Cam belt change

[Foxy_787]

Hello

I'm due to change the belt next month but I was wondering if there is a step to step guide on how to change it. Ive changed many components on the car but never the belt though I have watched people doing belts before. I am very hands on when it comes to mechanical things so I intend on changing the belt myself.

If someone could maybe send me pics of a step by step guide or even email me the technical info from delphi system, etc just something that I can work off and keep myself right. Any pics or information would be gratefully appreciated.

Mk 4
1.9
PD 130

Thanks

[Crasher]

Firstly you need to get a crank pulley locking plate and a cam locking pin, you have to remove the right engine mount so will need to support the engine from below with a padded jack or with a cross brace from above as you need to lift and lower the engine. On right hand drive models it is extremely hard to remove the engine consul bolted to the block and you have to work with it flapping around in your way, with left hand drive you won’t have the brake cylinder in the way and I believe that helps, although the air con pipes still get in the way. Remember every single nut and bolt you remove is a one time only torque to yield and must be replaced with the correct specification parts, I have seen inner wing engine mount plates ripped out due to loose bolts and even the top rear bolt boss on the block snap off.

[Foxy_787]

Many thanks for the reply crasher...

You said every bolt needs replaced. The engine mount bolts wouldn't be included in belt kit sure they wouldn't?
Maybe just purchase them separately

Even when you use the locking tools, do you still mark on the belt and pulley with white ink as I've seen people do that also?

Is there a specific method to setting the tension correctly or is it like an auto adjustment one

Many thanks

[DieselMonster]

You will get tensioner stud, bolts for idle rollers and a few nuts, that's it. You won't get new cam, water pump or bolts that hold auxiliary pulley that attaches to the crank sprocket. The reason why people use white ink is cos they aren't using the locking tools. Don't use white ink, use the locking tools.

Depends on tensioner type, you should have the newer version that's tensioned via a spring. There is a specific method and amount the belt needs to be tensioned.

Expect the job to take a while so only do it if conditions are good. A vw specialist will do it for £350 using same branded kit as a genuine one. Once you have bought the kit, locking tools and additional bolts, it will set you back about £200. For all the hassle, risk of getting it wrong is it really worth saving £100-200 on labour? I have just done the job on my car, weather was awful and I got stuck resulting in a few weeks delay. Tape i used on bonnet to cover the engine bay with plastic also peeled paint off. All in all i didn't save much money and spent many hours for nothing. I think working on your own car is good but there comes a fine line where free time is worth more then money saved. If you do this job, make sure you know everything and have everything and you should have it done in 2-3 days, no need to do long hours, take your time it's not a race. This isn't a job to rush.

If you do it I'll tell you everything I know and there's a lot to know.

Tell me how much garage experience do you have, do you have a engine crane or beam, torque wrench from 5nm to 150nm?

[Crasher]

We stock a huge range of bolts, about five grands worth at the last count as not having a bolt can stop a job dead in its tracks. When we book a job Dave of the stores thinks about which bolts may be needed and orders in what we don't have, but we still get caught out. If a kit does not come with both tensioner studs and nuts, we stock them as they are a MUST replace.

We never use paint marks for timing. only what we call the yellow Gimp pen on every single bolt or nut we torque up and ONLY after using a torque wrench to spec, this way we know everything is torqued to spec at a glance.

We are doing the chains on an A4 EA888 engine at the moment, I ordered all the genuine bolts on Friday but still the balancer shaft intermediate shaft bolt has not turned up and it has stopped the tech dead in his tracks, car dead on lift.


The tension is set buy a spring loaded friction damped tensioner but the belt still has to be held in a particular way as you align the tensioner marks as after rotating the engine, the alignment marks on the tensioner are no longer relevant.

[Foxy_787]

You will get tensioner stud, bolts for idle rollers and a few nuts, that's it. You won't get new cam, water pump or bolts that hold auxiliary pulley that attaches to the crank sprocket. The reason why people use white ink is cos they aren't using the locking tools. Don't use white ink, use the locking tools.

Depends on tensioner type, you should have the newer version that's tensioned via a spring. There is a specific method and amount the belt needs to be tensioned.

