Cam belt and water pump change completed

[rhencullen1989]

After spending a fair bit of money having an oil leak and water leak fixed at my local Indi, it was time to also do the cam belt and water pump on my 1.8T cab. I got the parts from TPS as I have a trade account there, just over £100 for every thing. Decided to fit the better mechanical pulley tensioner and ditch the hydraulic tensioner damper. All went well, apart from removing the old pump, which it seems did not want to part company with the block. Anyway, all done and good, the only hassle I had was 3 sheared off screws from the inner wheel arch liner that go into the bumper, even though they are only going into plastic, they had rusted enough to shear straight off without too much torque. Just need to get some new ones tomorrow and it’s all finished.

[Crasher]

The sort of stupid problem that can cost you an hour on top of what you had quoted the customer and how do you explain it?

[rhencullen1989]

Yes, they were chasing their tail, everything plastic they touched broke. Ended up replacing thermostat, flange at back of engine, lots of pipes and connectors, cam seal vvt gasket associated pipes to do with crankcase ventilation system, new one way valve etc etc.

[Crasher]

Been there, done that, got the T shirts and seen the film... the recyclable plastics used on modern cars seem to self recylyle before their time, the ones used on 50's to early 70's Beetles (it all went downhill with the 1303) when I started would still be there after a direct hit with a nuclear bomb.