MN Chat Thread

TDICADDGUY

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Location
Blaine, MN
TDI
2012 BMW X5 35D
You guys do this all the time, I'm sick of reading FAQ help me out please.

I need a timing belt kit, whos got the best one? Whats the warranty if it snaps a belt or siezes a roller and takes the engine out?

Who's got the better timing belt tool kit, metalnerd or Assenmacher?

The car is a 98 Beetle it's got 63,000 on it, bought it a couple weeks ago. It has been sitting since 06, anything engine wise besides the belt kit that I should be doing before driving it?

I concur with Jon. Boraparts and Franko6 sell quality TB kits as well.

As for warranty, they will only cover the part itself. Any damage done to the engine is your responsibility. But honestly, with quality parts the likelihood of that is very small.

Metalnerd tools are kind of the gold standard, but speaking of which...I keep forgetting to get back to you about the TB tools. Sending you a PM now...
 

TDICADDGUY

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Location
Blaine, MN
TDI
2012 BMW X5 35D
Here is my fill-up from yesterday...yikes!





























Of course...it wasn't my car. Drove one of the work trucks home from Little Falls yesterday, I had to haul some stuff from St Cloud this morning back up to work. Made me thankful we have fleet cards and I didn't have to expense that fill-up. Nice truck, the 6.0 gets up and goes good. Been a little while since I've driven anything bigger than my car...and my left foot kept looking for a pedal. :eek: This beast takes up a good chunk of my driveway.

 
Last edited:

SpamJ

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2001
Location
Cable, MN
TDI
Jetta GLS Wagon 2002 Reflex Silver
I've only got the single wheel back end on mine, but pretty much have to take up two spaces at SCSU when I drive it. Nothing like filling a 39 gallon tank to make your Credit Card smoke. Nice trucks but I sure don't drive it around for pleasure anymore. But it will pull a 80K pound semi in Low Low.
 

Minnesota_Duane

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 29, 2011
Location
Climax
TDI
98 Beetle 63,258 at purchase
I meant warranty on the supplied engine componets. IE. belt, water pump, tensioner, rollers. If they are not offering anything I am better off getting the kit from O'Rilley's and buying the bolts from the dealer.
-
 

ymz

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 12, 2003
Location
Between Toronto & Montreal
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Wagon, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon
Do you think O'Reilly's will give you a warranty on whether the timing belt parts will last at all? They may warranty the part - although they could very well point at "installer error" (or claim a non-related component caused the breakdown) and not even cover the part, let alone the engine.

The only way you'll get any type of warranty is if you let a professional shop or dealer do the work - and even then, we've heard of many cases where they'll point the finger at something unrelated - whether true or not...

Basically, you're your own warranty... follow directions, don't take shortcuts, use quality parts (NOT from a certain supplier in North Carolina), and you should be fine.

Yuri
 

greengeeker

Vendor
Joined
Feb 8, 2006
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS
I've never heard of a dealer (local anyway) standing behind their work when it comes to a timing belt mishap. It's hard to prove it was due to installer error when the failure happens ~20k miles down the road.

IMO, you're best bet is to do exactly as Yuri mentioned: follow directions, don't take shortcuts, use quality parts.

Doesn't OReillys sells the full Ruville kit? I'd rather get a Contitech or Gates belt as well as a Litens tensioner and neither are in that kit.

HTH.
 

TornadoRed

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Location
West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
TDI
2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (retired); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (sold)
I meant warranty on the supplied engine componets. IE. belt, water pump, tensioner, rollers. If they are not offering anything I am better off getting the kit from O'Rilley's and buying the bolts from the dealer.
-
No, you are not better off ordering from O'Reilly's, because:
1) you will pay a lot more, and
2) you still might not get all the necessary parts.

The best TB kits include the timing belt itself, usually make by Gates or Conti; the tensioner, made by Litens of Canada, the OEM supplier; the rollers or roller/idlers, made by INA; a water pump with a metal impeller, not plastic; the proper replacement motor mount bolts, because these should be replaced each time; plus other bits and pieces that are more optional but are sometimes necessary to replace.

