Volkswagen Polo 04- Timing Belt or Chain?

KaiserLu

Hi,

I've just agreed a small deposit on a VW 04 Polo 1.2 with 69000 on the clock. However, there was one question none of the sales reps could answer: does the car have a timing belt or chain?

Also, (sorry for being a complete novice) what is the essential difference between the two?

Cheers!

danthefan

They do the same thing. A chain is less likely to break I think but needs to be oiled which a rubber belt doesn't and is louder/heavier. There's also a gear system in some cars.

Edit - I don't know what that car would have, sorry.

Nissan doctor

The 1.2 12v polo's are chain driven. The chain should never need to be serviced however the tensioners are prone to failure on those engines.

andyseadog

i dont think i would have bought a car where the salesman didnt have an answer as to the condition of possibly the most important serviceable item in the engine. was this at a dealership?

Nissan doctor

andyseadog wrote: »

i dont think i would have bought a car where the salesman didnt have an answer as to the condition of possibly the most important serviceable item in the engine. was this at a dealership?

I wouldn't expect a sales rep to know the answer, he is just selling it, no reason he would know the ins and outs of of the mechanical parts.
There is no reason he couldn't have asked his mechanic though...

andyseadog

Nissan doctor wrote: »

I wouldn't expect a sales rep to know the answer, he is just selling it, no reason he would know the ins and outs of of the mechanical parts.
There is no reason he couldn't have asked his mechanic though...

suppose thats kind of what im getting at, but it would be no harm for them to have a bit of knowledge on the product they are trying to sell., or at least like you said, nip outside and ask a mechanic, it could make or break a sale... or some valves :rolleyes:

KaiserLu

I just put a small deposit on it (looked a good car, but didn't want to commit fully til I knew what the craic was with the belt and chain) and the mechanic was off til 2moro. It runs well and all. We agreed to knock a coupla hundred off if there was a belt that needed changing... I'm happy enough tho...

Plug

KaiserLu wrote: »

I just put a small deposit on it (looked a good car, but didn't want to commit fully til I knew what the craic was with the belt and chain) and the mechanic was off til 2moro. It runs well and all. We agreed to knock a coupla hundred off if there was a belt that needed changing... I'm happy enough tho...

You won't need to replace the belt but the chain tensioner could fail, I seen a load of these fail and I don't even work with VW.

KaiserLu

is it a pricy job to fix?

andyseadog

well it would be much more expensive to repair than changing the tensioner as a precaution.

Plug

andyseadog wrote: »

well it would be much more expensive to repair than changing the tensioner as a precaution.

I haven't seen valve damage from it, maybe they are a 'non interference' engine?

andyseadog

interesting

still a pain in the hole for it to happen, but that would limit it to replacing chain and tensioner then with no need for head work etc.

Nissan doctor

They are an interference engine but when the tensioner fails they tend to jump no more then 2-4 teeth before the ecu cuts the engine to try to save damage.

I've changes plenty of tensioners on polo/ibiza and I haven't seen one damage any valves yet. Perhaps of you were at high motorway speed it might be different. The engine requires specific tools to retime it. You also have to be careful when changing the oil on them too as if the oil filter housing drains of oil and you restart the engine, the tensioner can fail to pressurise fast enough.

VW do an updated replacement part. If the engine is any way rattly it recommended to change the tensioner as a precaution.

tclifford

Hi, Does anyone know if a 2003 1.6 Passat Comfortline has a timing belt or chain. I am talking to a guy about buying one but he doesnt know if its a chain or belt

Thanks,
Tony

George Dalton

They have a belt.

varberg

Hi, am looking at a 2010 volkswagon polo and want to know does it have a timing belt or chain and when would i need to get it changed, and how much does it cost?

Thanks

George Dalton

Which engine is in it?

varberg

1.6 diesel tdi.

its sold this morning, i wasnt sure if id go for it or not. Very hard find out that information online and i think id prefer a low maintenance chain on a car rather than a timing belt that effectively holds the car together and needs to be changed all the time.

George Dalton

220,000km is the interval so it hardly "needs to be changed all the time"