Timing Belt Decision in North Carolina

ekincaid

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2013
Location
North Carolina
TDI
03 Golf TDI
I need to replace my Timing Belt in the near future in my 2003 Golf TDI. I got it a couple years ago and the timing belt only has 30k miles on it. Got to looking at the original owners receipts and was a little shocked when I read the date for the change. 2/17/2014!!

I knew it would be high. But the TDI shop wants a little over $1600 to do it. They got a great reputation and I'm sure they will do a good job.

I'm pretty ignorant about diesels if I'm honest, but I can use tools and maybe it's time to dive in. Read the instructions, and think it's doable.

Buying the timing belt kit, tools, and VCDS costs me around $775. Not much more than the shop wants for parts.

Easy decision right? I have some nagging going on in the back of my mind wishing I knew more about these things.

I was thinking I might find someone within a couple hours of Raleigh who might have the tools and VCDS who would help me accomplish this. I would be happy to come to you and pay you to help me. Maybe I'm just getting older and know screw ups happen. My younger self would have had no fear. lol
 

DivineChaos

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Location
Minnesota
TDI
mk6 jetta sportwagen tdi
I need to replace my Timing Belt in the near future in my 2003 Golf TDI. I got it a couple years ago and the timing belt only has 30k miles on it. Got to looking at the original owners receipts and was a little shocked when I read the date for the change. 2/17/2014!!

I knew it would be high. But the TDI shop wants a little over $1600 to do it. They got a great reputation and I'm sure they will do a good job.

I'm pretty ignorant about diesels if I'm honest, but I can use tools and maybe it's time to dive in. Read the instructions, and think it's doable.

Buying the timing belt kit, tools, and VCDS costs me around $775. Not much more than the shop wants for parts.

Easy decision right? I have some nagging going on in the back of my mind wishing I knew more about these things.

I was thinking I might find someone within a couple hours of Raleigh who might have the tools and VCDS who would help me accomplish this. I would be happy to come to you and pay you to help me. Maybe I'm just getting older and know screw ups happen. My younger self would have had no fear. lol
I'd help if I lived closer. It's really not bad. Just check multiple times and spin it over by hand. Check again. My 2.0 cr didn't take long. And I was helping with another one while doing mine.
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
My first alh took well over 8 hours. I’ve probably trimmed that time down to 5-6 hours. I don’t remember how many alh belts I’ve done, many a dozen and probably a half dozen BEW belts. Here is the tdiclub alh timing belt instructions. Hit the brown download button, read carefully 30-40 times and then have fun.

 

ekincaid

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2013
Location
North Carolina
TDI
03 Golf TDI
Check out Daniel Grindstaff in Asheville...828-273-8951.....he did my timing belt a few months ago...I think it was around $600....he's really good!
Well the price is right. I may give him a call. Looks like people have a little difficulty getting up with him. It’s a 3 1/2 hour drive from where I am, but, for $1000. I may look around a little more to see who I can find. But I may just do it myself. I think it’s more than doable. Reading some of these other threads make me just a little hesitant. Lol
 

DivineChaos

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Location
Minnesota
TDI
mk6 jetta sportwagen tdi
Anyway.isnt the Tb interval 10yr or 120k? By it being done in 2014, if it's under 120k on this Tb. I'd say your okay for awhile
 

DivineChaos

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Location
Minnesota
TDI
mk6 jetta sportwagen tdi
Well the price is right. I may give him a call. Looks like people have a little difficulty getting up with him. It’s a 3 1/2 hour drive from where I am, but, for $1000. I may look around a little more to see who I can find. But I may just do it myself. I think it’s more than doable. Reading some of these other threads make me just a little hesitant. Lol
You can do it without removing the motor mount. Just grab on the pulley stud with vice grips and back it out. It'll come out just fine without removing that motor mount. And then when putting the new one in grip it where the threads don't matter. Doing this saves a lot of time.
 

ekincaid

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2013
Location
North Carolina
TDI
03 Golf TDI
Anyway.isnt the Tb interval 10yr or 120k? By it being done in 2014, if it's under 120k on this Tb. I'd say your okay for awhile
You may be right. I thought I had read 7 years somewhere. Right now it's got 30k on it. I'm going to try reading up on this.
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
If you’re talking about an 03 alh engine the timing belt interval is 100k or 7ish years. Just as a reminder it’s usually not the belt itself that fails, it’s often a roller, tensioner or water pump that fails and seizes causing the belt to snap. Which is why you always replace each of those items when you change the timing belt.
 

hskrdu

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 17, 2003
Location
Maryland and New England
TDI
2003 Golf GLS 4D 5M, 2015 GSW SE 6M
The 6 year replacement for Conti belts came from the thread below, generally the Club advice between 2000 and 2010 or so was 5 years between TB services for ALH, and similar for BEW...
 

jimbote

Certified Volkswagen Nut
Joined
Jul 10, 2006
Location
spiral arm, milky way (aka central NC)
TDI
Tacoma 4x4 converted to TDI
You can do it without removing the motor mount. Just grab on the pulley stud with vice grips and back it out. It'll come out just fine without removing that motor mount. And then when putting the new one in grip it where the threads don't matter. Doing this saves a lot of time.
Not on this one. ALH requires mount removal to get the belt in there.
 

