New timing belt at 5 years

[ejstubbs]

The local Skoda dealer has just pointed out to me that there is a recommendation that the timing belt on my car be changed at five years old, which age it has now reached.  I've read here, and elsewhere, that it's a good idea to get the water pump changed at the same time.  Is that a time-based thing as well, or more related to mileage?  I ask because, for various reasons, there are only 20,000 miles on the car.

 

They quoted £469 for the timing belt change.  Does that sound reasonable?

 

The car is covered by a Skoda service plan & extended warranty so I think the timing belt change is pretty much unavoidable if I want to keep within the Ts & Cs.

[Urrell]

The change is more on time than mileage.
The diesel engines that have cam-belt it runs on the water pump whereas on petrol engines the water pump is a separate from the cam-belt.
I have had a water pump fail that threw off the cam--belt but was lucky not to have totalled the engine, not a chance I'd take now.

[Yeti333]

I think you've answered your own question if you want the warranty to continue, you need to get it changed.

Its a no brainer to do the water pump at the same time really.

I had my water pump start leaking on my diesel Yeti at 4.5 years old, and had them do the timing belt at the same time because of the 5 year age thing.

Their prices have gone up a lot just lately, I "only" paid just over £400 for the pump and belt about 3 years ago.

I'm now being pestered by my dealer to have the belt done on my 1.2 petrol Yeti, and they are saying it's a fixed price for all Skoda's of £499!

 

Cam belts are a good money maker since the manufacture's made you need a set of special tools to do the job.

 

They had btter get the money while they can, because they wont be doing them on the electric cars. (although i'm sure they will think of something to rip us off for)

 

 

Edited 28 September, 2022 by Yeti333

[Ootohere]

Some are saying it is a fixed price for all Skodas,

but they are not anymore with all main dealers quoting with a TDI nor a 1.5 TSI.   If they are doing them for all the same price then nice.

 

Electric Car Servicing might strike some as being cheap and nothing to do,

well there is brake fluid, filters, coolant, there is 12 volt battery then the usual, looks see and hinges and locks and what ever. 

Brake discs corroding from not much use and pads actually wearing cleaning rust off. 

[Urrell]

13 hours ago, roottoot said:

Brake discs corroding from not much use and pads actually wearing cleaning rust off. 

I wonder why they don't put rust free discs on cars. When was the last time you saw rusty motorcycle discs?

[Welshyetiman]

Just had mine done at Skoda Ellesmere Port, £550. It was £500 when I enquired in Oct 21!. Mine too was only 22,000 miles , bit of a sickner really.

 

Re the water pump Im sure I read it on here for the 1.2 Tsi engines the water pump was independently driven and should be done every “ other” cambelt change. 

[Urrell]

1 hour ago, Welshyetiman said:

Re the water pump Im sure I read it on here for the 1.2 Tsi engines the water pump was independently driven and should be done every “ other” cambelt change.

Why change a water pump not showing any problems?

[SurreyJohn]

13 hours ago, Urrell said:

Why change a water pump not showing any problems?

There were some engines where the water pump wasn’t greatest quality, and to change it effectively had to take cam belt off, so was easy to do at same time.

 

Regarding the belt the recommendation is 5 years or 60,000 miles (whichever comes first).  However if the belt is showing no signs of wearing, rounded edges, fraying etc then probably ok for another year if nowhere near 60k miles.   But if the belt looks glazed or glossy on the back, then the rubber is going hard so could crack/break so get changed soonest.

 

Recently many cars have spent months awaiting finishing since engine was built, but Skoda hasn’t changed to belts at 4.5 years to compensate which really suggests 5 years is more a round number than scientific.

 

[Urrell]

10 minutes ago, SurreyJohn said:

There were some engines where the water pump wasn’t greatest quality, and to change it effectively had to take cam belt off, so was easy to do at same time.

Take the cambelt off to change the water pump on a 1.2tsi engine?

[J.R.]

13 hours ago, Urrell said:

Why change a water pump not showing any problems?

To extort more money from the pigeon.

[SuperbTWM]

Changed my timing belt and water pump on my Passat 2.0 150 this year at just over 4 years old with less than 60K on the clock. The reason being that there was a bearing/rubbing/catching type noise. It turned out to be the sleeve that slides over the impellor on the water pump had seized and cocked over to one side rubbing on the impellor. VAG really suck at making water pumps, My Superb water pump only lasted 30K before it leaked.

 

The price you have been quoted seems pretty cheap to me, the VW price is nearly £800 to do timing belt and water pump for literally the same job. It cost me £400 in parts from the dealer to do it myself.

[Robjon]

8 minutes ago, SuperbTWM said:

VAG really suck at making water pumps, My Superb water pump only lasted 30K before it leaked.

 

My Yeti's water pump only lasted 18k before it leaked 

[Ootohere]

I do not think that the VW Group make water pumps.  Maybe someone knows better.

They are pretty poor at purchasing parts of many kinds for millions of vehicles.

It seems to be how they are always screwing down the manufacturers to sell them whatever to the spec they want.

They are like that with tensioners, bearings, brake components, possibly door seals.

Decades and decades to get things right and they fail. Vorsprung Durch Technik.  Move along quickly, not our fault. 

Edited 1 October, 2022 by roottoot

[StevesTruck]

Probably Febi or Pierburg 

[Yeti333]

7 hours ago, roottoot said:

I do not think that the VW Group make water pumps.  Maybe someone knows better.

