Hi Group

What mileage should I change my Cam Belt on my 2014 OCTAVIA MK3 2.0 TDI DSG current Mileage 45000 should I also include New Water Pump?

 

Chris from Plymouth UK

I think 45k is a bit early, more like 70k. I think I had my old mk2 Octy done around then, might even have been 80k which is maybe starting to push it a bit. 

 

There seems to be be a lot of debate around the correct/best time, if you search the forum you’ll find loads of discussions on it. 

 

Edit: personally I’d suggest doing the water pump at the same time. Much cheaper that way as they already have it in pieces so saving the labour charge, and I’ve read lots of reports of people getting leaks in theirs within a few months of having the belt done. 

Edited 13 January, 20197 yr by maffyou

There's also a maximum age as well as a max mileage when it's due. I think mine was 5 years but yours may be different.

at 4 years old I would look at changing it regardless of the mileage, as above, the actual interval is 5 years IIRC

Edited 13 January, 20197 yr by SuperbTWM

Dealers appear to be the least knowledgeable of everyone.

 

Contact Skoda UK with your VIN. They'll tell you 5 years, but also the mileage...

 

 

 

https://tools.skoda.co.uk/contact-us

51 minutes ago, maffyou said:

I think 45k is a bit early, more like 70k. I think I had my old mk2 Octy done around then, might even have been 80k which is maybe starting to push it a bit. 

 

There seems to be be a lot of debate around the correct/best time, if you search the forum you’ll find loads of discussions on it. 

 

Edit: personally I’d suggest doing the water pump at the same time. Much cheaper that way as they already have it in pieces so saving the labour charge, and I’ve read lots of reports of people getting leaks in theirs within a few months of having the belt done. 

Hi All thank you for your help.

In the owners manual it only specifies a distance 210,000km  (from memory,so don't take that figure as gospel) but for whatever reason in this country there seems to be this plucked out of the air theory of  '5 years or something like 50,000 miles which ever comes first'. Depends how paranoid you are I guess as to which way to go. I had a mk2 vrs which didn't have a cambelt kit and waterpump change till I bought it at 5 years old and 107,000 miles (170,000ish km) I had it for 6 years/ 30,000 miles before giving it to my son (when I bought my current mk3) and he had it done then, MY Mk3 is now 5 years old and on 27,000miles, I have no intention of getting it done for at least another year or more and that will be out of fear of the waterpump failing rather than the cambelt kit.

Edited 13 January, 20197 yr by hatchy

I honestly think the 4/5 year thing is manufacturers being overly cautious to cover themselves. 

Good business too for them. I recently had a letter/flyer come through from Sparshatts in Fareham where I bought my car from about having the brake fluid done as it's 5 years old (meant to be first changed at 3 years, then every 2 years after). Nothing from them about having the cambelt kit/waterpump done so not all dealers are pushing this 5 year change interval.

6 minutes ago, maffyou said:

I honestly think the 4/5 year thing is manufacturers being overly cautious to cover themselves. 

 

The 4/5 yr thing has always been a VAG UK thing.

 

Other markets seem to follow an inspect and replace if necessary regime.

 

28 minutes ago, xman said:

 

The 4/5 yr thing has always been a VAG UK thing.

 

Other markets seem to follow an inspect and replace if necessary regime.

 

I’ve read schedules for some other manufacturers and a common thing is that timescales have shortened over the last 5-10 years. E.g. Hyundai used to say 7 or 8 years a few years back but now they say 4/5 - have components got worse or are manufacturers covering themselves (and conveniently finding an opportunity to take money from people after making a sale?)

 

I still think the number of miles driven is a much more significant factor than just time elapsed. 

I have been told 5 years/100k by indys and dealers. Personally at 45k I'd be changing it. If 20k in that time I'd maybe stretch it out a year or so depending on how the engine had been treated.

Given that not many cars make 15 years old, we're talking a maximum of three cambelts over its life.

 

Not overly unreasonable at approx. £400.

1 hour ago, MarkyG82 said:

I have been told 5 years/100k by indys and dealers. Personally at 45k I'd be changing it. If 20k in that time I'd maybe stretch it out a year or so depending on how the engine had been treated.

I suppose an issue here is that we’re relying on info from the people who’re trying to make money out of us... I honestly don’t think all garages are crooks but it’s not in their interests to suggest it might be longer, is it?