GolfPD

Active member
Joined
Dec 7, 2021
Location
Andromeda Galaxy
TDI
'04 Golf BEW
You are right. Just not sure I'm willing to pay $1600. I have had them do work in the past and was very pleased.
Agreed. $1600 is a lot of money. If you decide to do it yourself there is a lot of knowledgeable people here on the forums who can help you along the way.
 

DivineChaos

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Location
Minnesota
TDI
mk6 jetta sportwagen tdi
You are right. Just not sure I'm willing to pay $1600. I have had them do work in the past and was very pleased.
Only special tools you need, trupplesquares, pully lock set, and vcds to set pump timing. Only takes a day. 1600 is a lot. Our vw dealer here charges 12-1400 for Tb and wp on my mk6 jsw.
 

Nevada_TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 17, 2008
Location
Reno, sort of...
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI
$300.00 for the timing belt set, $50.00 to rent the timing belt tools, and $200.00 to purchase VCDS to set the timing. I am sure there is someone that will come to help you if needed.
$800.00-ish will leave you with plenty of money vs. the other way at $1600.00
 

DivineChaos

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Location
Minnesota
TDI
mk6 jetta sportwagen tdi
$300.00 for the timing belt set, $50.00 to rent the timing belt tools, and $200.00 to purchase VCDS to set the timing. I am sure there is someone that will come to help you if needed.
$800.00-ish will leave you with plenty of money vs. the other way at $1600.00
There was a also ppl on ebay that have rosstech vcds cables for rent. But having it is super handy.
 

mrGutWrench

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 29, 2002
Location
Carrboro, NC
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon, 5-speed, 563K Miles (July '23)
You are right. Just not sure I'm willing to pay $1600. I have had them do work in the past and was very pleased.
Yeah, their work is (generally) excellent, although they dropped the ball a couple of times for me. Long waits and extreme prices, but (usually) very, very good work.
 

spanky1

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2003
Location
east Tennessee
TDI
Jetta, 2012, platinum grey(6-spd manual)
Daniel Grindstaff (and his dad) have done all my timing belt changes on my 2006 Jetta TDI. I would not take it any other place.
His dad passed away a few years ago, so it’s just Daniel now. He’s done a lot of work for me, and although difficult to get in touch with (sometimes) he is very good, honest, and very reasonably priced. It’s worth the drive.
 

Prairieview

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2017
Location
Too close to Sturgis 'ithole
TDI
Two 2000 Beetles, 2002 Jetta, 2002 gas avh Jetta, fleet of older 1.6 turbo and non's
If you are staying with that ALH, and not moving into newer fuel systems, all you need is a used Ross-tech "K II" model/era cable. Occasionally, they are available on ebay and such. They can be damaged with severe use (I got burned by a member here a few years ago when I purchased his). Myself, I have never purchased any of the tools which everyone thinks are needed (other than a working K II).

I use the correct sized drill bit and older VW diesel timing tools for the job and life is just fine. I would say that having the "notched" cam slot plate would be nice. I need to make one of those someday.
 

paramedick

TDIClub Enthusiast, Vendor
Joined
Jul 29, 2001
Location
Versailles, Kentucky
TDI
2015 Audi Q5 TDI
Drive up to central KY. We’ll take care of you. $450 labor plus the current IDParts price for kit and coolant. Today, it’s $295
 

Vegged-Out

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Location
Fuquay Varina, NC
TDI
2x 2003 Jetta | 2011 BMW 335d | 2016 BMW Xdrive35d
THIS... Paramedic is top notch. We lost the guru in our area (Wake/Lee Counties), not sure what he is up to these days, but I miss him here in the mid-carolinas.

@Paramedic, how about a 5 speed swap... what are your fees and how long? I have pretty much evreything for it. Though I might want to upgrade the clutch and the 5th gear.

Drive up to central KY. We’ll take care of you. $450 labor plus the current IDParts price for kit and coolant. Today, it’s $295
 

runonbeer

Maintenance EnthusiastVendor
Joined
Apr 15, 2002
Location
Austin, TX/Chapel Hill, NC
TDI
'00 Golf 02M, '10 Golf 02E, '02 UTE 02M
Hey everyone, I have a full time job in solar now but I have been doing some weekend work in my garage for some folks around Chapel Hill where I live. I actually enjoy doing timing belts and stuff. I just bought a really sweet extoil transmission fluid pump for doing DSG service on my own 2010 Golf and I've got 2 cars lined up for 80k services next weekend.

If you want to reach me email robbyplenge@gmail.com or text 512 632 2989. I don't usually answer phone calls from unknown numbers so text or email is best.
 
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