Our Sept 2010 1.6TDI  Octavia with the dreaded DQ200 transmission has some 127,000 miles on, she got the first timing belt at 4 years from recall.

Having spent some £1,600.00 replacing the mechatronic unit about 18 months ago, for the gearbox to then briefly misbehave(erratic behavouir and graunching noises, on one outing only) presumably thereby digesting some of its mechanical innards, only a few months later,

but it is now OK?, certainly driving 100%

Plus more recently the apparently inevitable Seimens injector failures ,( at £200.00 a pop plus labour) and likelyhood of the CR pump failing.

 

I reckon spending the middle hundreds on a timing belt could/would be foolish.

 

BUT?

How long am I likely to get?

The car is only out about once a week and never far travelled, so I could probably suffer the indignity of a  roadside, or more likely car park  recovery(and it would be the first such occassion in my 40 years driving exp btw.)

Assuming the belt is most likely to fail on starting/a cold start, i.e. very very unlikely to fail while actually driving. (since I drive very moderately, no excessive engine revs with the DSG)

Thoughts please

Marcus

Edited 20 September, 20196 yr by marcusthehat

Personally I'd get the belt done ASAP, it's 9 years old and 127K miles?  I'm pretty sure it should have been changed after 5 years regardless of mileage (which is the case for most VAG belts from what I've heard/read).

 

It doesn't really matter how often it's driven, it it still at/past the end of it's recommended life, when it goes the damage to the engine could be catastrophic and effectively put the car beyond economical repair.  For the sake of a few hundred quid you're risking a worthless car or a several thousand quid repair bill :/

Are you saying car is now 9 years, 127,000 miles, but had a new timing belt at 4 years (what mileage ?), or it is still on original belt

 

If it was done at 4 years then leave it, it is guesswork if it will fail in 4 weeks or 4 years. 

If the belt is original it is on borrowed time already, could fail soon

 

Your car is at close to a point where expensive preventative work will cost more than it is worth, you might not need anything major, but if you do, probably not economic to do it on a car approaching 10 years and 130k miles.   Can't answer because it depends what else will need doing  within couple of years, tyres, exhaust, injectors etc.  You don't want a cumulative total of £2k+

 

I would suggest you don't change belt second time, but put the money aside as a deposit for a replacement just in case it drops dead on you.

 

 

 

 

SJ, Thank you, and indeed that was my analysis, a relatively worthless car (1.6 diesel with Siemens "when-not-if" failure prone  injectors and especially in conjunction with the DQ200 DSG transmission), any money invested past a new tyre or 2 could well be rued.

And she did get a timing belt at 4 years 60/80 k odd.

Fingers crossed.

thanks,

Marcus

Fixed price is £429 for the cambelt and yes, it's due for changing based on Skoda UK's 4/5 year recommendation. Other counties don't have the time limit so it *might* be OK.

 

 

Maybe worth getting the brakes/suspension/exhaust/DPF/EGR checked out and if they are in good condition, consider doing the cambelt, especially given you've got the DSG sorted. Obviously if there are problems coming up or parts that are beginning to wear out then you can just drive it into the ground...

 

As an example, my Octavia is on 178k and 8 years old so it'll need a cambelt in about 18 months based on mileage or two years based on time. At the moment, it's working well and has no obvious issues that'll need fixing so I'm certainly planning to replace the cambelt when it's due. Given how reliable it's been, I'd rather keep it instead of swapping for a car I don't know with other potential issues...

 

I'd definitely do it if you were wanting the car to last a bit longer. the CAYC is an interference engine so as soon as that belt snaps you've got a 2 tonne paper weight on your hands. If you don't want to drive it for much longer, just inspect the belt with every oil change. 

12 hours ago, marfrohun said:

an interference engine

 

Can you explain what this means, please?

 

Ta

7 minutes ago, StickyMicky said:

 

Can you explain what this means, please?

