Transporter T4 servicing.

[SoVeReIgN]

Interesting story from my dad's T4 TDI

It has a few problems (for another thread) that Seb has been looking at and anyway, Seb informed my dad that it is long overdue for a timing belt change (at 80,000kms).

My father rang around a few places to see what it was worth and McGrath quoted $1800 (including servce) and said that it didn't need to be done at 60,000 but at 120,000. He than rang Barloworld who said, yes it needed to be done at 60,000 and it would cost $620 without service, $1220 with service.

He rang VWA to confirm the servicing schedule and they said they couldn't and he'd have to speak to dealers....

How can two dealers have two totally different service schedules? Barloworld and Seb said that the schedule had been changed due to them snapping and McGrath said it definently hadn't been changed and they have confirmed it with VWA.

... I'd be worried for the people that go on Mcgraths advice and don't get it changed, only to have it snap and take the engine with it.

And a little pissed off VWA couldn't give us an answer over the phone.

[syncro]

What does the owners manual say?

[DubSteve]

Isn't McGraths Holden at Sutherland

[SoVeReIgN]

McGraths VW at Liverpool

Owners manual says 120,000kms but apparently this was revised.

[Golf Loon]

McGraths is staffed by monkies. I wouldn`t believe anything they told me.

[syncro]

McGraths is staffed by monkies. I wouldn`t believe anything they told me.

Agreed n:

[jets]

VW keep changing their minds & revise distance downwards when some owners have a breakage before the prescribed recommended kms.
The current recommendation also includes a max. time of 4 years.
The problem is there must be thousands of belts/tensioners/waterpumps etc.
replaced before their use by date which adds significantly to your running costs. It all depends on how much risk & inconvenience you are prepared to accept. VW also recommends a visual inspection of the belt in between changes.

[Seano]

Nice to hear that this one is still unresolved.......dammit!!

I was advised by two dealers.......Central Coast VW and Chatswood Classic to replace the timing belt at 60,000km.......and even then there was confusion about whether it was supposed to be 60K, 90K or 120K. And I did.

When I got to 90K, my new local dealer (neither of the above) said that I was due a timing belt......when I said I'd had it done at 60K he thought I was mad. Then when he checked on the VW dealer support network...he found out that a note about changing the belt appeared in the 60, 90 and 120k service schedules........

Now that I've just had the 105K service, my dealer advised me that the next change is a biggie. However, when we went to check what was required......blank. The only thing that the VW system told the service guy about the 120K service was that it would require 9.5 man hours......no listing of parts. And yet we both knew that this is a major interval for the changeout of the belt, tensioner and water pump.....so VW are really making a rod for everyone's back here!!!

By the by, in the UK, T4 TDi belts are swapped out every 80,000 miles.

[gregozedobe]

By the by, in the UK, T4 TDi belts are swapped out every 80,000 miles.

I believe in the US they have either 60,000 or 100,000 mile timing belts (different quality/price ?) for 4 cyl TDIs. Makes you wonder what the difference in operating conditions are in Australia, doesn't it ?

My 5cyl TDI (T5) doesn't have a timing belt (cams are gear driven), but the "flexible couplings" for the alternator and a/c compressor are due every 80,000 km.

[Bazzamon]

Timing Belt/s change Intervals

The lastest from VW is that an inspection of the belts condition to be done every service & change accordingly. No time /distance any more. When the belt is changed the t/belt tensioner & the water pump should be changed at the same time... Bazz