Timing belt question VW Golf

lubo_moravcik · 03-12-2011 12:00PM #1

I have VW Golf 2.0 tdi. There are 177,000 km on it. How much should I expect to pay to have the timing belt replaced, and does anyone come recommended??

Thank you please

damo86 · 03-12-2011 12:10PM

about 350 - 400. Will have to do the water pump as well but thats usually included in the price.

When was is last done, should of been done at 120k kms/ 80k miles?

where you based?

shocking as it is, the dealers (vw) are doing a good deal on timing belt/water pump changes for 400. but can get done cheaper if shop around.

lubo_moravcik · 03-12-2011 12:22PM

To be honest I don't know if it's been done before, can't get in contact with previous owner. Nothing has happened *touch wood* but as the miles go up I really just want to get it done to be sure to be sure.
I'm in Dublin/Meath

damo86 · 03-12-2011 01:10PM

Yip,definitely, nothing on the service book, should have it ticked in the service interval (labelled "toothed belt")?
Or you could take off the plastic engine cover, the mile should be written on the cam belt cover

Im from cork, so anyone from dublin can recommend anywhere????

Damo

George Dalton · 03-12-2011 02:15PM

Just to give a more accurate idea on price, €350 as mentioned above is the average price for the 1.9 TDI. The 2.0 kit is more expensive so it costs more to do, I doubt you would get it done for €350 including a water pump. We charge €390 for a 2.0 TDI and we are usually on the cheaper side of average for this kind of work.

swhyte027 · 03-12-2011 10:54PM

350e would be my price have done tons of theses and everyone seemed to be happy with our price.and there a nice simple belt to do to be honest.

Nissan doctor · 03-12-2011 11:17PM

The belt on those should be changed every 4 years OR the mileage mentioned above.

The prices listed above are about right too once the belt is changed the correct way, i.e with the correct timing tools and the correct method of setting the cam pulleys...as in not just marking their positions with tippex or whatever.

swhyte027 · 03-12-2011 11:20PM

Tipex as in back in the day well I no all we use is tools to lock everything up.anyways it's much handier to be honest.

Nissan doctor · 03-12-2011 11:25PM

Its not just having the locking tools though, most people treat the cam pulleys on these as fixed pulleys when that not the case, the pulleys have to be loosened and set correctly before fitting the belt.

swhyte027 · 03-12-2011 11:27PM

Yes you are correct in wat ur saying.but we know that as we do them all the time.and to be honest I don't think someone who didn't know that would chance a belt like that.

Nissan doctor · 03-12-2011 11:30PM

swhyte027 wrote: »

Yes you are correct in wat ur saying.but we know that as we do them all the time.and to be honest I don't think someone who didn't know that would chance a belt like that.

I've seen it done incorrectly countless times by now, I've seen fords and renaults with tipex marks on the pulleys too:rolleyes:

swhyte027 · 03-12-2011 11:35PM

Ha ha well u wouldn't beleave what I saw today got a car into the garage and the timing chain was stretched and another garage decided to take a link out of it.like where do these people get there ideas.ive done hundreds of these on a Mercedes e200 kompressor and u have to change the chain and tensonier.so I no where ur coming from with stupidity

Nissan doctor · 03-12-2011 11:38PM

swhyte027 wrote: »

Ha ha well u wouldn't beleave what I saw today got a car into the garage and the timing chain was stretched and another garage decided to take a link out of it.like where do these people get there ideas.ive done hundreds of these on a Mercedes e200 kompressor and u have to change the chain and tensonier.so I no where ur coming from with stupidity

You must be in the business decades if you've done hundreds of chains on one particular type of car.

swhyte027 · 03-12-2011 11:41PM

Smart ass lol we only specialise in 2 brands to be honest but also do a lot of vags

Nissan doctor · 03-12-2011 11:45PM

swhyte027 wrote: »

Smart ass lol we only specialise in 2 brands to be honest but also do a lot of vags

Not being smart, its just that in a year and a half in my current job I have carried out just over 600 individual jobs of varying complexity according to my log, hence my comments about you doing hundreds of just one job.

swhyte027 · 04-12-2011 01:15AM

Well I've a lot of time served to be honest and a lot of good customers.not to be blunt but I'm on the go a lot longer then a year and a half.and any body down my way that I've done work for seems very happy

Nissan doctor · 04-12-2011 01:34AM

swhyte027 wrote: »

Well I've a lot of time served to be honest and a lot of good customers.not to be blunt but I'm on the go a lot longer then a year and a half.and any body down my way that I've done work for seems very happy

A year and a half is only the length of time I'm working for my current company.;)

barneygumble99 · 04-12-2011 07:27PM

what are side effects of vag belt being done with cams being adjusted??

