Hearing different things about timings belts

[JMBoriss]

I bought a 1.8T Wolfsburg from a friend. He changed the timing belt at 80k with the water pump with the metal impeller. Car now has 125k.

I've heard and read from different sources that the timing belt should be changed in intervals of 40k, 60k, 80k and 100k apart.

Can someone clarify this for me? Any opinions on what you would do. 40k seems ridiculous, 60k does too.

Also, I've heard many different things about synthetic oil. How often do you change that?

And yes, I did search for these things.

[K20017]

Here is for a 2001 and 2004 1.8T.





According to Bentley and probably many others, it is recommended to inspect the timing belt and tensioner every 20k and replace it every 60k. A timing belt will never just let go without any signs of wear so if you are concerned about your belt, just give it a good inspection and check for cracks, splitting, fraying, pieces of belt around the shroud etc.

As for the oil, you will hear 148,394 different opinions. The general consensus is probably to change it between 3-5k miles. VW recommends an oil that meets the 502.00, 501.01, or 500.00 rating. VW prefers 5W-40 or 10W-40.

[speeding-g6O]

It's probably extremely rare for a timing belt to just go without any signs of wear so if you are concerned about your belt, just give it a good inspection and check for cracks, splitting, fraying, pieces of belt around the shroud etc.

i actually chuckled at that statement. they NEVER just "go" with no indication. EVER.

whats the saying? "here today, gone tomorrow".....

[WVgti]

Replaced mine last week...155,000 miles. I was on borrowed time, though the belt looked to be in decent shape, the tensioner was not in such great shape. I got lucky I guess.

[Tcatt]

I've never replaced my t-belt at exactly 60k. I've done mostly highway driving on the cars life. I have 187k with it currently on my 3rd t-belt job. I changed my last one with 75k on it. The thing that worries me the most is one day tensioner will lose the gas and poof belt slips and kiss your valves (possibly pistons) goodbye. I had a friend go 120k on the factory t-belt and well needless you say he spent over 5k on a new engine, with labor and all My car has always used fully synthetic oil. VW prefers it and religiously change it every 3k. You take car it'll take car of you If you really get technical go and buy yourself and bently manual and geniune ross-tech VAGCOM cable Depending on your driving habits, i'd say you shouldnt have to worry about doing the t-belt job for another 30k at the least. And dont buy those crappy "Fram oil filters" get yourself at a purolator one.

[K20017]

i actually chuckled at that statement. they NEVER just "go" with no indication. EVER.

whats the saying? "here today, gone tomorrow".....

Haha yeah true, I'll change it to never. I hear stories here and there of someone getting a new
"ultra strength carbon fiber" belt and it randomly just snaps in 3k miles. I guess they installed it wrong or never inspected it.

[AmIdYfReAk]

I'll only touch contential belts and manual tensioners.

[JMBoriss]

You guys are awesome. Thanks. I'll do it in 60k intervals. So I'll do it when my car is at 140k.

My next question is COULD I just do the $35.00 continental (OEM?) belt at 60k intervals . . . . and then at 120k intervals change the tensioner, wp, idler (roller) every 120k or do I really have to drop $250 for a TB kit every 60k. I ask that because I drive that in a year.


Is this belt worth the extra piece and mind?

http://store.stevebilt.com/product_p/t306rb.htm

Also, would you run Mobil 1 0w40 European Blend in your car?

[K20017]

You guys are awesome. Thanks. I'll do it in 60k intervals. So I'll do it when my car is at 140k.

My next question is COULD I just do the $35.00 continental (OEM?) belt at 60k intervals . . . . and then at 120k intervals change the tensioner, wp, idler (roller) every 120k or do I really have to drop $250 for a TB kit every 60k. I ask that because I drive that in a year.


Is this belt worth the extra piece and mind?

http://store.stevebilt.com/product_p/t306rb.htm

Also, would you run Mobil 1 0w40 European Blend in your car?

Since the tensioner is hydraulic and all the mechanics are housed inside the case, any inspection of it won't tell you how much "life" it has left. There are several threads on vortex of tensioners failing out of the blue. I don't recall if they followed the maintenance schedules or not but VW made them for a reason. $250 assurance is much cheaper than the money you will spend for a head replacement.

