Fabia 1.2 tsi cam belt...how many?

[Agilecanonbal]

Hi, looking at getting a fabia 1.2 tsi 2016, however I will be checking if the cam belt has been done, it appears there is a cam belt to be changed (hopefully along with tensioners) at 5 years regardless of mileage, and the other side of the engine is the aux belt and water pump, but have also been informed there is a second cam belt, which requires the aux belt and water pump to be removed to get to it! Is this true? Is there anyone in this group that has the knowledge of this? I'm getting really conflicting information on Google searches, so thought I'd ask in a place where actual owners are, and who have better knowledge! I'm viewing it soon and would like to be armed with information from people actually in the know! Thank you in advance for any information from you all 👍

[Titanium_Man]

I have can’t see there being 2 cambelts   Cambelts are used to keep the crank and camshaft in time with each other, so really no need for 2 of them on a small engine. 
 

it’ll be an aux belt that drives the alternator, A/C and maybe the power steering (not overly familiar with your engine, but stick me in front of it and i’d be able to tell you) plus an actual cambelt that won’t be visible without removing a plastic cover. 
 

Some cars have water pumps that are driven by the cambelt, some are driven by the aux belt. 
 

Hopefully, someone with direct knowledge of the 1.2tsi engine will come along and clarify. 
 

 

[aubrey]

The cambelt on the left hand side of the engine gets changed every 5 years. The independent VW specialist I use recommended that the water pump & its belt, on the right hand side, get replaced every other cambelt change to mitigate failure i.e. every 10 years.

 

There is an aux belt that also drives the alternator and A/C Pump - That I guess is just inspect and replace if needed.  So we are talking about 3 belts on the TSI Engine. It actually has 2 water pumps too, the one on the right side of the engine driven by that small toothed belt and an electric water pump.

 

There is no second cambelt, it is a twin cam engine and both cams are driven by the single cambelt under the plastic cover on the left hand side of the engine.

Edited 17 May, 2022 by aubrey

[Agilecanonbal]

Knowledgeable info so far guys, I understand the aux belt, just raised my curiosity with info on a second cam belt behind the aux belt/water pump. Interesting to hear about a second water pump, Never would've known! More info to take on board, again just like a second cam belt that no-one seems to know about, I do wonder if there is actually no second cam belt, but just misinformation...any one else know these engines well?? Thanks again so far 👍...

[Crasher]

That will be the CJZC or D engine, these have a toothed belt for the pump. These should be checked during inspection services and the official change interval 120000Km as is the cam belt change, the exact wording cut and pasted from ELSA being

 

Coolant pump timing belt: Replace

Applies to all petrol engines with toothed belt for coolant pump
 
Every 120,000 km

Toothed belt and tensioner pulley for camshaft drive: Replace

Applies to all petrol and diesel engines with timing belts
 

---

Every 120,000 km

Every 120,000 km

 

there is no age change point listed by VAG Germany for ANY petrol or Diesel engine with a cam belt, this up to 2009 four years and 2010 onwards five years is a figment of VAG UK's profit enhancing imagination; the trouble is we have to stick to it as we recommended otherwise and one did fail, we would look stupid.

 

This is copied and pasted from Elsa ( a bit edited as well) where it contradicts the previous info

Intervals for CHANGING THE TIMING BELT and TENSIONER PULLEY

TDI Common Rail

CUSA, CUSB, CUTA, CYZA, CYZB

Every 210,000 km

Every 120,000 km Applies only to diesel operated in dusty countries.

petrol engines

1.0L SRE
1.0L TSI
1.2L TSI
1.4L TSI
1.6L SRE

CHYA, CHYB
CHZB, CHZC
CJZC, CJZD
CZEA
CWVB

No prescribed change interval,
Toothed belt drive with test interval, see "Further time- or mileage-dependent additional work"

[Breezy_Pete]

Normal cambelt is on same (UK drivers) side of the car as the aux  belt. 

Water pump toothed belt, and waterpump on opposite, gearbox end.

[Agilecanonbal]

Thank you all for the info/advice, it's informative, helpful and appreciated 👍, great forum!

[Agilecanonbal]

Another question if you don't mind guys, instead of starting a new thread! Have just learned about fuel rail problems, where bolts snap or something, saw a video of a 1.2 TSI engine with this happen and petrol being sprayed everywhere, causing havoc and a hefty bill! Anyone shed some light on this? Also turbo actuators failing seems another one! And bolts working loose on what looked like a pulley on the engine inlet?? which apparently is another common problem, getting nervous now 😕 I come from honda and Toyota engined cars which are simple but bullet proof! Hence my concerns before spending my savings on a Fabia with an engine I don't know! Again your knowledge would be greatly appreciated 👍

[Ootohere]

Welcome.

The search function is good or just a google.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/468348-fuel-leak

 

[Agilecanonbal]

I fully get the search and Google options, but after countless time of searching, it's apparent this is the best place to ask! I'm a member of many forums over the years, and found Google searches are alright, but they always seem opinions of people....just that... opinions! Not actual first hand experience or expertise from people that own and live with the models in question, who can give real professional/experienced advice. Hope again you all don't mind the questions ✌️

[Ivajlo]

I bought my Fabia 5 years ago and now it has 120000 kilometers. The only problem I had was with one of the engine mounts(it was causing a rattling noise). Not a single issue with the engine, drivetrain or the car in general. Not  single warning light on the dash for now.

[Ootohere]

@Agilecanonbal Sorry that was not meant in a cheeky way, asking the questions is absolutely the thing to do.

What i should really have posted is, if doing a google maybe put briskoda as a keyword.  like 'briskoda fabia mk3 fuel rail'

Just so that you might see just how if there are the threads that have the question and replies.

