If anyone is after the timing belt issue answer...
I've researched it in 4 different languages and 6 different countries (not all personally). Answer is: depending on the climate one should replace timing belt from every 2 years to never.

 

Timing belt lifetime is determined by 2 factors: ambient temperature changes and dust air levels. Thus Skoda UK, Skoda Germany, Skoda Poland and Skoda Central (Czechia) all say in those countries 4 years is max (it was 5 years for cars before 2015). The more south you go the longer this interval becomes, to the point where Spain, Italy and Greece have no recommendation on timing belt change interval (yes: no need to replace while car is alive). But if you cross Mediterranean, the belt change is recommended to be every 2 years due to high dust level... I think I found some sort of a leaflet when clicking though Skoda.cz homepage with the info above, and if I can find it (IIRC I saved it), I will add it to the post.

 

However, there is a point to be made: timing belt is just a part of timing kit. If water pump seizes, it is exactly the same result as snapped timing belt. And here recommendations are a bit more murky... And I'm pretty sure mileage matters for pump and rollers and tension etc way more than temperatures in winter.
So. Facing the above I decided to just go with peace of mind and replaced timing kit on my Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI 2015 (MK II FL) in December 2018, at 3.5 years but after odometer clocking at 105k miles.

Not saying £450 is small change, but at some point cost cutting is anything but.

 

Thanks,

On 29/10/2019 at 02:31, Ace78 said:

If anyone is after the timing belt issue answer...
I've researched it in 4 different languages and 6 different countries (not all personally). Answer is: depending on the climate one should replace timing belt from every 2 years to never.

 

Timing belt lifetime is determined by 2 factors: ambient temperature changes and dust air levels. Thus Skoda UK, Skoda Germany, Skoda Poland and Skoda Central (Czechia) all say in those countries 4 years is max (it was 5 years for cars before 2015). The more south you go the longer this interval becomes, to the point where Spain, Italy and Greece have no recommendation on timing belt change interval (yes: no need to replace while car is alive). But if you cross Mediterranean, the belt change is recommended to be every 2 years due to high dust level... I think I found some sort of a leaflet when clicking though Skoda.cz homepage with the info above, and if I can find it (IIRC I saved it), I will add it to the post.

 

However, there is a point to be made: timing belt is just a part of timing kit. If water pump seizes, it is exactly the same result as snapped timing belt. And here recommendations are a bit more murky... And I'm pretty sure mileage matters for pump and rollers and tension etc way more than temperatures in winter.
So. Facing the above I decided to just go with peace of mind and replaced timing kit on my Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI 2015 (MK II FL) in December 2018, at 3.5 years but after odometer clocking at 105k miles.

Not saying £450 is small change, but at some point cost cutting is anything but.

 

Thanks,

That's actually super insightful - I wouldn't have thought that dust would affect the lifetime of the belt that much since it's all covered up. Thanks for sharing!

So finally got my cambelt done along with water pump for £320 incl vat. Not too bad I suppose for genuine VAG belt kit etc from an independent specialist. 

 

Pics of old belt after 50k miles and 8 years!!  Looks like the scales of a Pangolin. 

You've had the DSG repaired and the injectors, so the 2 likely failures on that car are new and will likely do another 100k.

 

If the rest of the car is in good shape,  why would you not maintain it to get another 100k out of it?

 

It will get a new water pump and coolant too.

 

Kirkynut 

30 minutes ago, kirkynut said:

You've had the DSG repaired and the injectors, so the 2 likely failures on that car are new and will likely do another 100k.

 

If the rest of the car is in good shape,  why would you not maintain it to get another 100k out of it?

 

It will get a new water pump and coolant too.

 

Kirkynut 

Kirkynut,

Was that addressed to me? probably, so I will answer.

Anyway, yes I spent £1600.00 odd on a new mechatronic unit, probably 18 months ago now, subsequent to which, from the briefly erratic behavouir and relatively prolonged graunching/grinding noises, I am reasonably convinced that the actual mechanical geared part of the DSG transmission, "lunched" on some of its innards, the syncromesh cones perhaps?

But with the fault codes cleared, the car is driving 100%, but I simply cannot TRUST the car even 100%.

The wife simply does NOT trust the car at all, so other than risking a short local run in daylight hours,

she much prefers 20 year old MB 461 or 30 year old MB 460 "G" Wagen mechanical technology, with zero depreciation albeit a higher fuel bill.

The No. 2 injector then threw a fault code and caused me to drive 25 miles after dark, on a winters evening, in the rain, towing a twin axle trailer, at about 15-25 mph in rush hour traffic.

But the next morning all was good, except for the logged fault code, and ongoing "trust" issues.

I did NOT spend the £200.00 a pop, each,+ Labour and coding to replace the injectors, since the very reputable VW indy informed me that my CR pump would be digesting its innards, and this at a measly 125,000 miles.

