Skoda Octavia Elegance ASV MK1 19TDI

[haventaclue]

I have just changed the timing belt,is this an easy job? NO. You need a number of things,1:A bucket of patience,2:A compressor,3:A warm and dry garage to do the work in.But no special tools.I have non of the above.

   But thanks to posts on this site,I made it.Took me a little longer than the 3 1/2 hours that it only took some on the forum.

 I noted that some said had difficulty taking the engine mount out,I had no problem getting it out,a lot of bother getting it back in,a piece of 2" X 2" timber and fine wedge placed on the block moved it far enough to the left allowed the mount to be wiggled in.

  The lack of patience caused me to revisit the mount,keep the bolts loose until all are threaded,that middle one will not line if you tighten the other two beforehand.That was three hours,at least,because of the tightness of the space to loosen the top back bolt.For some reason it seems to lock tight with little pressure applied.It was also getting dark and very cold.

  Lack of a compressor slowed down the work,a 1/8th turn on a bolt with a ratchet is slow,press an air driven ratchet is a great help,plus without one,at least a minute are added to each nut and bolt.That's a lot of minutes.

 When there is four inches of snow,100mm,yes I measured it,and temperatures in the -2 - + 2C cause the fingers to become numb and drop spanners,nuts,bolts and any other metal thing you might hold.

 Lack of confidence and over caution also took their toll on time.Also the manufacturing of tools to do the job took a little bit longer than expected,malfunction on the pillar drill and shortage of good bits,no place open when I discovered that.Another hour or so while I walked to neighbour to borrow bits.So get in a few good cobalt bits,3mm to drill hole for tensioning   tool,it'll do to drill out the hexbolts on the balancing wheel.plus a 6mm.I needed to drill three of them.

 I removed the headlight to access the alternator belt tensioner,I couldn't access the timing belt and engine mount without doing so.Also it makes it easier to see if the nib on the tensioner is in the wee hole.It give me better access to the bolts on the engine mount.I also removed the power steering pulley.

 All in all it was a learning curve as I have not done a timing belt on anything other than a forty year old mercury outboard in almost twenty years.

 So to the people who have posted info and links on this forum,thank you.Job done and all it cost me was the price of the kit, £170,and a fair bit of skin .

 So as I said before,Is it an easy job? NO. But it can be done by the amateur if they read forums like this.Thanks again.

 

 

[Railroad]

You say you don't need any special tools, but you most definitely do need a camshaft setting tools. You need to lock the camshaft in the correct position with the pulley slackened and knocked off its taper. You also need to slacken the three pump pulley screws and insert the locking pin. If you have relied on putting paint marks on the pulleys and then realigning them to fit the new belt then the timing will not be correct.

[trundlenut]

You say you don't need any special tools, but you most definitely do need a camshaft setting tools. You need to lock the camshaft in the correct position with the pulley slackened and knocked off its taper. You also need to slacken the three pump pulley screws and insert the locking pin. If you have relied on putting paint marks on the pulleys and then realigning them to fit the new belt then the timing will not be correct.

+1

A few millimetres movement on the injection pump pulley makes a massive difference to the timing.

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[haventaclue]

You say you don't need any special tools, but you most definitely do need a camshaft setting tools. You need to lock the camshaft in the correct position with the pulley slackened and knocked off its taper. You also need to slacken the three pump pulley screws and insert the locking pin. If you have relied on putting paint marks on the pulleys and then realigning them to fit the new belt then the timing will not be correct.

Didn't loosen either pulley so figured neither pump nor cam moved.Have done quite a few miles since,no unusual rattles and fuel consumption seems to be the same.

No force was used to put the belt on and all paint marks checked numerous times.Rotated drive the two times to TDC  several times and each time the marks lined up.But to to be sure to be sure,I'll get the timing checked just for the fun of it.And at 220K there's not a lot of life left in her.

[trundlenut]

Without locking the injection pump it will have moved when you tensioned the belt.

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[Railroad]

Also the camshaft pulley is not keyed onto the camshaft. It's tapered, and so although your marks on the pulleys may line up it does not mean that the camshaft is in exactly the right place in relation to the crankshaft when the belt is tensioned. In fact your belt may not be tensioned evenly at all. You can only tension the belt correctly by locking the camshaft and the pump with the pulleys loosened.

[mbuk2456]

Surely if its running and running well then I would take it as a job well done. I wouldn't have the patience or knowledge to attempt a belt change on my TDI which is the same engine and as you say at 220k if it goes wrong you don't stand to loose a massive amount! I paid 300 quid to get the belt and water pump done on mine at 60k about 4 years ago its now due again as its on 135k but don't know if its worth chucking another 300 quid + at it.

[trundlenut]

Surely if its running and running well then I would take it as a job well done. I wouldn't have the patience or knowledge to attempt a belt change on my TDI which is the same engine and as you say at 220k if it goes wrong you don't stand to loose a massive amount! I paid 300 quid to get the belt and water pump done on mine at 60k about 4 years ago its now due again as its on 135k but don't know if its worth chucking another 300 quid + at it.

When I did mine it started and ran but the timing was massively retarded and When I adjusted it there was a noticeable difference in performance.

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[haventaclue]

I have 100+ miles done,fuel consumption seems as normal,idle is just over the 900RPMs,no reduction in power that I noticed.But I did forget to mention I did get a 5,5mm drill bit into the fuel pump without loosening the pulley.Maybe that saved me,but I'll still get it checked for peace of mind.

[Railroad]

The significance of all of this is that modern engines are very emissions critical. Incorrect valve timing even only by a couple of degrees may not have much of a noticeable effect on engine performance, but it certainly will result in a more inefficient combustion leading to poor emissions. Eventually the MIL will illuminate.

[mbames]

I have 100+ miles done,fuel consumption seems as normal,idle is just over the 900RPMs,no reduction in power that I noticed.But I did forget to mention I did get a 5,5mm drill bit into the fuel pump without loosening the pulley.Maybe that saved me,but I'll still get it checked for peace of mind.

 

That is what I do when I change mine, and having just rolled over 240k miles it is due again.  I hate changing them in the cold though :-(

 

Locate TBC, and then lock the pump.  A few tippex marks before I remove the old belt, and then transfer those to the new belt and fit....  I tried to check my timing once, but the engine cooled down too quickly (or I have a dodgy [genuine] CTS).

 

I'm in the same boat, I don't think it is worth shelling out the money to get the belt changed at a garage given the age (Y/2001) and miles of the car.

[Malcytul]

My cam belt needs changing soon & I understand that it is best to fit a new water pump at the same time. I spoke to my local garage about it (small one man band) & he uses the tipex marks when doing his belts. I mentioned to him about the VCDS system for checking the timing & like me, he'd never heard of it, I only found out about it by doing some research on the internet. I need to find someone local to Carmarthen that can check mine once it's done.

I can understand that if the timing is not spot on how it will affect power & emission.