TIMING BELTS

bilzer

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2004
Location
New Hampshire
TDI
Jetta, 2000, silver
Iam going to get a 2000 Jetta TDI this week and the dealrer is going to put ina timing belt for me. Is it TRUE that there are TWO Different belts available? One rated at 60,000 miles and another at 80,000? The dealer told me that the autos need a belt at 80,000 and the 5 speeds need it at 60,000 but there is only ONE BELT? I think I read there are TWO TYPES of belts. Can someone get me the straight poop on belts?
 

Ian46

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 20, 2002
Location
Oceanside,Ca
TDI
2013 Jetta TDI DSG Premium with NAV
Do a search and you will get more then enough info on this topic. Easier then relying on everybody else to search for you.
 

ofhs93

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2004
Location
Scranton, PA
TDI
Jetta GL, 99.5, Silver
One thing you must realize right away is that you CANNOT trust the stealership for proper information regarding TDI's. They seem to have a total lack of knowledge regarding them in general..this does not cover every dealer but in your case it is true....after you do the search for TBelt info I think you will understand what I'm saying here....Just trust the community here at Fred's and you will be fine...I would NOT have bought a TDI without this resource.
 

TornadoRed

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Location
West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (PARTED); 2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue (SOLD); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (SOLD)
[ QUOTE ]
Iam going to get a 2000 Jetta TDI this week and the dealrer is going to put ina timing belt for me. Is it TRUE that there are TWO Different belts available? One rated at 60,000 miles and another at 80,000? The dealer told me that the autos need a belt at 80,000 and the 5 speeds need it at 60,000 but there is only ONE BELT? I think I read there are TWO TYPES of belts. Can someone get me the straight poop on belts?

[/ QUOTE ]
Your 2000 MY TDI came with the "old style" timing belt and tensioner, good for 40k miles on automatic TDIs and 60k miles on 5-speed TDIs.

In the middle of the 2001 MY, the "new style" timing belt and tensioner were introduced. The 2002 Owner's Manual suggests replacement every 80k miles, the 2003 Owner's Manual suggests replacement every 100k miles.

The "new style" timing belt and tensioner can be retrofitted to the older TDIs. But usually dealers take one look at your car and decline to install the newer timing belt. Or they say they won't offer any warranty on their work -- if they screw up the job and the belt fails, they won't replace the engine.

If your dealer will not install the newer timing belt, or won't warrantee their work, then walk away. Their mechanic probably replaces only a handful of TDI timing belts each year, but there are probably people in your area that do several each month. They know what they are doing and they won't wreck your engine. Don't know where in New Hampshire you are, but HermTDI is in Maine and he is (by all accounts) a TDI genius.

Tell the dealer to chop $500-600 off the price of the Jetta, and contact HermTDI to replace the timing belt (and water pump).
 
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