They are pretty poor at purchasing parts of many kinds for millions of vehicles.

It seems to be how they are always screwing down the manufacturers to sell them whatever to the spec they want.

They are like that with tensioners, bearings, brake components, possibly door seals.

Decades and decades to get things right and they fail. Vorsprung Durch Technik.  Move along quickly, not our fault. 

 

23 hours ago, Urrell said:

Why change a water pump not showing any problems?

 

10 hours ago, Urrell said:

Take the cambelt off to change the water pump on a 1.2tsi engine?

rootttot

Do you think this is any different to any other manufacturer? They are all trying to save every fraction of a penny, the water pump on my Audi S4 had a recall as it was made of plastic and would split after a couple of years and even after 6 years of prduction they still used a plastic thermostat housing that was known to fail.

 

Urrell

"Why change a water pump not showing any problems?"

Well if your spending £100's changing a cambelt it would be a bit silly not to change the pump when its right in front of you. No?

 

"Take the cambelt off to change the water pump on a 1.2tsi engine?"

I've been told the water pump on my 2017 Yeti is on the opposite end of the engine to the belt but that this actually makes the cambelt job harder as you need lock that with the locking kit also!!

I can't figure this out yet as I can't find an exploded view of the CYVB engine.

Why would the water pump would be timed to the engine?

 

On the subject of EV servicing. I think Software updates will be the next big con.

[Ootohere]

Audi is part of the VW Group.   VW/Audi as you see on parts on VW, Audi, Skoda & SEAT. 

Other manufacturers might be the same as VW but generation after generation of engine they do not keep having the same issues. 

 

VW took Software development in-house and that has  been a total disaster. 

That is obvious with a little look in various sections of this forum where members have had their vehicles in several times and the issues are still not resolved.

 

PS.

My Corsa Electric is in for 2 Recall Actions.

Maybe on Monday they might get it completed on the critical software update that they can not complete.

They have failed on Thursday & twice on Friday.

They can not get to 100% before their system crashes, it is supposed to be a 4 hour job. 

Some cars are out of action for days, some even weeks.

I have a Hire Car for 7 days fortunately.

Also new discs and pads fitted all round at 26 months old.

Not from hard use, from no use as not required withe regen available.  That is a Vauxhall, so PSA / Stellantis as they are now. 

*There is also a drop in coolant to MIN, it sets it's own level. seemingly the tech fired up the car and could see no leaks.*

Well it is the Heat Pump system and he is unlikely too but it will eventually go below MIN if not topped up as i have been doing but not to MAX.

 

 

Edited 1 October, 2022 by roottoot

[Urrell]

36 minutes ago, Yeti333 said:

Urrell

"Why change a water pump not showing any problems?"

Well if your spending £100's changing a cambelt it would be a bit silly not to change the pump when its right in front of you. No?

 

"Take the cambelt off to change the water pump on a 1.2tsi engine?"

I've been told the water pump on my 2017 Yeti is on the opposite end of the engine to the belt but that this actually makes the cambelt job harder as you need lock that with the locking kit also!!

Make up your mind is in front of you or behind the engine?
PS: the alternator is right in front of you, would it make sense to change that too?

[muppix]

To chuck in my tuppence worth, I just had the timing belt done today by a respected local independent, and it came to £139 parts (belt kit, anti-freeze, brake cleaner) and £177 labour, so just under £380 in total. I didn't think to ask about the water pump, but if they're happy to do the belt without the pump then that's good enough for me.

[Yeti333]

1 hour ago, muppix said:

To chuck in my tuppence worth, I just had the timing belt done today by a respected local independent, and it came to £139 parts (belt kit, anti-freeze, brake cleaner) and £177 labour, so just under £380 in total. I didn't think to ask about the water pump, but if they're happy to do the belt without the pump then that's good enough for me.

Which engine?

[muppix]

7 minutes ago, Yeti333 said:

Which engine?

 

Good question - 1.4 TSI Petrol. 

[Stubod]

...I was advised by my local indy that the 1.4 engine should have the water pump replaced at the same time as these can fail before the timing belt??? (ie leak). Iwas quoted around £650 for the lot. He also advised the cambelt was good for at least 70k miles regardless of age and on my last 2 services advised as I had only done 30k total it was not needed, (car was 7 years old). However if I had kept the car I would have had it done at this years service regardless of miles...

[Ootohere]

@StubodStrange advice from them.   I wonder how many failed water pumps they have seen on 1.4 TSI's. 

If the water pimp leaks you change it, it is not like a Timing Belt failing on you.

 

Water pumps on Euro 5 1.4 TSI Twinchargers can fail at not many miles, but those are engines with timing chains. 

Edited 7 October, 2022 by roottoot

[Stubod]

..I think his point was that the water pump replacement is "relatively" low cost if you are doing the cambelt (ie parts ony), if you change it at the same time as you almost get the labour cost "for free" while doing the cambelt. Otherwise you end up with another rather large labour charge if you end up replacing the pump at a later date??

Edited 7 October, 2022 by Stubod

[Ootohere]

@Stubod

I thought they advised that Cam Belts could be good for 70,000 miles and water pumps could fail sooner. 

Not seeing a saving when it is a 1.4 TSI. 

[Urrell]

2 hours ago, muppix said:

Good question - 1.4 TSI Petrol. 

No water pump needed as cam belt does not run on it.