Timing belt over the change limit

[elaasi]

Hello everyone, 

 

I know there must be many threads and questions regarding this topic, and I also know that common sense and best recommendation will be to change it right now, but try to be in my situation and analyze from my perspective. So, I have a Skoda Fabia MK1 from 2005 with an 1.9 TDI ATD Engine (486000 km). As I know the recommended time between the change of the timing-belt for this engine is 120.000 km. Now, it is my first car, and when I bought it I literally had absolutely no knowledge, how the cars work, what to ask the previous owner and what to look on a used car. I realized now (bought the car in September) that I did not check or asked anything about the timing belt when I bought the car, so I checked the book and it was changed around 130.000 km ago. Soooo, I would change it right away, but I have a technical inspection in October, and the car is quite rusty and here in Denmark at least, they tend to not approve rusty cars and if it will not be approved I will not bother to fix it and my change of the timing belt will be a waste, on the other hand normally I do not drive too much, around 700 km a month, the only thing is that when I drive it is mostly city and a lot of idling. So my question, can I risk to wait until October and change the timing belt only after I am sure that I pass the inspection? Chances of passing the inspection 70%. 

 

Now the plot twist, in July I have planned a few trips in Germany it will be around 3000 - 3500 km in two weeks. 

 

I am fully conscious that currently mainly I am only pure luck and something wrong can happen any time and that I am on my own, I just need to know what experiences other people have had with this engine. I truly would change it, but I am a student and a little low on my finances ....so I am not sure. 

[sepulchrave]

You should at the very least inspect the entire belt carefully for any signs of damage or fraying or any oil contamination.

[retro]

In imperial the change is 60k miles/4 years.

 

I checked mine last week and it is on 6 years and 64k miles so I bought a kit from TPS today before VAT it came to £91.

 

I consider myself lucky that it hasn't snapped so I personally would get it done asap but it can potentially last until after the inspection, but definitely inspect the belt for damage.

Edited 19 June, 2018 by retro
Spelling

[Breezy_Pete]

Have a good look at it, but I would wait if it looks OK.

Wire brush some of the rust off just before the inspection, and change the belt soon after it passes.

[elaasi]

Yeah I am working currently on the rust, it is not as bad as it looks like, mostly it is surface rust didn't go through.....so maybe it will be ok

[elaasi]

I clean it to the bare metal, apply rust transformer, filler primer and paint, hopefully it will pass :)) 

[Breezy_Pete]

Most rust looks worse than it really is.

[elaasi]

well....on the doors on the other hand (btw I have no idea why it developed rust around the handles, all doors except the drivers) was quite nasty on the look, and when I cleaned it there was a good whole, and as I don't have a garage/tools, just working with the hands, couldn't weld a new piece of metal, so had to improvise with aluminium mesh and glass fiber filler, I am trully aware that this is merely a temporary fix...but hopefully it will last for a while. 

[elaasi]

I know that some photos are not really too much to analyze, but just take a look and say what you think.......

[sepulchrave]

I'd risk waiting until October, not that old by the looks of it and no damage or contamination visible.

 

You won't get the tartan rug brigade to agree, they're terrified of being wrong and always apply the precautionary principle in case the missus gets the upper hand.

[elaasi]

I suppose I am going to wait, maybe it was changed in the meantime and just not noted in the book, as the last visit to the mechanic, in the book is in 2012, when the timing was changed. Donno....

[elaasi]

44 minutes ago, sepulchrave said:

I'd risk waiting until October, not that old by the looks of it and no damage or contamination visible.

 

You won't get the tartan rug brigade to agree, they're terrified of being wrong and always apply the precautionary principle in case the missus gets the upper hand.

I didn't get the last sentence .....

[sepulchrave]

51 minutes ago, elaasi said:

I didn't get the last sentence .....

 

I know, it wasn't really for you anyway 

[taylsy01]

Just to let you know mate as it might help you make your mind up. I bought my 1.9tdi with 165000 Miles on the clock and the Speedo stopped working soon after so it hasn't moved from that lol. But I'd say I done about another 10-20k Miles before I bothered changing the timing belt. 

It was clearly still on its original belt when I did change it looked a hell of allot more worn than yours but still once I had it off and in my hand very few of the teeth have frayed. 

 

I personally would leave it. End of the day. Worst comes to worst you could probably get another engine about £200 maybe even less kms

[alfalincs]

There are only two possibilities. 1) It will last until October 2) It won't last until October.

 

I don't know how in heavens name I'm supposed to know which one will apply to your car....but good luck anyway

 

Knowing me I'd spend four months trying to decide...and then its October anyway

 

 

Edited 4 July, 2018 by alfalincs

[taylsy01]

2 hours ago, alfalincs said:

 

 

Knowing me I'd spend four months trying to decide...and then its October anyway

 

 

 

Anyone taking bets on what he'll end up doing? Cause that's what I'd put my money on. I'd do exactly that lol

[Titanium_Man]

From my records, my cambelt was 4 years old in January just gone. I asked for it to be changed and was told it was not due until it was 5 years old. (My annual mileage is low, so didn’t factor) In March it snapped despite the assurance of the mechanic in January that it was in top nic. 