There are manufacturers who produce inferior water pumps -- you don't want one of them. There are manufacturers who make inferior roller/idlers -- you absolutely don't want one of them. You also don't want substandard bolts. And if you get started changing the TB and then find you need something that O'Reilly's didn't provide, you may have to wait 2-3 days for that single item.

Let me put in a plug for the Dieselgeek kit. No one has ever regretted that they bought a TB kit from Dieselgeek.
http://www.dieselgeek.com/servlet/Detail?no=349



(In this photo, the tensioner is in an INA package; but it is manufactured by Litens of Canada.)
 
Last edited:

TornadoRed

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Location
West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
TDI
2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (retired); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (sold)
I've never heard of a dealer (local anyway) standing behind their work when it comes to a timing belt mishap. It's hard to prove it was due to installer error when the failure happens ~20k miles down the road. .
Reputable shops typically offer a 12 month/12k-mile warranty. Individuals working out of their garage or yours typically don't offer a warranty, but they work for less and some at least have excellent reputations, so you are pretty safe having one of these TDI experts do the work for you without a warranty.
 

Minnesota_Duane

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 29, 2011
Location
Climax
TDI
98 Beetle 63,258 at purchase
It's a gates kit
http://www.gates.com/downloads/download_common.cfm?file=428-1466_web.pdf&folder=brochure

From reading this it would appear that they would cover repairs related to their kit failing. I would have to buy the bolts and seals seperately but the cost cant be that much. My price on the kit is $250.
O'rilleys Doesn't do crap as a company as far as labor claims go, I assume collateral damage is the same. I have first hand experince with them and labor claims. It's the company providing the kit's warranty (Gates) that's of intrest to me.

Would you change out the seals on a car with 63000 if they are not leaking?
 
Last edited:

ymz

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 12, 2003
Location
Between Toronto & Montreal
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Wagon, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon
Would you change out the seals on a car with 63000 if they are not leaking?
No...

One caveat: they show a different belt kit part number for the 1998 and 2003 models... everyone here has been using 2003 model year parts on all ALH engines... Be sure you get the latest parts, but... they may disallow a warranty since it isn't the "correct" belt according to their list...

Yuri
 

Leppy

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2006
Location
Saint Joseph, MN US
TDI
2000 white TDI 1.9l
From what I know of the timing belt situation on the ALH engines as far as belts go and belt change intervals, the intervals are directly correlated to the crank gear that is on a particular car. I believe in 2002 or 2003 VW began using a crank gear with two of the teeth staggered to relieve belt tension slightly so the belt life is longer.

So what I am trying to say is that the belts didnt change at all during ALH years just the crank gear. just my $.02
 

Minnesota_Duane

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 29, 2011
Location
Climax
TDI
98 Beetle 63,258 at purchase
My understanding is that they went to a larger bearing in the idlers and that increased the change millage.
 

ymz

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 12, 2003
Location
Between Toronto & Montreal
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Wagon, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon
Not quite...

On the ALH engine, the original belts, rated at 60,000 miles (manual) or 40,000 miles (automatic) were quite a bit less hardy than the later ones... You can tell the difference by looking at the backing surface: it's more "rubbery" and smooth. Very late in the 2001 model year (Engine number ALH500001 and up) they went to a longer-life belt rated at 80,000 miles... that one has a fabric-like backing and is easy to distinguish from the earlier models. They also introduced a newer tensioner that can also be used with the older-style belts (but the older tensioners should not be used with the newer belts)... For the 2003 model year they upgraded the bearings in the large idler and upped the change interval to 100,000 miles... That said, early on in the production cycle (and aftermarket supplier market) they still continued to use up the remaining inventory of old-style idlers, so it isn't an automatic assumption that all 2003's (or older ones that have had a 2003-M-Y timing belt change) have this improved idler. I believe that certain suppliers (dealers included) still provide the older style belts for the 2001-and-older ALH motors... All the vendors here provide the latest parts.