 

Ta

It just means that the valves will go into the combustion chamber, where the Piston would be at top dead center. This is not a problem, as when the valves open, the Piston won't be at TDC. 

 

However, if the cambelt snaps, then the Piston and valves will collide and make delicious metal soup.

 

The vast majority of engines are now interference engines, that's why cambelts and chains are more important to maintain than ever. Back on certain old non-interference cars you'd snap a belt and the engine would just stall out without causing major damage.

 

Hope I helped!

Edited 25 September, 20196 yr by marfrohun

Thanks.  I thought that was what you meant but I hadn't come across the term before so I thought I'd better ask

 

I was and am aware of the potential for "catastrophic" engine failure, BUT with the known unknowns of;

(i) Expensive injector failures and No 2 already "failed",

With quite a few trailer towing after dark in winter rush hour "limp" mode miles of stressful driving to get home, but, fingers crossed self cured overnight,

which per a very reputable local VW independant is par-for-the-course for these batch of Siemens injectors, not if, but when, from 40,000 onwards.

(ii) Expensive IP failure, the same indy predicted this likelyhood, since the injector "failure" was most probably due to pending IP failure, if I understood correctly.

(iii) Even more expensive transmission failure(and I have had expensive sounding noises/misbehavouir already, like did the gearbox digest some of the syncromesh cones?)

I suppose if the car was a manual, I would be prepared to spend the money on a timing belt, and take a chance on the IP  and injectors.

BUT!

 

Edited 25 September, 20196 yr by marcusthehat

Belts do go any diesel contamination kills them fairly quickly but what fails as often as the belt is its tensioner same result different cause.

I actually found the invoice for the timing belt, it was fitted(complete with a water pump etc)

at 82,500 miles on the 16-9-2015,

so guessing no worries, 4 years and only 46,000 miles later.

Regards all,

mth

 

 

I bought a genuine cambelt kit with water pump and coolant for £148 from a VW dealer on eBay and got my trusted Merc specialist to fit it (one of the techs has an Audi so has all the VAG gear) 

I’m in a similar situation as the scout is coming up to 10 years old. It’s been a great car but not sure it will be worth doing the next cambelt change in 4 years time.  If you decide to get it done use a trusted dealer or indie - a badly fitted one is a disaster.

 

Mark

Well apart from needing front discs(warped and juddering on braking) and rear pads(MOT advisory), and I will possibly/probably replace the discs and pads at all 4 corners.

Plus a VERY NOISY A/C clutch/pully?, presumably refer to an A/C specialist, and we have a very good guy locally.

BUT!

How do I set or re-set the speed limit warning, which function I have never used,

NOR can I find any information in the manual,

BUT I have inadvertently managed to set it to trigger at 41MPH.

Bloody annoying,

Regards,

Marcus

Been there done that, play with the maxidot and you will find something, I think it is in the manual.

On 20/09/2019 at 11:54, marcusthehat said:

Our Sept 2010 1.6TDI  Octavia with the dreaded DQ200 transmission has some 127,000 miles on, she got the first timing belt at 4 years from recall.

Having spent some £1,600.00 replacing the mechatronic unit about 18 months ago, for the gearbox to then briefly misbehave(erratic behavouir and graunching noises, on one outing only) presumably thereby digesting some of its mechanical innards, only a few months later,

but it is now OK?, certainly driving 100%

Plus more recently the apparently inevitable Seimens injector failures ,( at £200.00 a pop plus labour) and likelyhood of the CR pump failing.

 

I reckon spending the middle hundreds on a timing belt could/would be foolish.

 

BUT?

How long am I likely to get?

The car is only out about once a week and never far travelled, so I could probably suffer the indignity of a  roadside, or more likely car park  recovery(and it would be the first such occassion in my 40 years driving exp btw.)