Nissan doctor · 05-12-2011 01:14AM

barneygumble99 wrote: »

what are side effects of vag belt being done with cams being adjusted??

Without the cams being adjusted do you mean?

On certain engines, when you tension the belt, it will cause the cam pulleys to rotate back from their set position. If you don't loosen the pulleys, they remain fixed to the cams, meaning that the cam position gets pull back slightly out of position.
If you lock the cams with the correct pins, then loosen the pulleys, it means the pulleys can move to take the tension of the belt without the cams moving, meaning the engine is timed precisely as per manufacture specs.

If you do it with the pulleys fixed, it won't be off enough that it won't start or will cause valve damage, but the slight mis-time can lead to excess smoke, excess deposit build up etc as well as damage to DPF's, where fitted, and Catalytic converters as well as possible power and fuel consumption issues.

barneygumble99 · 05-12-2011 09:01PM

interesting , i got mine done, not in a vw garage but by someone who works in one and its been smoky enough since on acceleration , no loss of power or any other problems though. would it sort itself out if it was done properly the next time or will it still just be the same as it is now??

Nissan doctor · 05-12-2011 09:05PM

barneygumble99 wrote: »

interesting , i got mine done, not in a vw garage but by someone who works in one and its been smoky enough since on acceleration , no loss of power or any other problems though. would it sort itself out if it was done properly the next time or will it still just be the same as it is now??

If you suspect this may be the problem then I wouldn't be waiting 4 years or 120k or whatever to find out if its done right:eek:

If you know where your looking in the engine bay the plastic upper timing belt cover is handy to remove, its a small plastic turn screw to release it. If you see tippex marks then it could well be your problem.

George Dalton · 05-12-2011 09:07PM

Is it a 1.9? It is very easy to check the cam timing using diagnostic equipment on them. I always check it after doing a belt on one as even with the locking tools it can sometimes be slightly off after changing the belt.

barneygumble99 · 05-12-2011 11:49PM

might have a look at the belt tomorrow in daylight to see if theres marks on it , is it possible to adjust the timing with vag com or similar?? went back to mechanic after it was done and he said its grand as long as its not puffing smoke the whole time , its only on sharp acceleration and not for the full lenght of acceleration either but hadnt noticed it before.

George Dalton · 05-12-2011 11:58PM

The timing must be physically adjusted at the cam pulley but you can check it with VCDS in measuring block 004.

barneygumble99 · 06-12-2011 12:22AM

its a 2 litre 140 bkd engine by the way, so the next time i get it done and if its done properly with the camshafts loosened , will the timing be the same as it is now or will it revert to how it should be??

Nissan doctor · 06-12-2011 12:25AM

barneygumble99 wrote: »

its a 2 litre 140 bkd engine by the way, so the next time i get it done and if its done properly with the camshafts loosened , will the timing be the same as it is now or will it revert to how it should be??

If its done properly it will be set to the factory settings.

Peadar_85 · 17-02-2012 03:43PM

Lads,

I was looking at an 06 1.9 Golf last night and there's a little under 70,000 miles on it. Yer man tells me that he has the car for 2 years and the belt's never been changed. Is this a ticking time bomb and would I be mad to buy with the existing belt in place?

George Dalton · 17-02-2012 03:55PM

The belt is due to be changed but these have a very strong belt setup so you can be pretty sure it isn't going to break any time soon so ticking time bomb is too strong a term.

If I were you I would use the fact that it needs a belt change as a bargaining point rather than try to get the seller to have it done before buying the car. If he gets it done you don't know who will be doing it, what the quality of parts and workmanship will be like and whether or not the water pump will be done as well.

Budget around €350 to get the full kit and water pump done. Try to get at least some of that money off the asking price. Then you can have the job done yourself somewhere reputable and have peace of mind that it is done properly.

Peadar_85 · 17-02-2012 04:58PM

Good point - Thanks George

patriciaf6 · 03-06-2015 04:03PM

The timing belt on my golf was last done at 78,000 miles! When should I be changing it again? Some are saying every 60,000!

George Dalton · 03-06-2015 07:52PM

The interval varies depending on the year and engine in your Golf. If you post that information then someone will be able to advise you.

Timing belt question VW Golf

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