Cambelt Intervals

Author
Discussion

halo34

Original Poster:

2,890 posts

206 months

Tuesday 8th November 2022
quotequote all
I have a 2013 Passat - I cant find anything definitive on the intervals for the 140 BHP CR Diesel.

It was done 4 yrs ago @ 54k with the waterpump - now @ 125k.

Some say its 7 years or 120k VW are vague and want a huge amount of money for it.

Belle427

9,744 posts

240 months

Tuesday 8th November 2022
quotequote all
I've seen various figures quoted but the one that seems most popular is 120k or 5 years.

SteBrown91

2,572 posts

136 months

Wednesday 9th November 2022
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VW diesels are normally 80k or 5 years

Drive Blind

5,253 posts

184 months

Wednesday 9th November 2022
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you'll see various figures quoted from different sources.

From 120K miles and no time interval, to every 4 years irrespective of mileage. To confuse things further, VW, Audi,and SEAT (UK dealers) will quote different intervals for the same engine.

5 years was the most common figure quoted to me asking at dealers and indies.

Look for a local VW group indie you should get it done for approx £500.


Sheepshanks

35,040 posts

126 months

Wednesday 9th November 2022
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The time interval is easy - VW UK say 5yrs for post 2009 cars. https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/need-help/need-hel... They don't mention mileage as they assume no normal user will hit the mileage limit in 5yrs.

VW Germany has no time based demand. They go on mileage. The mileage seems to vary wherever you look and which engine it is - I know on wife's EA288 (I thnk that's the one after the OP's) engine it's 210,000kms (130K miles).

VW have whacked up the price of this job, and many indies seem to have followed suit too.

halo34

Original Poster:

2,890 posts

206 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
Thanks guys - part of the reason I want to move to a chain engine next (330d/A6 3.0 tdi)

Going to suck and see until 5 yrs and go from there.

OldSkoolRS

6,867 posts

186 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
halo34 said:
Thanks guys - part of the reason I want to move to a chain engine next (330d/A6 3.0 tdi)

Going to suck and see until 5 yrs and go from there.
Paradoxically while I'm looking into a possible car change in our household anything with chains seems to scare me off: I can change a belt myself (usually) but a lot of chains need engines removing to do and aren't always 'sealed for life', though perhaps I'm looking at BMWs/Mercedes and tarring all chain driven engines with the same brush.

Does the Passatt engine have to come out for this job? I guess not as £500 would be too little for that, maybe just very involved strip down, or maybe some special tools. I found my son's Fiesta belt harder than my own Ka was (and both those far harder than the old Ford CVH belt or my RS2000 pinto engine belt changes were), but these days there is more stuff in the way with PAS and air con I suppose.

halo34

Original Poster:

2,890 posts

206 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
Thats including the waterpump I think and tensioners etc along with coolant.


OldSkoolRS

6,867 posts

186 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
halo34 said:
Thats including the waterpump I think and tensioners etc along with coolant.
Ah yes...sorry I always have my DIY head on when it comes to cars and parts being a lot cheaper than a garage job they always seem expensive to me. paperbag

stevemcs

8,993 posts

100 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
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Vw’s seem to like to have belt failure, well the tensioner does and takes the belt with it. It fails before the recommended intervals which on most of the newer 2.0s is 4 years

Prices are somewhere between £450 and £600 depending on labour and if it’s a switchable water pump

Belle427

9,744 posts

240 months

Saturday 12th November 2022
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Auxiliary belts are often overlooked and can shred finding their way into the timing belt cover on some models so well worth changing these regularly for what they cost.
Happened on my brother in laws 2010 Audi A3 2.0 Tdi 140, needed a recon head etc and caused around £1000 worth of damage for the sake of a £10 belt.

halo34

Original Poster:

2,890 posts

206 months

Saturday 12th November 2022
quotequote all
Thanks everyone - sitting tight, its definitely not 4 yr intervals - so it can wait 6 months to the 5 yr point unless I change it of course.

I had it serviced recently but take the point about the other belts.

EC2

1,514 posts

260 months

Saturday 12th November 2022
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It is annoying that my VW states five years but Volvo are happy to let my petrol XC90 go to eight or ten years (can’t remember which). For a low value car five years is very frequent especially as it is only on 20000 miles (Polo).

stevemcs

8,993 posts

100 months

Saturday 12th November 2022
quotequote all
EC2 said:
It is annoying that my VW states five years but Volvo are happy to let my petrol XC90 go to eight or ten years (can’t remember which). For a low value car five years is very frequent especially as it is only on 20000 miles (Polo).
Volvo do say to change the aux belt and tensioner more regularly though (as this has killed a number of 5 pots) But VW group seems to be the worst out of all the manufacturers, however they are the ones that seem to suffer from cambelt failures more than others