As for the Gates timing belt, again, everyone has their own opinions. I've read a few things of them failing. But as before, NEVER will a timing belt fail without showing signs of wear and tear. I doubt VW would supply an inferior part that is used in such a critical aspect of the engine.

And that Mobil 1 0W-40 will work well for your car.

[JMBoriss]

Perfect. Many thanks.

[Twopnt016v]

You want to replace all tensioners and rollers every timing belt change. Failing to do so can cause you to end up with bent valves and possibly a trashed motor. 120k mile is too long to go on tensioners. Replace it all while your there and rest easy. You can hold out to 75k in my opinion if need be. I run one of the gates racing belts. Mobile one is crap these days, its not the same oil that made the company famous. I recommend you try Rotella 5w 40 syn and change it no latter then 5k.



You can get the Rotella at walmart
If you want to lear about motor oils here is a good read...

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/

[JMBoriss]

Thanks a lot. Isn't Rotella T diesel oil? I'd kind of like to try 0w-40 as it'll be thinner at start up in our cold winters here in Michigan.


But I thought Rotella T was for diesels. Would you recommend 0w-40. I did take the Oil class from BITOG

[Twopnt016v]

Thanks a lot. Isn't Rotella T diesel oil? I'd kind of like to try 0w-40 as it'll be thinner at start up in our cold winters here in Michigan.


But I thought Rotella T was for diesels. Would you recommend 0w-40. I did take the Oil class from BITOG

I would recommend a 0w-40 if you can find one. The thinner on start up the better as you know and the majority of the wear also happens on start up. Its harder to find 0w oils around here. I do have a big back stock of liqui molly 0w-40 that i run in my car. Sorry I posted the wrong pic. The oil I am talking about is Rotella T6 synthetic. Yes Rotella is used in many diesel trucks and heavy equipment but it is also used today in may cars,high performance cars and motorcycles. I started running it in my girls car about a year ago after reading so many people on vortex speaking highly of it including the guys at IE. There are also some oil analysis on vortex that I have read that say good things about it. Its fairly priced and easy to get since all walmarts sell it.

[screwball]

The A4s call out 100K as the benchmark to do the T.Belt which is funny. I've always stuck w/ approximately 60-75K on my car, I'm on my 4th setup now at 196K. Manual tensioner and Gates blue belt. FWIW the hydro tensioners have failed 3 out of 4 times on my car.

[JMBoriss]

That is odd that Audi says 100k on the same engine. Thanks for the replies and help. I've read that people think that the Rotella T6 oil can possibly ruin the cat but couldn't find definite answers. Can anyone speak to that?

[Iangti7777]

In Europe the 1.8T was launched with Timing belt intervals over 100K. Then they started breaking much earlier and VW revised the period to 60K or 4 years. 4 Years seems excessive for low mileage, I use 5, but heat and time kills belts.

As for oil, 10K is standard in Europe for an oil change.
I have always found it interesting that intervals are more frequent in the USA. Is this out of necessity, or the desire to make more money out of the customer from servicing ?

[Neezy13]

That is odd that Audi says 100k on the same engine. Thanks for the replies and help. I've read that people think that the Rotella T6 oil can possibly ruin the cat but couldn't find definite answers. Can anyone speak to that?

The Rotella t6 is a Heavy Duty Equipment Oil so it has more ZDDP added to it than standard gasoline engine oil. When a car burns oil, the ZDDP can bind to the catalyst in the catalytic converter resulting eventually in a clogged cat. Since there is more in the T6, it might cause a clogged cat sooner.

The bottom line is that burning any oil will kill a cat. However most people who use t6 actually report less oil burning. The extra ZDDP is one of the things that make this oil good for our motors as it cleans the motor up and prevents sludge issues. IMO the benefit to the engine out weighs the possible detriment to the cat.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

[Twopnt016v]

In Europe the 1.8T was launched with Timing belt intervals over 100K. Then they started breaking much earlier and VW revised the period to 60K or 4 years. 4 Years seems excessive for low mileage, I use 5, but heat and time kills belts.

As for oil, 10K is standard in Europe for an oil change.
I have always found it interesting that intervals are more frequent in the USA. Is this out of necessity, or the desire to make more money out of the customer from servicing ?

10k oil service intervals=sludge problems
Oil filters also don't last for 10k. European oils also tend to be better then US oils..

[screwball]

You guys run CATs? Ha, love the Rotella stuff.