When to change cambelt?

[thomaschung]

Hi all,

I have recently bought a VW Golf MK4 GTi 1.8 Turbo (2000 reg). It had done 59,500 miles, but has now done 60,200 miles.

The service book has no evidence of a cambelt change. When I bought the car off the private trader, he said the cambelt was changed last year, but I'm starting to doubt it an am worried about it.

What mileage does the cambelt need to be replaced on the model? I do not have a manual either.

Thanks very much,

W

[dieselman580]

hello and welcome,
on the petrol it needs to be changed at 60k, if you have no proof of it then id get it changed mate.

[thomaschung]

OK thanks for the info, I had thought so.

I am regretting the purchase now, I already had a break down with the car with the oil pressure.

Any idea how much a cam belt change is? Can I ask a garage to look at it to see if it needs changing?

[Crasher]

The timing belt should be changed every five years or 80K but that MUST include the water pump and coolant. Oil pressure loss is a common issue on the 1.8T due to sump sludge caused by the turbo and poor oil change intervals.

[thomaschung]

80K? Who says that? So you don't think I need to change it yet?

I would be happy to change it the next time I take it for service at 65,000 miles. Do you think that is ok?

Yeah the garage said it was carbonised black sludge from oil pick-up pipe. The pick up pipe was blocked with sludge. Cause may have been oil used previously was not good. Needs full synthetic oil in Turbo engines.

[Crasher]

Well VW’s own service tables say every 180,000 Km for the AGU, ARZ and AUM engine, whichever it is that you may have but probably ARZ. 180,000Km is 111,600 miles but I think that is excessive so I go by the new VW rule of five years and my own mileage of 80K at most as I have seen them fail at 79, 900 which was quite upsetting when I told him it needed doing at 80K.

For oil I recommend the use of VAG’s own Longlife III and change it every 6K or 6 months, cheap insurance.

[thomaschung]

How do I find out what engine mine is?

[sumomus_01]

I too have recently bought a 1.8t with 79k. the dealer showed me the service history book and it had written on the 70000 service that the cambelt was changed, i do not have proof and dont want a £grand engine re-build so i have it booked in next week for cambelt, tensioners and water pump.

the cambelt on its own is £125
with kit £225 (tensioners etc)
water pump £40

[Crasher]

How do I find out what engine mine is?

PM me your reg number.

One point, cam belts themselves don’t often actually fail; it is usually the tensioner or water pump and occasionally an idler roller on those engines with them, such as the AGU, ARZ and AUM. £225 for a kit fitted is a little cheap; I would have expected £280. Make sure they replace the engine mount to body M12 bolts; they are one time only bolts.

[dieselman580]

PM me your reg number.

One point, cam belts themselves don’t often actually fail; it is usually the tensioner or water pump and occasionally an idler roller on those engines with them, such as the AGU, ARZ and AUM. £225 for a kit fitted is a little cheap; I would have expected £280. Make sure they replace the engine mount to body M12 bolts; they are one time only bolts.

is this on the petrol engines?