Timing belt and tensioner

[ABCD]

Ringing round for service quotes on a mid 2006 2.0 TDi manual, 50000km and 4 years old. Dealership telling me that as of late 2009 the recommended change interval for timing belt/tensioner has been reduced from 105K to 60K OR 4 years? Any other TDi owners out there that have heard this (perhaps also affects petrol engines)? Seems ridiculously low to me, especially for a low revving diesel engine. My cynical side wonders whether the revised recommendation is based more on VW having excess stock of the timing belts lying around and/or trying to help out their dealerships in a slow sales market gouge a few extra bucks on the servicing side of things. (BTW was quoted near enough to $900 all in for the timing belt/tensioner).

[ian]

Have a look at this site it has all servicing intervals ,only trouble its in miles so divide by 6 will give you KM read both items doesnt need changing till 120,000km

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/f98/buying-used-golf-v-2-0-fsi-2-0-tdi-38512.html

https://wiki.bentleypublishers.com/display/tech/Volkswagen+-+2009+Maintenance+Schedules

[wokwn]

$900 is a reasonable price for the belt and tensioner and labour. You may wish to have the water pump changed at the same time as you will save on labor.

The interval always was 4 years but to the best of my knowledge the BKD engine (which I assume yours is) remains 4 years / 120,000 K's and expect that the dealer is looking to earn some extra cash.

Note that the original service schedules say toothed belt at 120,000 and tensioner every 240,000 but experience with earlier TDI engines suggests you always do the belt and tensioner together.

Bottom line is that if you don't have a letter from VW stating that the service intervals have changed, you should follow the handbook.

[jets]

I also own an '06 2.0TDI, mine is 4 years & 8 months but has only done 42K. Vw have only introduced the time aspect a couple of years ago, probably after a couple of pileups. I have just changed the belts & tensioners myself on our 16V polo & T4, both because the 4 years were up. In both cases everything looked good but according to my dealer you can't tell just by looking at them when they are about to break. My opinion is the tensioners wouldn't need changing at low mileages only perhaps the belt. I know others will say while every thing is apart replace all pulleys tensioners etc., but I wont be. Doing the change yourself allows you to do an informed decision based on what you find. BTW the first time you DIY is not for the fainthearted. It's reasonably difficult & time consuming. Well it was on my other VWs, I haven't done one on my Mk5 yet. Special tools are needed & a good manual but after you have done it once it is relatively cheap to change the belt every 4 years yourself.

[wokwn]

...the first time you DIY is not for the fainthearted. It's reasonably difficult & time consuming...Special tools are needed & a good manual

Yes, especially the tool to lock the camshaft so you don't bugger up the timing.

[NabzGTI]

Mine has 60k on the clock and I did the timing belt, tensioner, camshaft, waterpump, and all associated belts & gaskets (about 6 or 7 of them). Cost me $1500 + cost of camshaft which I bought for $250.

[Maverick]

$900 is a reasonable price for the belt and tensioner and labour. You may wish to have the water pump changed at the same time as you will save on labor.

The interval always was 4 years but to the best of my knowledge the BKD engine (which I assume yours is) remains 4 years / 120,000 K's and expect that the dealer is looking to earn some extra cash.

This year is 2010. He has a 2006 Golf. 2010 minus 2006 equals 4 years. You just said the interval is 4 years or 120,000kms (whichever comes first) so explain how the dealer is looking to gouge the customer?

Bottom line is that if you don't have a letter from VW stating that the service intervals have changed, you should follow the handbook.

Volkswagen don't send out letters to their customers to advise of changes to servicing, the dealers advise their customers as this one has done.

[acdcfan]

? Any other TDi owners out there that have heard this (perhaps also affects petrol engines)? Seems ridiculously low to me, especially for a low revving diesel engine. (BTW was quoted near enough to $900 all in for the timing belt/tensioner).

I did have 60k done on mine and no they did not change timing belt or tensioner. Service was around $700 mark.
Not sure of $900 is good price or not.

[blutopless2]

personally i would change the belt at 4 years

[Transporter]

It is always good idea to follow manufacturers recommendations and replace the timing belt at specified intervals. I would say that is only recommendation you should go by.

But!
I remember shortly after we bought our Golf reading technote from ContiTech that a new timing belt (kit) was designed for VW 2.0l TDI with extended service life, I'm sure I red 240,000km and even longer for tensioner.

Anyway if you have time you can do some digging. ContiTech AG - Drive belts for Automotive Original Equipment

2.0L TDI t/b is 32mm wide and go from 120,000km to 60,000km replacement interval today, I'd like to see the reason behind.

[Maverick]

2.0L TDI t/b is 32mm wide and go from 120,000km to 60,000km replacement interval today, I'd like to see the reason behind.

Volkswagen unlike everyone else gets to see and examine early failures of components so whilst the design life may have been 120,000 when the car was on paper it was a different story out in the field hence why VW reduced it to 60,000.

[Transporter]

Volkswagen unlike everyone else gets to see and examine early failures of components so whilst the design life may have been 120,000 when the car was on paper it was a different story out in the field hence why VW reduced it to 60,000.

Don’t be the devils advocate.

I like VW cars too.

But!
To my knowledge, before the car goes onto full production and on sale, manufacturer has car prototypes that have already done hundreds of thousands km's under different conditions some much harsher than driving on the sealed roads in the city. This is done for many decades and now also for the last 10 years or so they use computers, modeling softwares and all the advances in materials and technology.

MTZ worldwide

ATZ (Automobiltechnische Zeitschrift) - March 2010 - Free Magazine Download

So, now forget that they have all the software and computers to help them to design the engine and the car that will last with minimum failures.
As you said, they have first hand experience seeing failed component (timing belt). Don’t you think that it is a lazy approach to solve the problem (timing belt failing) by reducing replacement interval from 120,000km to 60,000km. I would make changes to the components instead. Especially if they claim that they care about the environment.

But hey that’s me using common sense.
What I think is that someone who poorly designed it at the first place is applying his knowledge to get the solution to the problem “replace the timing belt at the 1/2 of the specified interval”, done presto problem solved, lets work on the next model.

[jets]

In fairness to VW they have tried to reduce the stress on the cam belt by introducing an oval crankshaft pulley, unfortunately after mine was manufactured.

[ian]

So does this mean that it will only cost half the price to change the Timing belt as they originally told every one it was safe for 120,000km but now they changed their minds and want us to bear the cost for the additional belt changes??

[Rob Burns]

So does this mean that it will only cost half the price to change the Timing belt as they originally told every one it was safe for 120,000km but now they changed their minds and want us to bear the cost for the additional belt changes??

pfft, if you can't afford to fix a VW then you can't afford to buy one.