Thoughts on timing belt changes

[t3rm3y]

Hello. My 12 plate had timing belt changed Nov 2017. 

I believe the duration is 5 years, but see other forums mention timing belts should be a lifetime part(usually talking about Europe) so what are people's thoughts? Would they change at 5 years(so end of this year) or leave longer? 

Also I think the battery is original but doesn't seem to cause any issues so would there be any reason to change it? 

[varooom]

Best post up your engine code to confirm if yours is indeed a lifetime belt.  VAG will be covering themselves by changing their tune to 5yrs, that being said I wouldn't personally trust a 'lifetime' belt as the term itself is ambiguous.

 

If your battery works, and you are not getting any symptoms, you can carry on I would say.  For peace of mind you can take it to be tested and get a basic health report done.

[KenONeill]

19 minutes ago, t3rm3y said:

My 12 plate had timing belt changed Nov 2017. 

I believe the duration is 5 years, but see other forums mention timing belts should be a lifetime part

Which engine, and what's the use case like? For example, the 1.8t and 1.9D engines have water pumps lived at about 50_000 to 80_000 miles driven by the timing belt, so it may well be a good idea to change timing belt, tensioner and water pump every 5 years simply because half the cost of doing so is labour rather than parts.

[Ootohere]

Recent.

Mk3, 1.4 TSI.  http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/458348-timing-belt/page/3

Skoda / VW UK are not changing advice anytime soon.

 

Plenty threads in the different forums about covering the subject over the past decade for TSI's and TDI,s.

 

Edited 7 January, 2023 by toot

[t3rm3y]

2 hours ago, varooom said:

Best post up your engine code to confirm if yours is indeed a lifetime belt.  VAG will be covering themselves by changing their tune to 5yrs, that being said I wouldn't personally trust a 'lifetime' belt as the term itself is ambiguous.

 

Is the engine code the vin number? 

It's a 2012 1.6 SE TDI cr if that helps?

Would the replacement belt in 2017 paly a part on if it's a lifetime or not?  Or is it to do with the way the engine works? 

I think will change later in year early next year for piece of mind but if it turns out it is lifetime then I guess I get more time out of it..

 

[Warrior193]

Engine code is first 3 or 4 letters of your engine number, it is listed on line P5 of your V5 document.

[varooom]

8 minutes ago, t3rm3y said:

Is the engine code the vin number? 

It's a 2012 1.6 SE TDI cr if that helps?

Would the replacement belt in 2017 paly a part on if it's a lifetime or not?  Or is it to do with the way the engine works? 

I think will change later in year early next year for piece of mind but if it turns out it is lifetime then I guess I get more time out of it..

 

On your vehicle document, V5 there will be engine number.

 

BMN12345

CAVE12345 for example

[Ootohere]

@t3rm3y

Cross your fingers, buy the clothes pegs and lucky heather.    Doubt very much it is a 20% failure rate, not even among taxis. 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/502505-engine-failure

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/502054-i-am-the-1-in-5

 

If Skoda / VW did lifetime they could give a Warranty in the UK of the production life of vehicles, so 7 or 8 years.

You might get that in Australia.

Not on a Cambelt though.

 

The only Life time thing i ever hear from Skoda Main Dealership employees or Customer Service is the DQ200's sealed for life.

Which they are not actually, it is just there is no schedule, guidelines or recommendations for changing the oil.

 

Edited 7 January, 2023 by toot

[SuperbTWM]

Change it, and all the components.

 

lifetime belt or not, it doesn't have a lifetime water pump or a lifetime spring in the tensioner or lifetime bearings.

 

[t3rm3y]

2 hours ago, varooom said:

On your vehicle document, V5 there will be engine number.

 

BMN12345

CAVE12345 for example

It's CAYCR then digits.

[varooom]

43 minutes ago, t3rm3y said:

It's CAYCR then digits.

That's a CAYC engine (they are only 3-4 digits)

 

Answer is 210,000km, time shouldn't be a factor.

[t3rm3y]

1 hour ago, varooom said:

That's a CAYC engine (they are only 3-4 digits)

 

Answer is 210,000km, time shouldn't be a factor.

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Fantastic , so I changed 2017, don't do loads of miles then 2 years of covid so well within its life 😁