Not to hijack this thread but is there a definitive cambelt change interval guide?  I can't seem to find one the same as the last.

 

Mine (2005 1.9 tdi) was done 2.5 years (and about 45k miles) ago which seems to be within limits as far as I can tell?

Just now, JamieH86 said:

Not to hijack this thread but is there a definitive cambelt change interval guide?  I can't seem to find one the same as the last.

 

Mine (2005 1.9 tdi) was done 2.5 years (and about 45k miles) ago which seems to be within limits as far as I can tell?

If its a PD diesel, which it probably is, then its 4 years/40,000 miles so yours is overdue. PD engines are hard on belts due to having to operate the PD injectors as well the valve gear and run the water pump, plus it was undersized. The design and quality of some components (water pump and tensioner) were also under par, so its recommended you change them at the same time as the belt.

Hi Well spent most of the day stripping it down, It was the water pump it collapsed shredding the belt I got the timing tools does the one on the crank look right?. also I am going to have to change the oil seal on the crank where the pully is what is that like to change?. it is leaking then its put the pump and the belt on see if I can rotate the crank with a spanner without any interference and fingers crossed see if it starts. What is the oil seal like to change on the crank pully?.

Hi fitted the water pump all the pulleys and the belt that was a sod to get on, figured out the timing turned the crank with a spanner no interference, made sure everything was clear, and went for it, it started first turn of the key and ran perfectly!!, what a relief actually brought me to tears. Could not get the bolt undone from the crank to change the oil seal, so put the engine mount back on took it to a local garage that had one of those hammer guns that undid it, so I will be changing the oil seal tomorrow and putting it back together, I know it means taking the belt off again but at least I know the engine is ok. Thanks to everyone that commented and gave advice. It's been quite a journey and an emotional one as well.      

adokS12, you are a very lucky person. I bet that you had your heart in your mouth when you turned the key to start it. If I were you I would get a compression test done on all 4 cylinders just to make sure that there are no unknown problems lurking about.

It would be interesting to know if that was a genuine vag water pump. For the drive sprocket to break apart like that suggests it was a cheap pattern part or a counterfeit.

Last year while on furlough I thought I would change the cam belt and water pump on my 2007 VRS TDI, well, it all went ok, run sweet as a nut while waiting for the temp to come up, anyways, put wheels back on and drove it back onto the drive.

 

Next day started it up and it was rattling like a good un, thought strange, was not like that the day before??, took it down the road, was ok off tick over, was more rattly on tick over, got home parked up on the drive, thought sod it sort it tomorrow, tomorrow comes, and it would not start, took the cam belt cover off and there is was.........the cam belt was loose as anything, thought Bu@@er, new engine time, only had 69,000 odd on the clock.

 

Strip down started, first thing was to put bore scope down inlet side as this is where the sound was coming from, all looked ok...........found it, the tensioner stud had stripped the threads in the head (common problem apparently -, after 3 or 4 cam belts thanks to VW putting new studs in the kits), so when you change the stud it weakens the threads by a tiny amount every time.

 

Anyways off with it's head, found the inlet valves had just kissed the pistons (not a full on snog, just a little peck), so got the bits to rebuild it, and helicoiled the stud, head had to come of to do that anyway, head gasket was on it's way out, and number 8 head bolt was loose from the factory!!!!.

 

So rebuilt it and fired it up eventually when the diesel decided to fill the head, and again it was running sweet as.

 

The two photos show the head and block, I think I was very lucky, and no I did not get a lottery ticket LOL:)

 

 

Trev