Expect the job to take a while so only do it if conditions are good. A vw specialist will do it for £350 using same branded kit as a genuine one. Once you have bought the kit, locking tools and additional bolts, it will set you back about £200. For all the hassle, risk of getting it wrong is it really worth saving £100-200 on labour? I have just done the job on my car, weather was awful and I got stuck resulting in a few weeks delay. Tape i used on bonnet to cover the engine bay with plastic also peeled paint off. All in all i didn't save much money and spent many hours for nothing. I think working on your own car is good but there comes a fine line where free time is worth more then money saved. If you do this job, make sure you know everything and have everything and you should have it done in 2-3 days, no need to do long hours, take your time it's not a race. This isn't a job to rush.

If you do it I'll tell you everything I know and there's a lot to know.

Tell me how much garage experience do you have, do you have a engine crane or beam, torque wrench from 5nm to 150nm?

Hi diesel monster thanks for the reply

I've had 2 years garage experience but I've been working on cars for much longer. Everything I know is self taught but I have always followed the correct procedures.

Ive replaced a few clutches, gearboxes and shafts etc. Services and full brake changes and flush etc. Never a timing belt.

At the minute I'm going Through my aircraft engineering apprenticeship so I am hands on mechanically.

Even if I wasn't saving any money I would still love to carry out the job myself just to say that ive done it, like tick in the box thing for me lol. I love mechanics so a job like this would keep me entertained.

If you would be able to advise me what you know preferably in a step by step guide so I can follow the procedure.

Im taught to never cut corners so torque and tension I am fairly familiar with

Many thanks

[Foxy_787]

L

[Foxy_787]

L

[Foxy_787]

We stock a huge range of bolts, about five grands worth at the last count as not having a bolt can stop a job dead in its tracks. When we book a job Dave of the stores thinks about which bolts may be needed and orders in what we don't have, but we still get caught out. If a kit does not come with both tensioner studs and nuts, we stock them as they are a MUST replace.

We never use paint marks for timing. only what we call the yellow Gimp pen on every single bolt or nut we torque up and ONLY after using a torque wrench to spec, this way we know everything is torqued to spec at a glance.

We are doing the chains on an A4 EA888 engine at the moment, I ordered all the genuine bolts on Friday but still the balancer shaft intermediate shaft bolt has not turned up and it has stopped the tech dead in his tracks, car dead on lift.


The tension is set buy a spring loaded friction damped tensioner but the belt still has to be held in a particular way as you align the tensioner marks as after rotating the engine, the alignment marks on the tensioner are no longer relevant.

That's a great way of doing things when you mark the bolts that you have torqued. Keeps you right.

I'll have to get a look at this tensioner and see if I can figure it out. There's a video on someone changing a belt on a TT so might have a look at it watch them apply get tension

Keep up the good work mate

[Foxy_787]

You will get tensioner stud, bolts for idle rollers and a few nuts, that's it. You won't get new cam, water pump or bolts that hold auxiliary pulley that attaches to the crank sprocket. The reason why people use white ink is cos they aren't using the locking tools. Don't use white ink, use the locking tools.

Depends on tensioner type, you should have the newer version that's tensioned via a spring. There is a specific method and amount the belt needs to be tensioned.

Expect the job to take a while so only do it if conditions are good. A vw specialist will do it for £350 using same branded kit as a genuine one. Once you have bought the kit, locking tools and additional bolts, it will set you back about £200. For all the hassle, risk of getting it wrong is it really worth saving £100-200 on labour? I have just done the job on my car, weather was awful and I got stuck resulting in a few weeks delay. Tape i used on bonnet to cover the engine bay with plastic also peeled paint off. All in all i didn't save much money and spent many hours for nothing. I think working on your own car is good but there comes a fine line where free time is worth more then money saved. If you do this job, make sure you know everything and have everything and you should have it done in 2-3 days, no need to do long hours, take your time it's not a race. This isn't a job to rush.

If you do it I'll tell you everything I know and there's a lot to know.

Tell me how much garage experience do you have, do you have a engine crane or beam, torque wrench from 5nm to 150nm?

I don't have an engine crane or beam but I was instead going to raise engine up and down via jack and wooden block under sump

I do own a torque wrench (5nm to 150nm)