Old Polo timing belt, should I do the water pump too?

my3cents

I have an old 02 Volkswagen POLO Saloon (6KV2) 60 1.4 1390cc. 60hp, engine number AUD and a per title I'm going to replace the timing belt. Just so happens the AUD engine is the most expensive for timing belt kits inc water pump at Micks Garage at €115.

The car has done 102k miles, last belt was changed at 54k at least 8 years ago so there isn't much argument that the belt needs changing but I'd love to be convinced that doing the water pump at the same time is a good idea?

colm_mcm

Yes, for the price of a pump it's worth it.

my3cents

I'm sure your right its just me really, annoyed that the kit inc water pump is much cheaper for other engine numbers. I assume that while the belt has the same number of teeth and is the same width its somehow different for different engine numbers like AEX,AKV,APQ,AKK,ANW,ANX etc

shietpilot

The belt is exactly the same, in all the kits for those engines.

The AUD engine has a different tensioner pulley though. The hole in the tensioner for the bolt is 8.5mm in diameter on the AUD and 8mm on the other engines.

The water pump for the AUD is also a tiny bit different so you cannot use the parts from the other kits except for the actual belt itself.

my3cents

Thanks for that info, one other question before I hit the pay now button, do I need a gasket for the water pump? Reason I'm asking is that some kits list as including a gasket and some make no mention of it? Is it too much of a stretch to assume that a kit including the water pump will automatically have a water pump gasket included?

Currently this is the one I'm considering http://www.mister-auto.ie/en/timing-belt-kit-with-water-pump/skf-vkmc-01107_g3096_a050VKMC!01107.html . Unless the one I had originally picked from Micks garage has any advantage https://secure.micksgarage.com/proddetails.aspx?pid=1713242&pk=4E552. Or does it just boil down to pick the best price (€90 v €115 when you inc P&P).

shietpilot

my3cents wrote: »

Thanks for that info, one other question before I hit the pay now button, do I need a gasket for the water pump? Reason I'm asking is that some kits list as including a gasket and some make no mention of it? Is it too much of a stretch to assume that a kit including the water pump will automatically have a water pump gasket included?

Currently this is the one I'm considering http://www.mister-auto.ie/en/timing-belt-kit-with-water-pump/skf-vkmc-01107_g3096_a050VKMC!01107.html . Unless the one I had originally picked from Micks garage has any advantage https://secure.micksgarage.com/proddetails.aspx?pid=1713242&pk=4E552. Or does it just boil down to pick the best price (€90 v €115 when you inc P&P).

The Contitech kit you linked says that the water pump comes "with seal". So I presume there's a gasket there.

The SKF kit doesn't say anything about the seal. I would also presume that if the Contitech comes with a seal then the SKF will come with it too because it's required by design.

Personally I would buy from Micksgarage though. Contitech are a reputable timing belt brand and I'm not sure about the quality of SKF belts. You're buying parts that will be there for 100,000 miles or 10 years so you may as well get the best option you can. It's also easier to return to Micksgarage if they deliver the wrong parts!

my3cents

Thanks a recommendation on brand is very welcome, that was all I really wanted before spending the money. I've used Mick Garage a good few times before and have had the Haribo sweets to prove it.

Not so sure about the parts lasting 100K or 10 years, I can always dream the car will last that long and that I can continue to afford the insurance on an old car

my3cents

Finally got around to ordering the timing belt kit and was lucky with a 48hr 12% of sale at Micks Garage which took the sting out of it. Effectively meant I could get an auxiliary (alternator) belt free which I might as well replace at the same time.

shietpilot

Are you replacing the timing belt yourself or are you getting a garage to do it?

my3cents

I'm doing it myself. Have done them on other cars before but not in years. Will be following this guide http://replace-timing-belt.com/how-to-replace-timing-belt-on-vw-polo-6n-1-4/ unless I find it looks very different when I take the cover off. In which case I'll google some more.

Will probably have the most "fun" with the auxiliary belt

shietpilot

The kit will include the timing belt instructions for sure.

I can send you a guide for the aux belt if you want. Does your car have power steering or air conditioning?

my3cents

Just power steering, from memory the aux belt I've ordered is the one that is 1070mm long.

shietpilot

my3cents wrote: »

Just power steering, from memory the aux belt I've ordered is the one that is 1070mm long.

Check your PMs

my3cents

Thanks for the manuals, the aux belt looks a lot easier than I had expected. I had been told by someone who should know better that there was no tensioner and that I needed a special tool to get the auxiliary belt over the pulleys.

Have to wait for parts to arrive so hopefully will report back in a week that it was an easy job that went well

shietpilot

If there's no tensioner generally you can take out one or more alternator bolts and pivot it around to stick the belt on

my3cents

So got started on this at 1PM, because good ole Micks Garage got the parts to me very quickly. Anyway spent the first hour working out why I had to remove the right hand engine mount, eventually worked out that for my car I don't need to. Have it all ready to remove the timing belt so Just stopped for a cup of tea and to check the manual one more time, but also need to drain down coolant before I take the water pump off.

shietpilot

my3cents wrote: »

So got started on this at 1PM, because good ole Micks Garage got the parts to me very quickly. Anyway spent the first hour working out why I had to remove the right hand engine mount, eventually worked out that for my car I don't need to. Have it all ready to remove the timing belt so Just stopped for a cup of tea and to check the manual one more time, but also need to drain down coolant before I take the water pump off.

Just put a drip pan under the car and remove the water pump. I don't think all of it will come out so you won't need to refill as much!

my3cents

Should have done it that way. Spent way too long trying to reuse the spring hose clip on the bottom rad hose.

Anyway all done now all in all took me 5 hours. Really wasted time on some of it but it was my time so no problem.

Not a difficult job but a painstaking one. None of the many online manuals I checked had all the information needed. None told me that I didn't need to remove an engine mount and none said I needed to remove the back part of the timing belt housing (you can't remove the water pump if you don't) and none suggested it would be easier if you removed the drivers side front wheel (easier access to some of the bits that need removing) or that to remove the bottom timing belt cover you have to remove the auxiliary belt tension pulley (pulley covers up access to a bolt). I also found that to get the pump out and the new one in I had to put a jack under the sump and lift then engine a little which lifted the water pump a little way above a strut so it could be removed.

Thanks for your help shietpilot.

shietpilot

my3cents wrote: »

Should have done it that way. Spent way too long trying to reuse the spring hose clip on the bottom rad hose.

Anyway all done now all in all took me 5 hours. Really wasted time on some of it but it was my time so no problem.

Not a difficult job but a painstaking one. None of the many online manuals I checked had all the information needed. None told me that I didn't need to remove an engine mount and none said I needed to remove the back part of the timing belt housing (you can't remove the water pump if you don't) and none suggested it would be easier if you removed the drivers side front wheel (easier access to some of the bits that need removing) or that to remove the bottom timing belt cover you have to remove the auxiliary belt tension pulley (pulley covers up access to a bolt). I also found that to get the pump out and the new one in I had to put a jack under the sump and lift then engine a little which lifted the water pump a little way above a strut so it could be removed.

Thanks for your help shietpilot.

That's the reason for removing the engine mount. It allows you to raise the engine higher so you have more room!

Taking off the driver's side wheel is pretty standard practise too. Easy access to undo the crankshaft pulley nut.