Right ive the 1.6tdi engine which is the same over the whole vag range,well ive a 61 plate which is 5 years old now and has 54,000 miles on it, ive been told timing belt now needs changing even though its not done the mileage but the years, so is it really necessary or over kill? , at approx £400-£500 it seems a shame to change it

Age related degradation is as likely to cause a failure as having done the mileage... id chamge it

£500 now is cheaper than a rebuild/new engine, look on it as an insurance. Your risk really.

Is it worth the risk?

 

Would you be ****ed if it snapped and totalled the engine?

 

If so get it done. And do the waterpump at the same time.

I ran (1981 - 1997) a petrol VW Golf Mk 1 for 16 years 75,000 miles on the same belt (Approx 5,000 miles a year). And, apart from the last 7 years of its life, that car was used for daily commuting M-F on the mean streets of West London (Harrow to Paddington) and some weekend use so it had at least 12-14 warm-up and cool-down cycles a week, reducing to 4-8 cycles in the last 7 years.

 

But on that model  the belt was tensioned by adjusting the position of the water pump drive, which was of course metal and a nice, economical and easily serviceable design. And, at 70,000 miles there was bugger-all wear on those belts and they were generally in good condition.. The current skodas rely on a separate plastic tensioner wheel and, apparently, it is usually this that breaks, though in the majority of cases, its not fatal, as the belt stays on the drive wheels and all that happens is that the engine starts to run slightly rough. So in those circumstances the belts were still good prior to the tensioner breaking and perhaps were only banjaxed by the broken tensioner. I'm happy to be corrected, but I don't think you can get the tensioner as a separate item - it only comes with the belt(s).

 

I think up until recently Continental rated its timing belts at 120,000 and has only recently added the additional requirement of 5 years, so that's 120,000 or 5 years (Pressure from Skoda ?).

 

I've read that the 5 years rule doesn't apply on the continent.

 

Since about 2008, Skoda UK have been saying change every 4 years ? But, I presume, that the 4 year is derived from average daily usuage i.e. 12,000 miles a year and a daily commute, M-F. A lesser usuage pattern may confer added years. As well may do a sedate driving style and lesser torqued petrol over diesel.

 

I'm in the same position. TBs were last replaced at 45,000 in 2009. So the car is now well over due in terms of elapsed years (But not mileage, only  61000 on the clock  at present) - the last four years has seen usuage as low as 2-4 warm-up/cool down cycles a week. Trouble is illness and lack of funds mean that I've had to defer it. In fact, I thought about getting mine done later this year.

 

 

Nick

Change it.

 

Is a bit of a lottery. I have changed plenty of belt that have been on for five years and done 80K and they have looked like new. But I have changed a belt at 2 years old at less than 20K because it looked ropey as hell

Edited 3 June, 201610 yr by SuperbTWM

Go to a local Audi specialist and it might be a bit cheaper.

http://aam-europe.contitech.de/pages/kits/zahnriemen-kit/zahnriemen-kit_en.html

 

Some good guidance from Continental (In PDF at the bottom of the page) on form and function, how to spot faults, what to replace, with what and how.

 

If you are minded to do it yourself you can save a £200-300 on labour. I've done it, years ago, on an Alfa Sud, relatively easy, although time consuming. First step might be inspection.

 

Needless to say, the main dealers are not inclined to do inspections only - they, as a matter of policy more than anything else, are only interested in the big money for replacement. But an indie might.

 

Inspection is made easier if you borrow someone's fibre optic cam - my local Skoda main dealer said they'd have to borrow one to do an in situ inspection of a gear box oil seal in the bell-housing of my Fab. So I offered to lend mine and they declined but managed to do it anyway ! 

 

Nick

Edited 3 June, 201610 yr by Clunkclick