In practice in the 90's the weak point was the tensioner which had plastic components, (manufactured by a Canadian company I think.) VAG uk set the recommendation at 60,000 miles/5 years. Then the PD came along which had an unintentional design issue of very high impulse loading and the task of driving the water pump as well on an underrated design. Low quality water pumps seized occasionaly and the impulse loads from the injectors/light flywheel/dmf which I think engineers didnt appreciate led to many early failures. Tweaks were made and Vag Uk reduced the period to 40,000 miles/4 years, mainly out of fear of litigation - I think you'll find some early brochures describing a maintenance free cambelt, (as well as some foolish references to lifetime cam chains in other engines).

Anyway over the years this has become a steady revenue stream for dealers and when the CR diesels came along with the latest Continental lifetime designs, UK dealers made a great effort to ignore and obfuscate much longer intervals. In many cases downright lies, backed up with out of date documentation.

 

OE Timing belts on the latest engines are, generally, lifetime items subject to sensible inspection to take into account the possibilty of contamination, or failing items, tensioners, rollers, water pumps etc.

 

Having said all that, bear in mind that there is much scope for additional problems caused when belts are changed, and also, importantly the quality of the replacement items.

 

For instance, many independents use Gates kits. These belts in my opinion, despite their claims, are NOT a patch on Continental belts and, personally, from experience I would avoid them, unless you are prepared to change them regularly as a service item.

Great comment.