On that subject there are in other sections of models with the same engine. 

 

Really i just mention this because often a question on a different issue asked in a thread with a different title does not get the responses.

Sometimes a new thread started gets replies or asking in the thread that has had lots of replies already. 

Edited 21 May, 2022 by roottoot

[Agilecanonbal]

Roottoot , makes perfect sense, cheers 👍

[rum4mo]

I think the bolts slackening on the inlet pulley variator thing was only a very early model issue on the 1.2TSI 16V engines, though there has been at least one report of this happening on the exhaust pulley on the later 1.0TSI engines.

 

Your engine could easily have been built within the period that the fuel rail/injector bolts were not correctly torqued up at the factory, maybe have a look at the sticker on the cam belt cover to see what the build date of your engine was as I think that the build date is recorded there, I've looked in the past on my wife's late June 2015 car build VW Polo.

 

A guess at the worrying engine build period might be mid 2016 to first 1/4 2017 - but that is just my guess based on the build date of other people's engines that have had this issue.

 

Turbo charger control valve, maybe not an issue with this engine, though it has been with the earlier 8V version and some newer 1.0TSI engines.

 

Plenty other things to inconvenience you including the normal exhaust centre joining sleeve clamps rotting through at around 7 years, best checked annually form now on if you do your own car repairs, easy to ignore until there are noises from below!

[AGFalco]

Mine was delivered in June 2016 as a factory order so build just before.

I have inspected the fuel rail/injector bolts and all is good on mine.

Now up to 64 K miles on mine now with problems at all.

 

Probabally would have happened by now if it is/was going to happen.

 

Thanks, AG Falco

[KenONeill]

9 hours ago, roottoot said:

if doing a google maybe put briskoda as a keyword.  like 'briskoda fabia mk3 fuel rail'

Or " 'fabia mk3 fuel rail' & briskoda" which confines your search to threads that mention 'fabia mk3 fuel rail' ON briskoda rather than 'fabia mk3 fuel rail' and Briskoda. See the difference?

[Ootohere]

@KenONeill  That was 'as an example'. 

Do you think i should have given an example of every choice of keywords you might type in a search?

 

there are a result from

briskoda kenoneill pedantic   

 

one is from a 19" alloys thread.

Edited 21 May, 2022 by roottoot

[KenONeill]

@roottoot You just made the blocked list!

[nta16]

On 20/05/2022 at 21:25, Agilecanonbal said:

I come from honda and Toyota engined cars which are simple but bullet proof! Hence my concerns before spending my savings on a Fabia with an engine I don't know!

Never mind just the engine, what on earth has made you change from a Honda or Toyota to a VW!?  These cars are far from simple and will require more looking after and parts than a Honda or Toyota.  Do you perhaps not keep your cars long.  Welcome to the world of German cars, it's different to Toyota and Honda as you'll no doubt discover.

 

I've got an old MG now, decades back I had another old MG and I used to go over to the MG Owners Club garage sometimes and they had a new garage manager start from outside instead of promoting an excellent and thorough mechanic, so the  mechanic left to set up his own business.  I was talking to the new guy and he said he used to be a workshop manager at a Honda Dealership and coming to the classic & modern (MG/Rover) MG garage had been a BIG eye opener to him, he couldn't believe the difference.

 

 

[AGFalco]

On 16/05/2022 at 22:52, Agilecanonbal said:

it appears there is a cam belt to be changed (hopefully along with tensioners) at 5 years regardless of mileage

According to VW UK.

 

The cam belt manufacture recommends it is inspected at 160 K miles and then every 20 k miles thereafter. 

The inspection is easy to do.

 

See this thread:-

 

Thanks, AG Falco

[Ootohere]

This Skoda chart gives a general idea, but that is all.

DQ200 DSG's have no Oil Changes at 4 years / 40,000 miles & DQ381's are @ 80,000 by Skoda Recommendations / Guidelines or even Schedule.

There is no mention even of VAQ Front diffs @ 30,000 miles / 3 years. (That is not a 4x4 system.)

 

 

[rum4mo]

On 21/05/2022 at 15:12, AGFalco said:

Mine was delivered in June 2016 as a factory order so build just before.

I have inspected the fuel rail/injector bolts and all is good on mine.

Now up to 64 K miles on mine now with problems at all.

 

Probabally would have happened by now if it is/was going to happen.

 

Thanks, AG Falco

Actually, from a posting you made concerning when to change the cambelt, you inserted a picture of the cambelt area of your engine and the black plastic cover which showed that your engine was built on 03/05/16, so your engine was indeed built before this "rail bolts not torqued correctly" date according to my guessimation based on build dates of engines that have failed and been reported to these VW Group motoring forums. As to when they have been failing, it does seems to be sort of random and round about the 5>6 year period.

Edited 22 May, 2022 by rum4mo
added in the actual day.

[AGFalco]

On 22/05/2022 at 15:14, rum4mo said:

inserted a picture of the cambelt area of your engine and the black plastic cover which showed that your engine was built on 03/05/16

Thank for the info.

Makes sense as it has motorkennbuchst on it ( which translated means Engine Code )

 

Thanks, AG Falco

[Eccles]

Oh dear, how often have I seen this topic and had to reassure folk. My very knowledgeable mobile mechanic finally scotched it two years ago by going to the belt manufacturer directly. This five year business is unknown on the continent and seems to be peculiar (and unnecessary) to VAG UK. The belt manufacturer suggests it should be examined at 160,000 km - that's 100k miles to you and me and then examined every year. Apparently the belts are so much better now than when they started 40 odd years ago that they are often described as "for the life of the engine". My Fabia is now 7 yrs old and my mechanic states that the belt is "like new, why change it".