 

Nobody really knows whether or not your belt will last until October. It’s a gamble. People/professionals can make an educated guess, but it’s still just that. 

 

All you can do is consider what’s more important; saving the cost of replacement belt or avoid a potential £1k bill if it goes/the need to buy a replacement car.

 

I gambled and took the advice of the mechanic, which left me with no car for a week and the bill to fix the damage, but I could afford to deal with the consequences, hence the risk. 

 

What would you do if you didn’t replace it and it did go(?) because that should be what leads you to change it or not. 

[Boatman1]

In the UK they recommend 4 yrs or 60,000 miles but on the continent they seem to recommend 5 years, perhaps to do with salt in the UK air I don't know I've had 3 changes in 12 years, given the cars age and the fact it's only done 3,000 miles in the last two years I think I will be using the five year interval in future provided there is no wear visible.

[elaasi]

hello, everyone, update on the matter, had my trips, around 2k km in total, everything ok, no issue, checked the timing belt again, doesn't look any different. I have tho two questions, for a while but forgot to ask and because there are many people on this post I will just ask here. So back in December, I changed the oil/oil filter myself and I remember that I checked the oil level a few days over to be sure that the oil level is ok. It was ok, the only thing that seemed strange, after a few days the oil looked black and a little smelly, is it normal? I expected it to keep it golden-ish colour for a longer time. And another thing is, how hard is to clean EGR valve yourself, I would like to do it before the technical inspection, and because it looks all oily and black, but I am not sure if I can do it myself home or should I go to a shop. I have a basic set of tools and I am decent at doing this stuff, the only thing I am afraid of breaking something and making it cost me more than just going to a shop. And the third thing, sometimes, really rarely (because normally I don't rev it too much) and especially on a very steep hill, if the car is revved to around 2500 - 3000  RPM it exhausts chunk of black smoke. Is that ok? Or is that a sign of something bad. Just so everyone knows it is a 1.9 TDI ATD (PD) with  390k km. 

Cheers! 

[Titanium_Man]

The quick change in oil colour is normal, panic not. 

 

The EGR valve removal is easy although one of the bolts is in a difficult place to access. I have massive hands and struggled a little but got there. Cleaning it is a very messy job. I took the manifold off and cleaned that at the same time. 

 

The black smoke is a diesel thing, although some do it more than others for various reasons. Could be worth checking your boost pipes for leakes as excess black smoke could mean a leak somewhere. 

[KenONeill]

@elaasi - As @jars says, the oil colour is normal, in fact with a diesel it means that the oil is working properly and holding soot particles in suspension.

 

I'd also suspect that you need to change the air filter, and maybe check for a boost leak.

[mgb281]

Obviously if the belt is damaged in any way it should be changed immediately, but perfectly good belts can snap at anytime. A bigger concern to me because I had it happen is the belt tensioner. I bought a second hand Volvo S60 a few years ago, it had a full dealer service history and the cam belt did not need changing for another 30000 miles but two weeks later the tensioner failed effectively writing the car off value wise. On inspection either the tensioner had not been replaced at the same time as the belt or it was an unlucky breakage, although the remnants of the bearing looked dry and rusty, I guess it was the former.

[elaasi]

Hello to everyone, just wanted to make an update (saw up there that people started making bets :D) so, as stated in the commentaries, since June I realized that my timing belt is passed the limit with around 40000 km now, had some long trips (to and back from Hamburg, to and back from Copenhagen, and daily driving and other small trips, everything good. Went for the technical inspection, everything good except it didn't pass the smoke opacity test, needed 3.0 and had 6.6...added an additive for diesel and filled up the tank, drove a few km with 4th speed on the motorway, worked, just came from the technical inspection 2.5 smoke opacity. Tomorrow will take the car to the mechanic to change the timing belt/drive belt/and rods (inner and centre rods), thank you, everyone, for the advice and everything.

[bmbmdmb]

Just to jump in on this thread. I used the guide on this site to replace the timing belt, tensioner and waterpump. It was recommended to change the waterpump as it is belt driven and no extra labor, also there were reports of the OEM plastic impeller blades breaking off and blocking the flow of coolant.

Is it recommended practice to change the waterpump to a metal one ? I bought a Dayco kit. Anyone got a better brand recommendation? Mine is 4years in, although only 30k since last change. 

There was also some discussion on the 4yr time being too conservative, although having read above from jars' failure at just above 4years, this view seems in contrast. 

Thanks 

 

Edited 13 September, 2018 by bmbmdmb