Should I have my Cam Belt replaced???

J-GTi · Post by **J-GTi** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 6:43 pm

I'v been wondering weather I should get this done or will I be ok for a while as the car only has 29k miles on it ! It's a late 2000 so is 5 years old.
VW are quoteing Â£400 (â‚¬600) to have it done

Could anyone tell me what the symptoms are if the tensioners are on there way out ?
The car is running fine so I don't want to have it done if it's not an urgent matter

Thanks
John

andyg · Post by **andyg** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 6:54 pm

Â£400 sounds steep, I think mine cost Â£260 at VW but they didn't replace the waterpump. You should be looking at Â£320ish inc waterpump.

For the milage I would say no, and I prolly would leave it till the car reached 40k or 6 years old. There isn't much warning if the belt or tensioners are going. Its pot luck, you might get EPC light and the engine moving on its mounts and only revving so high, or it might go so quick you have no time to do anything about it. If you know what you are looking for you can always remove the cambelt covers and inspect the condition of the belts and tensioners.

theclient · Post by **theclient** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:02 pm

my car is coming up for its 60k service in a couple of months and know thisis when its reccommended to get the belts n tensioners changed but ive been looking through my service history and the belts and tensioners were changed at 30k

does this mean i dont need to get them changed again now at 60k

?

gareth

andyg · Post by **andyg** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:04 pm

I'm surprised they were changed at 30k. Its def not routine to do it at that mileage. They may have failed. When I rang around for quotes even 60K isn't a solid answer from VW for changing the timming belt, they "recommend" it but I was told its not due till 80k (not that I'd ever leave it that long).

If its been done at 30k I wouldnt bother, change it at 90k.

J-GTi · Post by **J-GTi** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:06 pm

Lol Gareth I think (after reading your other thread) I'm almost as paranoid as you

I keep thinking I hear things when there's nothing wrong

Lol

J-GTi · Post by **J-GTi** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:18 pm

Thanks andyq I am going to have a mechanic mate of mine git it a look over. The only light I have had on was the check emission light but changing the HT leads,Plugs and cleaning the throtal body seems to have sorted that (unless that was indicating something else

)

moynas · Post by **moynas** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:39 pm

The tensioners are covered in hard plastic which is prone to crack and fall off i'd change them as i had mine done not so long back,

My car is a 2001 with 32k on the clock and my tensioners were fcuked to say the least but the funny thing was it drove fine even tho all the plastic and belts were becoming very worn!!

My mate @ vw has done 4 GTi's in the last mth and everyone has had cracked tensioners!

theclient · Post by **theclient** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:54 pm

hmmm its a tough one

ill ask the vw specialist i go to and see what he says
if he does the service and they look like they need a change ill get em done!

gareth

HK 6N2 · Post by **HK 6N2** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 2:01 pm

andyg wrote:Â£400 sounds steep, I think mine cost Â£260 at VW but they didn't replace the waterpump. You should be looking at Â£320ish inc waterpump.

For the milage I would say no, and I prolly would leave it till the car reached 40k or 6 years old. There isn't much warning if the belt or tensioners are going. Its pot luck, you might get EPC light and the engine moving on its mounts and only revving so high, or it might go so quick you have no time to do anything about it. If you know what you are looking for you can always remove the cambelt covers and inspect the condition of the belts and tensioners.

Would I know how to remove the cambelt cover??
Does anyone have the photo of cambelt without the cover?
Thank you~

hedgehogharvey · Post by **hedgehogharvey** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:38 am

i had mine done at 33k (y 2001 polo), cost Â£260 from a vw special-list in the area, inc water pump