Is the belt change necessary at 4 years?

[Quatrelle]

Leave it as long as you like, its just that you may find a top end rebuild much more outrageously expensive than the five hours plus parts it takes to t do your timing belt properly in the first place, the decision is yours….

Hey Crasher - you weren't an insurance salesman in another life were you?

[Crasher]

I went for a job with The Royal London at 17 but was a few months too young so I went through protracted interviews and got the job in the end. Then the night before I started I went out for a celebratory drink and ended up falling over and breaking my leg so I could not start the job…ended up as a flaimin grease monkey, buggeration!

[DSG4ME]

Nice

This is my opinion and should not be read as cast, in the UK VW put a time as well as mile limit on the belt, oither parts of the world including yeehawland it's mileage only, having seen the belt that came off my 1.9 PD in the Scuda, I would say the belt is good for 120k and I can't see any way how the belt is going to degrade to such an extent it would snap in less than 8 years, belts are much better made now, and a fair bit thicker also, infact I'm almost certain a 2.0 PD timing belt is a recyled DAF Variomatic transmission belt

Anyway, at the end of all time, it's down to the user to decide when it should and will be done, VW just advises, so it comes down to are you a Maverick or a Shoe Shine sorta person

Crash, are you sure the B6 is 5 hours, the B5.5 can be if you've never done one before and take the whole front apart, B6 looks more common fayre to me, jack under, mount off and undo the cover.

[vwcabriolet1971]

Latest 1.6TDI engine ( as in my golf MK6) only needs cambelt every 300,000Km or 200,000 miles according to the car manual with no time limit specified. This engine has the latest ContiTech "high flex" belt that was announced a couple of years ago with a fanfare of publicity by Continental. I expect other models will have this belt in time. I'm a bit sceptical but will keep my eye open for any vw change recommendation updates.

[Crasher]

Yes I am sure it is 5 hours!

I agree many belts we change at the four year interval are perfect but if I said to a customers who’s car I had serviced “ignore the four year rule, you have 30K left on the original schedule” and then it fails (it is not always the belt, often it is the tensioner), who is liable? Me, them or VAG? You lot can continue making your own minds up about how long to leave it, personally I will stick to schedule and play it safe.

Engine type Engine code Period Toothed belt change interval
1.6 l TDI-CR CAYB, CAYC From first use onwards Every210,000 km

[vwcabriolet1971]

My MK6 Golf 1.6TDI Engine code CAYC manual says 300,000Km & 200,000 miles for cambelt replacement. Interesting that Crasher says VW has already reduced it to 210, 000Km . Was this a Typo on original manual doc or is it it an ongoing VW realisation that maybe original recommendation was too optimistic ?

[kenney]

The change interval for belts is a dilemma,some workshops say this and another says that,which confuses the customer.(This is from Elsa) (Generally it is not necessary to renew the toothed belt before the actual change interval is reached. Especially cracks on the belt side are not relevant for service life and cannot be covered by goodwill or warranty processing.) Recently we had a write up from VAG stating all workshops should keep to the recommended change interval,regardless of age.HOWEVER on a different matter,in connection with the annual quality control,some parts are marked with a (use before date) and among them is the timing belt,although it is very unlikely,but if the belt has been in store for 5years,it must be destroyed and thrown in the bin,and woe them that has items lying around that the date of use has expired.Makes you wonder then?????

[TimS996]

Basically I do not see why a belt that is designed to last 60,000miles should have to be changed at 40,00miles, simply because the car is 4 years old at the point of service. This might be relevant if the car had, say, been in storage for several years and the rubber decayed. However this is a 4 year old car, the belt was on from new. Should I drive 20,000 miles in the next week before the service, the belt should last. If I drive 10,000 miles over the next year, the belt should last as well.

Apart from the slightly hysterical replies about getting an engine rebuild and 'get it done becuase VW say so' replies, I'd be interested in hearing sensible thoughts on this.

[rapport25]

Its all a bit confussing. Mrs Rappy's car suggests ever 120,000 or 5yrs .


Mine will be getting changed next year at 5yrs old/80,000 miles.

There really is no wrong or right answer. Its the luck of the draw plain and simple.

Now do you change the water pump at the same time?

[kenney]

if the pump is driven by the belt ,then yes, replace it at the same time