Yuri


PS: I should complete the summary by repeating that a timing belt system change should include the belt(s), tensioner, 3 idlers, water pump, and a bunch of so-called "Stretch" bolts (T-T-Y)... the one for the large idler is absolutely necessary, the 4 vertical bolts for the engine mount are also required by the Bentley manual - although many dealerships and garages do not replace them, then there are the 3 bolts for the injection pump - the original ones (up to around 2001) were black/blue and should only be tightened once and replaced... the newer ones (silver/gold) can be re-used, and many people find that they need to replace the 4 harmonic balancer bolts (late 2003 German-built cars use shorter ones than the earlier cars... be careful), and many people like to replace the 3 horizontal bolts holding the engine mount (bracket) to the block... if not every TB change, for sure every 3rd one...
 
Last edited:

Curious Chris

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 11, 2001
Location
Pineview GA
TDI
Jetta Wagon 2003 RIP Rockford IL
It's a gates kit
http://www.gates.com/downloads/download_common.cfm?file=428-1466_web.pdf&folder=brochure

From reading this it would appear that they would cover repairs related to their kit failing. I would have to buy the bolts and seals seperately but the cost cant be that much. My price on the kit is $250.

Would you change out the seals on a car with 63000 if they are not leaking?
So your price on the kit is $250 and you can go with IDparts ( yes my shameless plug) for $309 and get all the parts from a place that is famous for great quality, (not bashing dieslelgeek as he is famous too) and know that you have everything you need and they are for sure the right parts.
 

Losha

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2005
Location
Sioux Falls, SD
TDI
06 Jetta TDI DSG, 2001 Golf TDI, Audi S6, A8, Toureg
It's a gates kit
http://www.gates.com/downloads/download_common.cfm?file=428-1466_web.pdf&folder=brochure

From reading this it would appear that they would cover repairs related to their kit failing. I would have to buy the bolts and seals seperately but the cost cant be that much. My price on the kit is $250.
O'rilleys Doesn't do crap as a company as far as labor claims go, I assume collateral damage is the same. I have first hand experince with them and labor claims. It's the company providing the kit's warranty (Gates) that's of intrest to me.

Would you change out the seals on a car with 63000 if they are not leaking?
With all do respect please do yourself a favor quit wasting your time and lacking of sleep at nights worrying about who can warranty tb parts for you. Just order all parts from these places boraparts.com Aaron, idparts.com Peter, or dieselgeek.com or FrankTDI which ever place you like. Then either have it installed by guru properly or rent/buy tools and do It yourself for peace of mind knowing how its installed, and enjoy your TDI.
All hard parts no matter where you buy are all covered by manufacturer for 12month or 12k miles from workmanship material defects, also needed proff that were installed correctly. Unless you have TB parts from trusted vendor installed incorrectly then I would worry about them breaking in less then 12k miles.
 

isonic

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Location
St. Paul, MN
TDI
2003 Golf 4door 5spd
Haha, that is funny. Used to do stuff like that back in HS. I had keys to friends vehicles, would move them around during class and such. Never did any thing with food.
 

Leppy

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2006
Location
Saint Joseph, MN US
TDI
2000 white TDI 1.9l
YMZ thanks for clearing that up. I must have gotten my facts mixed up as it has been quite some time since I have thought about timing belts and the differences :)
 

TurboM700

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2010
Location
Moundsview MN
TDI
2000 VW Golf
Anybody on here have a black Mk3 TDI Jetta?

Was going north bound on highway 65 monday up around Ham Lake. Every time he would start from a stop light he would role cole bad with it.

Just curious if it was anyone around here car.

Mike
 

Kriesel

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Location
Afton, MN
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
I've only got the single wheel back end on mine, but pretty much have to take up two spaces at SCSU when I drive it. Nothing like filling a 39 gallon tank to make your Credit Card smoke. Nice trucks but I sure don't drive it around for pleasure anymore. But it will pull a 80K pound semi in Low Low.
Haha, yeah I dread filling the 66 gallons in my truck (auxiliary tank combined with factory tank)... :p
 

Joe Golf

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2001
Location
Vero Beach Florida
TDI
2017 Passat 1.8T
FS 4 bottles of Mobil 1 5w30 ESP oil $25

Changing inventory of oils, have 4 qts of Mobil 1 5w30 ESP oil for sale, local only. $25 firm. Thanks
 
Top