Just how long will a timing belt last?

DeezelDust

Active member
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
Location
London Ontario Canada
TDI
06 jetta
Havin a few beers with a shop owner awhile back and he said he hasn't seen a broken timing belt in years, compared to a decade ago. He said they are a lot better since about 2001 or so. Better construction & materials.
So how long or how many Klms have you seen on one? My 06 TDI has approx 160,000 since last done. John said it will last another 40,000 at least:confused:
 

PressEnter[]

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2013
Location
Saratoga Springs, NY
TDI
2013 Jetta 6M
I don't know if this is a TDI specific question, but I had one break at 120K on my '03 Mazda (recommended replacement at 100K). Luckily that was a non-interference engine.
 

2.2TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
May 1, 2011
Location
TDI
⠀⠀
I know some people who have gone way over the recommended interval and have had nothing happen(on tdi's and on gassers) I'm sure there is a factor of safety margin then what the recommended interval is but I will agree it's a gamble.
 

imo000

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
Location
Cambridge
TDI
2009 M-B ML320 Diesel & '05 Passat TDI Manual 5-Speed
On my '00 lasted for 270K km before it jumped. :)
 

40X40

Experienced
Joined
Feb 12, 2006
Location
Kansas City area, MO
TDI
2013 Passat SEL Premium
I stumbled upon this thread by clicking 'new posts' and was quite confused until I noticed it was in the ONTARIO sub forum.

The timing BELT itself is almost never the problem, Damage is usually initiated by something else in the TB/cam drive-train failing first. (Idler, Tensioner, etc.)

So, change the dang thing and everything related to it, on schedule..... like you've been told for years....

<Shakes Head Wearily>

Bill
 

Ski in NC

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 7, 2008
Location
Wilmington, NC USA
TDI
2001 Jetta ALH 5sp stock
113k miles on my original belt. When I changed it, everything looked in good shape. Its a true crap shoot to run high miles on these. Some might go nearly forever, others will poop tomorrow. Gamble indeed... And then the new ones might poop early... Pick your poison.
 

dandywriter

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2007
Location
Ottawa (Kanata), Canada, eh?
TDI
2014 Golf Wagon 6M
Interval was lowered to 80,000 mi/128,000 km/5 years due to failures when interval was 100,000 miles for BRM. http://www.idparts.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=175&products_id=931.

Given the cost of the change vs the cost of trashing your head, why take the chance?

Timing belt change time is also a good time to look at your cam, a known Mk5 weakness, and if it's worn, to replace it too, since most of the work must be done for the belt change...

Good cars that will run forever - with the proper maintenance.
 

PeterV

TDIClub Enthusiast, HO5G Doyen & Zen Master
Joined
Aug 17, 2000
Location
So, NH.
TDI
2000 Jetta 5 sp.
One might think that TB longevity is directly proportional to ones pocket deepness...

The new people here soon learn that TDIs and their owners are slightly different that their gasser counterparts.
 

showdown 42

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2012
Location
naples,FL
TDI
2016 TDI touareg
It has to relate to many factors of use and weather it is exposed to. If you drive the hell out of the car, live where there are extreme temp conditions,either very cold or very hot common sense tells you there will be more sress and wear, so a change will be needed on schedule at least. I would still change on schedule, the failure could be catastrophic.
 

Wingnut

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 10, 2002
Location
Toronto & Whitby
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta Wagon
Some people can get 200k out of it. But some only get 100k. Nothing in life is guaranteed. Why take a chance. As already mentioned, the cost to replace it is a lot less than the cost to repair the damage caused if it breaks.
 

VDUB TECH

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
May 8, 2007
Location
2875 old Barrie rd east Orillia
TDI
2003 Jetta wagon TDI , Audi TT TDI Q , 2013 Touareg TDI , 2006 Jetta TDI
Also depends on which belt is on it , the early alh had rubber belts that dont last thet long , the tetth shear off when they get old.The replacement belt is superior and tend to last longer age wise.PD have redesigned cogs on the crank to minimse belt wear on the coast side of the belt.Plus the PD belts are thicker.
 

ss04vv

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Location
Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon, 382k & counting...
Right now I'm driving 50-60k/year almost all highway. Given that's the case, I'd gamble on my timing belt a lot longer than someone who is driving 10k/year. IMO it's still age over mileage and hot-cold cycles that will breakdown a belt a lot quicker than mileage. Right now my car has 285km on it. I did the last belt at 220km just a bit over a year ago. When I get to 380kms and it's due for a change, I'm not sure I see the point of even bothering to spend ~500 in parts, plus anything else that needs attention while I'm in there on a car that is 15+ years old, eventhough it's in great shape. I haven't really put much thought into it before I saw this post, and cant foresee what other issues the car will have in 1.5-2 years though so take my commentary for what it is.
 

Muggins

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2002
Location
Barrie, Canada
TDI
02 Golf GL 4dr 5spd
I'm not sure I see the point of even bothering to spend ~500 in parts, plus anything else that needs attention while I'm in there on a car that is 15+ years old, eventhough it's in great shape. I haven't really put much thought into it before I saw this post, and cant foresee what other issues the car will have in 1.5-2 years though so take my commentary for what it is.

If the car is in as great shape as you say, I'd say it's a no brainer to invest in another timing belt as well as everything else it might need. Just compare it to the cost of buying a new car. In my opinion, it would be well worth maintaining.
 

scyzoryk

Active member
Joined
Nov 16, 2008
Location
Toronto
TDI
2015 Golf Sportwagen
No, it did not break. I got hit from behind and the insurance scraped the car. I got 2014 passat se. Nice car:)
 
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