How To: Common Rail Timing Belt Procedure

All in all, not a bad job. Very similar to a BRM job mixed in with some ALH bits. Special care needs to be taken since you crack the fuel system and need to completely bleed all the air out. Because of this I wrote a supplemental how-to at the end on how to run the output test as well as the basic settings test (is there already be one of these?).

I've also thrown in a little more information explaining the proper use of the BEW/BHW/BRM/CBEA/CJAA timing belt tensioner during the R&R of the belt. We took some video during the job and I'm working on getting those posted to youtube.

Please let me know if you find any errors or have any corrections.

Thanks to DanG144, Kriesel, Coalminer16 for the advice, help with pictures and just overall moral support.

To supplement the timing belt procedure I created a video showing the tensioner procedure (video is of a PD timing belt but the tensioners use the same pin feature): http://youtu.be/lM13IXokpuI

Discussion in the How-To: PD Timing belt video thread

Glanced it over and it looks very well documented. I probably will not be able to check the small details until I do the job in another 50k miles, but thank you very much!

looks good, gonna be fun figuring all of this out the first time.

one minor thing, all of the torx bits holding the belly pan on and side skirts on are T20 torx, not T15.

Thank for the PDF, its very well done.

one question though, do you really need to raise & lower the engine so much to get at the 3 mount bolts? or can you get at them and get them disconnected from the block and have them come out with the bracket once you loosen the final bolt? also, is this set up like a BRM where the bolts are all outside the belt path? or is it like an ALH/BEW where one of the bolts is in the middle of the path? I am hoping its like a BRM.

Thanks for the correction Aaron...I couldn't remember.

It's like the BRM. I put that order together because all three of the bolts are basically pointing straight at the frame rail. You need to raise it to even get a socket on the front one and in this position the rear one is very close to its hole through the fender. The bottom one is probably accessible but I prefer to bring the engine down to make access easier.

Of course if you are using a Herm-o-hanger raising and lowering the motor isn't as easy as if you were using a jack so you can improvise where necessary.

I'll also clean up the torque chart at the end. Defer to the ones in the text.

Is there any better way to drain coolant from the block instead of pulling the water pump out and opening up a waterfall?

I'm sure the coolant won't hurt anything, just looks like a mess that should be able to be done without the mess.

70,000 miles till mine!

You can pull the lower hose on the oil cooler but you still end up with coolant coming out when you pull the water pump. Plus that hose is a PITA to get to.

Growler said:

one minor thing, all of the torx bits holding the belly pan on and side skirts on are T20 torx, not T15.

Click to expand...

Looks like they are actually T25 and there are 9 of them.

Couple points to add. Thank you greengeeker for the nice job you did to my fathers car. Another point is the belly pan takes two sizes of torx bolts but if you are doing the timing belt I am REALLY hoping this isn't your first time taking the belly pan off. Also MAKE SURE THE TIMING BELT KIT HAS ALL BOLTS. Seems some things have changed very recently on a few of the bolt sets on the job with Bentley.

VERY VERY nice write-up.

Thanks for the help Travis.

Updated to Rev 2. Can't seem to figure out why my pictures will randomly black out?

coalminer16 said:

Also MAKE SURE THE TIMING BELT KIT HAS ALL BOLTS. Seems some things have changed very recently on a few of the bolt sets on the job with Bentley.

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x2, check your bolts when they arrive in the mail, not when you have your car half tore apart...

Nice write up. I do not remove the engine mount on the CBEA or the BRM, I use a set of thin double nuts tightened to each other and remove the stud with the tensioner. Saves lots of time and a few bolts that don't need replacing.

greengeeker said:

Updated to Rev 2. Can't seem to figure out why my pictures will randomly black out?

Click to expand...

Did you update it and not change the file name? It still says rev1 so I'm not sure if I should save it (again) or not. Thanks.

Have Fun!

Don

I also vote for a sticky.

Great write-up and pictures. Thanks greengeeker.

I have 63k and change on my 2009 TDI. What mileage should I be looking to change out the belt? 80k? 100k?

120k is the recommended interval.

I believe the recommended change is at 120k

Nice compilation, just wait for the first Mark and Pray idiot to come along preaching how they don't need the factory tools...

Drivbiwire said:

Nice compilation, just wait for the first Mark and Pray idiot to come along preaching how they don't need the factory tools...

Click to expand...

Some things never change...

Growler said:

one minor thing, all of the torx bits holding the belly pan on and side skirts on are T20 torx, not T15.

Click to expand...

T25. The rear 3 are T30.

Nice write up. Good pictures.

Thanks Jason.

Great How-To.

Thanks

JSWTDI09 said:

Did you update it and not change the file name? It still says rev1 so I'm not sure if I should save it (again) or not. Thanks.

Have Fun!

Don

Click to expand...

hmmm. You're right Don - seems Rev 2 didn't take. I'll give it another go.

Outstanding DIY, thanks greengeeker.

I just downloaded, file name says Rev1.

greengeeker said:

hmmm. You're right Don - seems Rev 2 didn't take. I'll give it another go.

Click to expand...

milesstandish said:

Outstanding DIY, thanks greengeeker.

I just downloaded, file name says Rev1.

Click to expand...

Part of it might be the club's software. I have occasionally had problems with editing links. The old ones tend to "stick". Greengeeeker might have to upload version 2 and then create a separate link to it. I actually looked in his photo album last night and I could not find a Rev.2. He'll get it figured out sooner or later.

Have Fun!

Don

When I did the monthly mileage competitions all I had to do was edit the picture by replacing the file (picture in this case) with a new one and voila it would automatically show up on the thread without even changing the UBB link.

greengeeker said:

When I did the monthly mileage competitions all I had to do was edit the picture by replacing the file (picture in this case) with a new one and voila it would automatically show up on the thread without even changing the UBB link.

Click to expand...

That works perfectly, if the file name stays the same. It can be a little more problematic if the file name changes (like from Rev1 to Rev2).

Have Fun!

Don

Tools

Is there any one vendor that can supply all of the needed tools?