 

i just don’t see how hardly driving it over 4 years - say 25k - can cause the same wear as lots of driving over 4 years - say 80k. It makes no sense to me. 

Funniest i read was about a Citigo on this forum and it was said required changing at 240,000 km & another was 160,000 km.

 

The thing with VW Group is km to miles never translates well.  Skoda UK seem to have a km to miles conversion issue as well, 

but then hardly surprising as how can you use a converter or calculator if you confuse your arse from your elbow.

 

I see someone has a New Skoda coming and it was about £43,000 and it is not even a Kodiaq vRS.    Did Skoda mix up the decimal point?

Edited 13 January, 20197 yr by Skoffski

12 minutes ago, maffyou said:

 

i just don’t see how hardly driving it over 4 years - say 25k - can cause the same wear as lots of driving over 4 years - say 80k. It makes no sense to me. 

 

That's the point. It's not just wear that requires the change. Age also causes the materials to harden. I have seen it first hand albeit a drive belt for a marine water pump. Would rather not see my cambelt fail for the sake of a few quid. Modern belts are much better than the old school jobs hence the period where man's were quoting 10years life. Whether the newer/shorter periods are for money making...........

VW have never found a source of good water pumps since they stopped building air cooled V-dubs.

 

The water pumps are pretty much like for marine use ones, they can pump out coolant like a bilge pump.

 

As to rubber, belts, gaskets, seals, tyres, wipers etc etc all VW really know is get as cheap as possible and if they can last the length of the manufacturers warranty

all is good, if not then tough titty.

Best not get into chains and tensioners, that is a whole other bucket or kettle of fish, or can of worms.

4 hours ago, maffyou said:

I honestly think the 4/5 year thing is manufacturers being overly cautious to cover themselves. 

 

 

Of course they have to be cautious, the amount of variables involved in the service of a drive belt are huge and the resulting damage that can occur is also huge. 

 

I know damn well when I change my timing belt it comes off like new and that it might do another 4/5 years and 100k, but its still not worth the risk for the sake of a few hundred quid when a new engine could be a couple of grand. There is also the life of the bearings in the idlers/water pump/tensioner. Only takes one to go bad to ruin your day

 

 

 

Edited 14 January, 20197 yr by SuperbTWM

Unless the water pump has been changed already then by most accounts at 45k miles its failure is imminent.

So the plan to do both is sensible but I tend to agree with MarkyG82 that there are self-serving factors involved in the manufacturer's recommendations.

 

I've already stated in another similar thread that I will not be changing my belt at 5 years as it has only done 50k km. 

Different car and belt but our 15 yo 185k km Toyota Echo is still on its original belt (chain) and going and sounding like new. Cost of belt/chain replacement would be more than the car's value.

Replace timing belt at 210000 kms for non dust rich countries.

Source Erwin Skoda

As for water pump wait until it fails, if ever.

Roger

9 hours ago, Gerrycan said:

 Cost of belt/chain replacement would be more than the car's value.

 

I've been round this a few times in the past and came to the conclusion that, unless the bill would be thousands, it's often more economical to repair as you know the service history of the vehicle and having probably owned it for a number years know every squeak and rattle.  Replacing for a £1000 machine with only what it says in the service book would scare me unless it was a second/toy car.

15 hours ago, mobil531 said:

Replace timing belt at 210000 kms for non dust rich countries.

Source Erwin Skoda

Roger

 

 

Exactly. The 'pinned' service/workshop pdf on here also states just a distance (210,000km) no mention of a time schedule. I had a look on vw forum last night and a link to the USA schedule also just states a distance 130,000miles (210,000km) and no time schedule. It is only this country where garages prey on peoples paranoia and tell you it has to be done at about a third of the distance (50,000miles) or if you're a low mileage driver we'll have you by the short and curlies still by telling you it's 5 years also if that comes before the 50,000. Like said I'll get mine done in a year or 2 and it will be well below the 'uk' distance but I'm more worried about the waterpump as VW seem to have an inherent habit of making these substandard.

 

By all means go by what Skoda UK say and get it done.

 

Off topic but still on servicing there are probably people here happy to go along with this unnecessary frequency of  belt change but will then let their engine go 2 years or 18,000miles between oil changes because the garage says it's ok. In my mind this is absolutely bonkers and I'll change the oil every year. Just done my first change since getting the car last January and covered just 7,000 miles. Each to their own at the end of the day.