Earlier cam belt change?..

[Nautilus]

Hello everyone

I have a question regarding the major service and cam belt change on the 1.8T engine

Official recommendation is to be done at 180,000kms (120,000 miles) however this seems far fetched. Unofficially even dealers recommend to be checked at 90,000kms and changed earlier around 100,000kms or 4 years.

My car has done 55,000kms (~34,000 miles) in 4 years. Should I replace it only because the 4 year term has been fulfilled, or should I wait until 90,000kms?

Which are the visual signs of wear to look after on the belt during a check?

Thank you,

~Nautilus

 

[cutard]

Its not worth risking it in my opinion, the garage I worked recomended changing it at 4 yrs and clients often did, plus you can also check water pump bearings at the same time and replace as ness..

 

[Nautilus]

Did anyone experience a broken cam belt in the 40K miles range?..

~Nautilus

 

[stewbie55]

Good question as my car is now 4 years old but only done 31,000 miles. Just had a service but didn't do the cambelt. I did have a look at the belt and it looks in mint condition to my eyes.

Must admit I've never had a cambelt changed on any car I've owned and never had any problems

 

[Nautilus]

Other people (no stealers here, private owners experienced with 1.8Ts and 1.9TDIs) claim that:

- belt is Kevlar reinforced and therefore pretty strong;
- bearings, rollers and tensioners give up before belt (first they begin to be poorly lubricated, then they squeak)
- once a tensioner begins to squeak, there are a few more miles to go before the belt is forced and breaks, and the engine goes with a Big Bang

They say for these reasons did VAG originally recommend change at 120K miles and the first check or possibility to change at ~60K miles, because the belt is the least wimpy part here. On the other side, the belt may be in mint condition yet the tensioners may be near their death

~Nautilus

 

[lil3520]

Get it changed now.