1.6 Golf timing belt - When to change?

[Speed]

My wifes 1.6 auto has done 100,000Kms. Apparantly the belt was changed at 60,000.
When is the next interval 100 or 120,000 ?

Sorry can't find the book. Part of the problem of renovating a house whilst you live in it.

Thanks in advance!

[Umai Naa!!]

I did my partner's 2.0L one at 102,000klms (sounds odd, but the money and time were there!). I was going to do it at 90,000klms, but other things got in the way.

I can't remember the exact interval off the top of my head, but I think it's 90,000klms or 4 years.

I'd do it now as a kit (with tensioner), along with the water pump. Chances are, it'll be stuffed by now anyways.

[Tao]

I did my partner's 2.0L one at 102,000klms (sounds odd, but the money and time were there!). I was going to do it at 90,000klms, but other things got in the way.

I can't remember the exact interval off the top of my head, but I think it's 90,000klms or 4 years.

I'd do it now as a kit (with tensioner), along with the water pump. Chances are, it'll be stuffed by now anyways.

Every 60000km or 4 years

[Speed]

Every 60000km or 4 years

So the next one is 120,000 or 4 years from the last one?

[Umai Naa!!]

Every 60000km or 4 years

Is that for the 1.6 or 2.0?

All I can remember is that the (virtually) same 1.6 in the MK5 has no interval for a timing belt change.

[Umai Naa!!]

So the next one is 120,000 or 4 years from the last one?

Whichever comes first, mate.

[Speed]

Is that for the 1.6 or 2.0?

Well thats what VW said re our 1.6 Mk4, not sure about the 2.0

Originally Posted by Speed
So the next one is 120,000 or 4 years from the last one?

Whichever comes first, mate.

Thats what I meant, should have left out the question mark.

What I don't understand is why there is a time limit, ie: 4 years.
Other manufactuers just have a Km interval. What goes wrong with the VW parts to make them have to be changed every 4 years?
Also other 1.6ers seem to be able to go for 100,000Kms before getting there first timing belt changed. Let alone have 2 done by the same time.
If my wife travells 5,000kms a year and if we stick to VW's 4 year thing, then we are changing the timing belt every 20,000Kms. Just doesn't make sense to me.

[Umai Naa!!]

I know what you're saying, and I do understand.

I'm guessing VW can't guarentee the quality of the belt after 4 years. I do know that they've only got a supposed shelf-life of 4 years, too.

[curtisjackson]

I've changed mine too but I replaced all external connections of the timing belt including the tensioner. I replaced mine when it started to squeek.
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timing belt tensioner

[Manaz]

Well thats what VW said re our 1.6 Mk4, not sure about the 2.0What I don't understand is why there is a time limit, ie: 4 years.

It's a rubber part that lives its life in a relatively hostile environment. Rubber perishes with age as well as with wear, the 4 years is to stop them falling apart over time in cars that do very few kilometres, whose owners would then blame VW because their cars haven't done 60,000km yet, even though they're 10 years old!

[Mountainman]

VW are being cautious and you can understand if you have experienced one break. Our '77 Golf LS was the first car we owned that had a timing belt and VW never gave any replacement interval that I can remember and we traded it at 165,000km with the original belt. A friend also had the same model Golf that finally boke its belt at just under 200,000km but with no damage. So VW certainly knew how to make long lasting belts then.

[Manaz]

Because VW engines are what's known as an interference engine (the lowest point at which the valves come down is lower than the highest point the top of the pistons rise up to), you don't want a failed timing belt...

[Mountainman]

Because VW engines are what's known as an interference engine (the lowest point at which the valves come down is lower than the highest point the top of the pistons rise up to), you don't want a failed timing belt...

Most engines are now I think. Were those original 1600 engines non-interference? If I remember correctly they had a bucket and shim set-up for the valves.

[Manaz]

Most engines are now I think.

There's still some engines around that aren't - the Mazda MX-5 engines are non-interference IIRC.

[Mountainman]

There's still some engines around that aren't - the Mazda MX-5 engines are non-interference IIRC.

The twin cam Toyota engines from the 90's in the Corollas and their V6 Camry/Aurion engines too I think.