Take a look at this timing belt...

[paoutdoorsman]

Anyone know if the number stamped into the belt has any meaning, like production date or anything? The full number is 08860102201223.

If this were the original 05 belt, would the labeling still be this visible/readable with 95K on it. I was told the belt hadn't been done on this car yet, but looking at the belt, and the cam sprocket sharpie markings, it really has me curious.

 

[gquenstedt]

Definitely looks like it was done by someone without the proper tools.

 

[dieselpony]

Probably would be good insurance to replace it all again. Do you have VCDS to look at torsion value?

 

[migbro]

The only place the number 08860102201223 appears on the web - according to Google - is this thread. And Google has already crawled and indexed your first post just one hour after you wrote it.

 

[paoutdoorsman]

Yeah I bought VCDS the week after I bought the car. When I first checked torsion it was at -4.4. I adjusted it to 1.0 but my mileage dropped off slightly, so just last night I adjusted to -1.0. My timing belt cover appears to have -1.6 written on it from the factory.

 

[MyAvocation]

One possibility is cam and followers changed, but it's anyone's guess if belt, tensioner and water pump changed. As stated the prudent choice is to do a full TB job.