So how much good money do I throw at a 9 year old money-pit car, which each year is up against N.I.'s much more strict Government run MOT test.

I did treat her to new pads and discs all round, and actually this was post a recent(i.e. Sept) MOT pass, but she really  needed them, the back pads being wafer thin and the front discs were warped, causing a bad low speed judder. I did that work myself btw.

Regards,

Marcus

Edited 17 November, 20196 yr by marcusthehat

16 minutes ago, marcusthehat said:

Kirkynut,

Was that addressed to me? probably, so I will answer.

Anyway, yes I spent £1600.00 odd on a new mechatronic unit, probably 18 months ago now, subsequent to which, from the briefly erratic behavouir and relatively prolonged graunching/grinding noises, I am reasonably convinced that the actual mechanical geared part of the DSG transmission, "lunched" on some of its innards, the syncromesh cones perhaps?

But with the fault codes cleared, the car is driving 100%, but I simply cannot TRUST the car even 100%.

The wife simply does NOT trust the car at all, so other than risking a short local run in daylight hours,

she much prefers 20 year old MB 461 or 30 year old MB 460 "G" Wagen mechanical technology, with zero depreciation albeit a higher fuel bill.

The No. 2 injector then threw a fault code and caused me to drive 25 miles after dark, on a winters evening, in the rain, towing a twin axle trailer, at about 15-25 mph in rush hour traffic.

But the next morning all was good, except for the logged fault code, and ongoing "trust" issues.

I did NOT spend the £200.00 a pop, each,+ Labour and coding to replace the injectors, since the very reputable VW indy informed me that my CR pump would be digesting its innards, and this at a measly 125,000 miles.

So how much good money do I throw at a 9 year old money-pit car, which each year is up against N.I.'s much more strict Government run MOT test.

I did treat her to new pads and discs all round, and actually this was post a recent(i.e. Sept) MOT pass, but she really  needed them, the back pads being wafer thin and the front discs were warped, causing a bad low speed judder. I did that work myself btw.

Regards,

Marcus

Yes Marcus, it was addressed to you. 

 

If you and your wife feel this way about it, why not sell it now, whilst it is worth more than scrap money and not wait for the timing belt failure, being stranded waiting for recovery and disliking every trip out in it between now and whenever that may be?

 

You're obviously not happy with it, so flog it on with the positives being that the gearbox has been refreshed and is unlikely to cause issues. 

 

Then you will have more money to put towards something that doesn't make you feel as you have described. 

 

My BMW is old and has cost me a fair chunk of money over the last year but nowhere near yours. I do all my work myself and have got fed up with it. I seem to have turned a corner though, so I'm keeping it for the moment but if something else on it costs me money after a fair amount of preventative maintenance I'll have had enough and will take my own advice above!

 

So I can emphasize with you in your situation. I just think we need to be decisive.

 

Kirkynut 

Ah!

You got me there Kirbynut, analysis paralysis  and indecision are my middle names.

I was hoping to get an actual proper scrappage deal, since I could trade my horrible dirty diesel in against a "clean" modern petrol.

But I have not seen any such deals.

In good condition she is worth £2,300 private or £1,300 trade in, but interior is well  dog scruffy and the carpet worn clean through to the metal of the transmission tunnel by my redundant right foot(being a DSG)

So guessing £1,500 to £1,800 in a private sale, and prob a princely £1,000 trade in.

And I figure she is worth more than that to me as a fingers-crossed daily driver.

Regards,

Marcus

21 hours ago, Golf-Fiend said:

So finally got my cambelt done along with water pump for £320 incl vat. Not too bad I suppose for genuine VAG belt kit etc from an independent specialist. 

 

Pics of old belt after 50k miles and 8 years!!  Looks like the scales of a Pangolin. 

that’s just the cotton braiding on the belt, I’m guessing it’s there to quieten the belt when running, the outside of the belt is a better indication of the condition of it, most the belts I’ve pulled out are not too bad but I did have a 1.8t belt that looked bad but it was still running on the car when I took it off.

 

 

as you can see on a new belt the near white cotton braiding on the inside, this goes as your pictures over time well before the end of the service life of the belt.

 

 

Anyway folks, despite I, me, mesel replacing the brake discs and pads at all 4 corners(and Hell Roast the Engineer who designed those ****ty corrision prone aluminium rear calipers)

And then needing to do sommat about the screedling A/C clutch pully.

I will continue to drive the Octavia "from Hell to Skerry", until she ****s hersel proper.

BUT

I am flying over to England next week to collect her replacement, which hopefully should be good for the next 20 years(i.e. should see me to 80 plus)

 

A 1988 LWB G Wagen, re-powered with an OM605 engine, and ALL totally electronic free and fixable with mere common sense and non-electronic tools.

And driving like a dream, especially for a 31 year old vehicle.

 

Regards all

Marcus