I have been looking in my skoda books and I have had a cambelt replaced 11/13 now how many years should a cambelt be changed if it doesn't do the 40,000 miles recommendation?

Thanks

 believe its 4 years, but I'm not 100% on that ....

Which engine?

If it was my car (VRS) I'd do it every 5 years or 75k, along with the water pump.

If you use manufacture's original parts it is 5 years, if you use none genuine spare parts (Continental,Skf,Gates) it is 4 years.

If you use manufacture's original parts it is 5 years, if you use none genuine spare parts (Continental,Skf,Gates) it is 4 years.

This or 40k whichever came first is what I went with.

At first it was 10 years and 180.000 km, later Skoda changed that too inspection by mechanic. All very doubtful, but for Audi it now seems to be 4 years or 90.000 km. When I bought my car, I replaced it after 4,5 years to be sure and it was much needed as it was in very bad shape!

If you use manufacture's original parts it is 5 years, if you use none genuine spare parts (Continental,Skf,Gates) it is 4 years.

I looked up the online catalogue for Continental and SKF a couple of years ago and on the VRS engine Continental listed 80k with no time interval and SKF listed 5 years/72k.

I looked up the online catalogue for Continental and SKF a couple of years ago and on the VRS engine Continental listed 80k with no time interval and SKF listed 5 years/72k.

Everything is flexible and all depends to personal experience. I've been changing cambelts and especially to 20vt's for ,at least maybe more, 10 yrs. All those manufacturers you have written are equal and their parts have the same quality. I prefer Gates-Powergrip cambelts than all the others. If for example you don't brake with your brakes but you keep downshifting gears to slow down your speed don't expect your cambelt to last 4 or 5 years-it all depends. Water pumps also, for example, are made to last those ''x'' km-miles with G12 and if someone is using water for example they will fail much much earlier. Another common fault that most DYI'ers do is not changing the tensioner and then when it fails, everyone is looking for what went wrong and blame the cambelt kit brand e.t.c. which is wrong. Also the water pump has to be with the metal blades because engine temperature tends to wear the blades much more easily and then the damage is near. Sorry for big post but the truth is that.

ThomasItis

Which one of these kits?

http://www.mister-auto.co.uk/en/timing-belt-kit-with-water-pump/skoda-octavia-1u2-rs-1-8-t-180hp_v15293_g3096.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=mail&utm_campaign=UK-en_2016-05-09_EMBRAYAGE&utm_content=UK-en_2016-05-09_EMBRAYAGE

ThomasItis

Which one of these kits?

http://www.mister-auto.co.uk/en/timing-belt-kit-with-water-pump/skoda-octavia-1u2-rs-1-8-t-180hp_v15293_g3096.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=mail&utm_campaign=UK-en_2016-05-09_EMBRAYAGE&utm_content=UK-en_2016-05-09_EMBRAYAGE

Personally I would go for the Gates timing kit, but first I would give them a call to ask if the price differences have to do with the water pump build because usually pumps with plastic blades tend to wear more easy and that is why they are cheaper. If the pump into the Gates kit comes with metal blades that will be my choice.

Edited 11 May, 201610 yr by ThomasItis

I read that 5 years is like a best before date of the belts which includes shelf life according to Continental, so unless I'm doing mega miles I'll stick to that.