when should you change your timing belt based on mileage??

recommended in 60k intervals.

ORIGINAL: ltsheets

when should you change ur timing belt based on mileage??




Somebody shoot this guy! [sm=chairshot.gif]

No problems with TT timing belts...your original one should last forever.

(clue: search "timing belt" in this forum)

thanks....and no reason to shoot someone trying to take care of their car

before 70k at least.

ORIGINAL: ltsheets

thanks....and no reason to shoot someone trying to take care of their car


You asked the question after 33 posts. Still kinda new, but around long enough to know to try searching first.

seriously, that is the single most covered issue.....












EVER!!!

well i'm new to the forum and new to DIY on my TT so cut me some slack :)

Oh, alright. But just this once.

go ahead and ask - the guys with the answers who want to help will always come through.......true enthusiasts have to to help others, must be a genetic thing

That about sums it up. I have cousins sending me myspace messages/family calling to see if Im doing ok in the 'big city' of burlington vt. I think they expect a little life update, but all I ever send back is what I'm doing to the car. Doesnt matter the situation, it always turns into a car conversation.

Five years or 60,000. I'm having mine done next week at 30,000 miles. The car is eight years old.

I was "told" to change it at 90k. It broke at 83700! Don't believe what you are told. Read!
Anyone on this forum could have told me not to go past 60k.

How much should you exepct to be charged for the service?

$700-$1000.

its usually best to buy all the parts and have a good shop install it

yes and if you do DIY becareful as it was the hardest thing ive ever done to my car...and i do everything myself from electronics to clutch....hardest part was getting the belt back on and correct.

ORIGINAL: cincyTT

its usually best to buy all the parts and have a good shop install it


But shops won't warrant the parts if you bring them to them, only the original labor.

t was the hardest thing ive ever done to my car

Dude, something was up htere. After my first time, I rated it something like a 6 on the difficulty scale, and only because its in a tight space. Not too hard, just time consuming.

I don't think there are many things you can do on these cars that I'd truely call difficult, when you break it all down, its still just turning bolts. Now, maybe on some porsche models... you don't even want to know what that involves.

i changed my at 70 only because the water pump went bad but if it did not go bad i woukld have did it at 75. remember the better you take care of your car the longer its gonna last

Five years or 60,000.......... Really???

I just bought my 2001 225hp TT coupe with only 21k miles, a month ago. Do I really need to consider having the TB changed at this time?

^ same question, she's a 2002 225CQ with 20.0XX on the odo.

ORIGINAL: Morc

Five years or 60,000.......... Really???

I just bought my 2001 225hp TT coupe with only 21k miles, a month ago. Do I really need to consider having the TB changed at this time?

Timing belt replacement is based on mileage, not time. It is a good idea to check your timing belt from time to time. Warrantys are mileage or time. Very few maintenance items include time. I can only think of brake fluid.

ORIGINAL: P1800toTT

Five years or 60,000. I'm having mine done next week at 30,000 miles. The car is eight years old.

This is misinformation and is the kind of answer that causes confusion.
We are all so tired of seeing this question, that no one noticed it. Replacement is based on mileage. It would be rediculous to think if I had the car in storage for several years, that the timing belt should be changed. It is easy enough to check the belt periodically for wear.

Whew! Thanks for clearing that up. I feel better now.

I suspected that was the case, which is why I was surprised by the statement that included TIME.
Tks again!

ORIGINAL: beachchair

ORIGINAL: P1800toTT

Five years or 60,000. I'm having mine done next week at 30,000 miles. The car is eight years old.

This is misinformation and is the kind of answer that causes confusion.
We are all so tired of seeing this question, that no one noticed it. Replacement is based on mileage. It would be rediculous to think if I had the car in storage for several years, that the timing belt should be changed. It is easy enough to check the belt periodically for wear.



If its not stored well or parked outside and rarely driven the belt alone with other rubber parts like vac lines can rot. But like you said, its still should be checked before driven if its been sitting for a period of time.

ORIGINAL: beachchair

...It is easy enough to check the belt periodically for wear.



Actually, most of the timing belt failures are the result of failed tensioners. I'm not sure wear is an issue. The imminent failure may not be apparent.

The 3 causes are the tensioner like you said and the others are blown water pump and skipping teeth. The tensioner slipping is probably about 1/2 the failures if not a little more with the other 2 splitting the rest of the TB issues.

The pump should have some tell tell signs before it causes massive damage and you can kind of check for a worn belt to prevent skipping teeth.

ORIGINAL: JettaRedII

ORIGINAL: beachchair

...It is easy enough to check the belt periodically for wear.



Actually, most of the timing belt failures are the result of failed tensioners. I'm not sure wear is an issue. The imminent failure may not be apparent.

Of course wear is an issue. Inspect belt for: Seperation - Chunking - Oil/Grease Contamination - Missing/Damaged cogs - Tension - Cracking - Wear on edges - Fraying. Tensioner should be inspected also.

from experience....The time it broke on me 87k miles...pissed me off cuz i just got the kit like the day before it broke. not sure but the belt got its teeth ripped off like 9 in a row...then after 6months of storage during a cold winter with no heated garage my only guess is the tensior froze up when i started it up and caused it to jump two teeth causing a CEL and etc so i changed the belt and found i had a plastic water pump in there and it was broke....i should be good now for 4-5 years before i do that again...all new parts including a metal pump in there now... either the audi mech who rebuilt my head didnt change the waterpump like i asked and paid for or the one he used from audi was indeed a plastic....if thats the case you people paying someone to do your timing belt MAKE SURE THEY USE A METAL WATERPUMP...

Rubber breaks down and gets brittle over time. Add to that a climate that can be 100 degrees in Summer and -20 in Winter.
Anyone into vintage cars knows not to run old tires even if they have never seen pavement.
I'm changing mine at 30,000 and eight years. $700 vs. ???
I will have the shop save my belt and give a report on the condition.

ORIGINAL: P1800toTT
I'm changing mine at 30,000 and eight years. $700 vs. ???

That's your choice, but Here's the question: What mileage should you change the timing belt? Here's your answer: Five years or 60,000.
Once again replacement is generally determined by mileage, not time. There are always extenuating circumstances and freak examples, but going on this site and telling people to change their timing belt every five years only confuses the issue more. There is already enough confusion.
My Audi maintenance manual suggests replacement at 105,000 miles. The more knowledgable members on this board choose 60,000 miles which is safe and conservative. You are free to do what you want, but it does not apply to everyone.

My Audi manual says to change my belt and tensioner at 75,000 miles. I have a 2004. So, you need to check your specific car. However, everyone agrees that it's more prudent to change the belt before or at 60,000 miles, which is what I will be doing.

By '04 they finally got smart and lowered it. Well i guess that would be printed in '03 after a bunch of cars having TB issues and they couldnt afford paying out $4k for engine replacements.

Changed mine yesterday on an 04 with 50,000 miles, what a bitch, couldn't get the idle roller fitted due to the belt being so tight, so had to take the water pump back out, fit the roller & then refit the water pump. The old water pump had already started to break up, you could just break peices off it real easy, the belt was like brand new & the tenstion roller looked fine but I think this is the week link that causes the belts to break early. I have the Bentley workshop manual which in my opinion is garbage! This site was far more informative & a godsend!