Assuming the belt is most likely to fail on starting/a cold start, i.e. very very unlikely to fail while actually driving. (since I drive very moderately, no excessive engine revs with the DSG)

Thoughts please

Marcus

Daughter had this on an 09 Pug. I've just had my Fabia belt changed at110k. Last change was at 63k, but a lot of years ago . I've been lucky as this belt had no major problems and the Aux belt had minor cracks. Cost at an Indie was 340 . As said, engine is an interferance fit, so if belt breaks it's bye bye engine as pistons will meet valves.

 

For those interested ,here is the Gospel on cambelt changes according to Skoda

 

If it was me I would just get a new one fitted.

Any car I get these days the first thing I do is have a belt fitted for peace of mind.

I'm in the same boat. Car is a 2.0 TDi BKD engine with 99k miles on it and 14 years old. Had the belt done at 65k miles but that was about 7 years ago!  I only do about 3-4k miles a year as I tend to cycle everywhere more as it tends to be quicker.

 

Car needs new rear brake pads/disks so I'm looking at a bill for £450-500 all in. Half the worth of the car.  Apart from that the car is in good condition as I've owned it for the last 11 years. I'll probably keep it longer so I really must get the belt done soon or else I'll be tempting fate.  I also need 4 new winter tyres on my spare set of steels.

 

Question - do late FL Mk2 and Mk3 Octavias still have the same PCD for the wheels? If I was to get another car it would certainly be another Octy as it is the perfect car for my needs.

Its very easy on that engine to remove the upper timing belt cover, you dont even need tools.

 

You can then inspect the whole length of the belt for deterioration by pushing the car backwards in gear.

 

Should give you peace of mind.

Thanks for the tip/advice, But? Will that work with a DSG?

 

MORE importantly,

Where can I source the rubber gaiter/boot that protects the rear brake pistons? Answered myself = Ebay.

 

BOTH Local Motor Factor says I need to buy a complete caliper?

 

And Lord God but was the piston murder-tight/hard to wind back with the propriatary wind-back tool, so it looks like the seals have swollen, so really I need a set incl new pistons(off Ebay) or at least a set incl the seals.

 

Bearing in mind I have lovingly cleaned down 3 sets of "G" Wagen(on 3 seperate & still owned G Wagens) calipers including splitting them and replacing the seals,

I still do not really want to be arsed with such fettling on a Skoda approaching the end of its likely useful life.

 

ANYWAY: A kit has been ordered off Ebay

 

Edited 22 October, 20196 yr by marcusthehat

2 hours ago, marcusthehat said:

Thanks for the tip/advice, But? Will that work with a DSG?

 

MORE importantly,

Where can I source the rubber gaiter/boot that protects the rear brake pistons?

 

Local Motor Factor says I need to buy a complete caliper?

 

And Lord God but was the piston murder-tight/hard to wind back with the propriatary wind-back tool.

 

 

 

You could try Bigg Redd - they do all sorts of brake caliper parts:

http://www.biggreddemo.auto-guru.uk/

Bigg Redd was the supplier I ordered from.

btw

The off side dust cover was perfectly undamaged

(where the near side one had clearly been cut/scobed/damaged by my erstwise mechanic, or the underpaid uncaring individuals he employed, more likely)

and the piston screwed back much more easily, and the B & B pads fitted 1st go.

So that was an "easy-peasy" operation.

In conscience the brakes a nice bit of engineering by VW, in respect of changing pads or discs, and I got the disc out without difficulty WITHOUT removing the 2nd part of the caliper.

And it is all remarkedly sound and unrusted in there, except that dirt trap where the metal brake pipe is connected to the flexible brake pipe.

Marcus,theHat

How hard is it to do the brake pads on the rear? Mine need doing. I’d usually do this myself but now Winter is drawing near and the weather is sh!tty most of the time and I use the street for my workshop I’m contemplating taking it to the garage but they quoted £90-100 to do this. 

As per my comment above, remarkedly easy, I looked up a Youtube presentation which was very good, only a 13 mm and 15 mm spanner needed, and no other special tools.

this one;

 

Seriously impressed by the rapid delivery by Bigg Redd.

Ordered about midday yesterday

Del am today.

SLICK!