Cambelt replacement

[GTI_69]

How much should i pay to get my cambelt and tensioner replaced on my 99 GTI Golf.

[h100vw]

Ring VW and get a ball park from them. Then assess if you can get it cheaper from a VW specialist.

Post your location in your signature and someone will recommend a place local to you.

Can't give you a price myself, as I do my own servicing.

Gavin

[No457 Snowy]

It would be interesting if you could let us know what they quote you.

You can get a good comprehensive kit from ECS Tuning which will enable replacement of timing belt, tensioner, water pump with metal impeller, accessories belt and thermostat with gasket. $230.00 US. plus shipping. With the Aussie dollar like it is now this may be a good alternative for you, then get an independant VW tech to fit it all for you. I'd bet all this would cost you an arm and a leg from a dealer here.






Snowy.

[SoVeReIgN]

$600 ~ $800 including parts and labour is a fair price imo.

VW dealer - expect $1200ish iirc.

[h100vw]

$600 ~ $800 including parts and labour is a fair price imo.

VW dealer - expect $1200ish iirc.

Need to give up my day job then!!

Gavin

[GTI_69]

Thanks for that. i'll let you know how i go.

[NGOLF.U]

i paid around 350-400 plus a service...

[D3bb4]

You can get a good comprehensive kit from ECS Tuning which will enable replacement of timing belt, tensioner, water pump with metal impeller, accessories belt and thermostat with gasket. $230.00 US. plus shipping. With the Aussie dollar like it is now this may be a good alternative for you, then get an independant VW tech to fit it all for you. I'd bet all this would cost you an arm and a leg from a dealer here.

What brand belt does that include? And where would you purchase it through?

Sounds like exactly what i need

[GTI_69]

i paid around 350-400 plus a service...

NO WAY, who is he your slave!! LOL That has to be mates rates..for sure...i live in western suburbs melb anyone know someone there??? I'll be happy to pay $450 - $500 gen part though!!!! thanks for the help

[Jmac]

The $300 - $400 no way man im an independant and use OEM which normally supplies Gates or Continental belts no dramas there and look for all the bits Belt, Tensioner , Damper, and water pump and of course coolant would cost you around $560 inc labour approx as parts do vary. Now IMO you would be crazy not to do a water pump when you are down that far for the cost of a pump $90 IMO there is no room to scrimp with this part of the engine. Not too expensive when you consider the price of a cylinder head when you scramble the valves. Now the Dealer would charge around $300 odds just for the labour without doubt 3hr job roughly to split hairs 2.2 book time, but the book is a joke.Anyway there is your $300 man at that price mentioned you must only have got a belt and a roller max, again for the cost of the extra bits just doesnt make sense to me. I would say at a dealer Sovs estimate would be ball park i reckon.
Cheers
Jmac
PS - That kit above looks the goods it covers everthing, thats the way it should be

[mattb]

Hi Jmac
So it is definitely worth replacing the water pump at the same time as the cambelt?
Thanks Matt

[No457 Snowy]

The kit is from ECS Tuning. The belt in the kit is Continental (OEM) as are all the other bits OEM. I think they are now even including an OEM engine mount bolt kit, as these are stretch bolts and should be replaced every time.

From my experience ECS are great to deal with.

It is recommended to do the water pump at the same time. The water pump in the ECS kit is also an upgrade with a metal impeller, apparently the stock one has a plastic impeller.

I agree with Jmac, I think a dealer will just do the belt/tensioner and that's it, any of the other parts listed could fail very shortly after putting everything back together so it's just good sense to get it all done while it's apart.

Here is a link to the kit on thier website:

http://www.ecstuning.com/stage/edpd/pagebuild_v2.cgi?make=Volkswagen&engine=1.8T&model=Golf%20IV&submodel=&category=Engine&subcategory=Timing

Snowy

[Jmac]

Yeah go the metal impellar no more issues, and hey Snowy great info man and cheers for the link might look at getting a couple of them sets with exchange rate the way it is.
To answer your Question Matt my answer is yeah, unless you know it has had a metal replacement doen at some stage i would wuthout doubt do the pump, they are very common to fail, you are there looking at it mate when you do a belt 3 more bolts and a loss of coolant , that about it and the pumps are around $90 well worth it IMO
Jmac

[mattb]

Cheers for that.

My Bora is due for a cambelt replacement so I will grab one of these kits and get the lot done at once.

Matt

[Bug_racer]

If its a V5 you run timing chains so no need to replace any belts apart from drive belt which should be checked every service