VW TDI Timing Belt Change

[GOODE11]

Has anybody changed a timing belt on the VW TDI's(A4 platform)?

VW wants $1200 for the 40,000mi maint. check which includes $700 for the timing belt change.

Sounds a little pricey to me so I thought someone around here might chime in w/ some info or help.



TIA--

 

[HoleshotHolset]

I'm getting ready to do mine (are you listening, Deo?!).



I bought the parts to do it for under two bills - this includes EVERYTHING to do the job - serpentine, tensioner, timing belt, stretch bolts, etc. www.dieselgeek.com was the source of the parts.



It'll take the better part of a day to do it if you take your time - but it's cheap insurance to avoid having your valves interfere with your pistons.



$700 to do the job sounds a bit high.....



Matt

 

[B9Mile]

Scroll down this page for an excellent article with pictures for what you want to do.



http://www.tdiclub.com/articles/

 

[GOODE11]

Thanks for the info guys! Still don't know if I want to tackle it.

 

[Pit Bull]

Wifes looking to buy a yellow 03 GL automatic TDI New beetle. Dealer does not have one. Do any of you know if VW is easy to deal with? Or do they only sell what is on the lot? Sent in a request via the VW Internet site for a quote from the local dealer and never got anything back. Guess I will call the follow-up number tomorrow. Is this going to be a pain in the butt experience trying to buy one of these things?

 

[robobx]

Originally posted by Pit Bull

Wifes looking to buy a yellow 03 GL automatic TDI New beetle. Dealer does not have one. Do any of you know if VW is easy to deal with? Or do they only sell what is on the lot? Sent in a request via the VW Internet site for a quote from the local dealer and never got anything back. Guess I will call the follow-up number tomorrow. Is this going to be a pain in the butt experience trying to buy one of these things?

I looked at 4 lots before we bought ours. I just prefer to buy it where they have it, even if it means driving 3-4 hours.

you can search the lots on the VW web site. tells you exactly what's on each dealers lot.

 

[Peter Campbell]

Check tdiclub.com and surf around. the 700$ is what I had heard before for timing belt. If someone has the VAGCOM computer program and is familiar with the maintenance task then that is cheaper. Changing the belt involves injection pump timing with a comuter and the program and new stretch bolts. You need to know the corrrect bolts. If the wrong bolts are loosened the pump is just a rebuildable core. I have a 2002 and it is a 60,000 mile task. I heard the 2003 are up to 80,000. When you have it done get an 80,000 mile belt. If you have a good diesel mechanic that would be better than the dealer. Another member " therabbitree "??? has been in these engines a lot deeper than me. I just drive it and change the oil. Everything else I write the checks.

 

[robobx]

Originally posted by Peter Campbell

I heard the 2003 are up to 80,000.

100,000 for the '03

 

[lschultz]

Yep I bought mine at the wrong time.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Man, I tell ya... . I get no props for my VW.



Deo's ("TheRabbitTree") wife's TDI still has stock injectors!! I have been deeper into my TDI than he has!! :-laf



Last I knew he had about 4 or 5 TDI engines laying around in various states of disassembly. When I was at his place last weekend... . I was more interested in the P-Pump conversion and the Detroit stuff than the VW's.....



Matt

 

[therabbittree]

heheh yup tius and cummins and detroit stuff al over the place. . getting another a4 tdi parts engine from philly soon. . as for the tdi t belt swap. . matt lets get your but down here soon . . weekend after your grad party?... oh and about the grad party looks like we may not be attending i'll call you about it. . for others interested in the swap look at tdiclub.coms website and read. buy a vw bently repair manual, and buy metalnerds tdi timing tool sets available from him at http://www.charterpa.net/cmeglio/metalnerd

best tool sfor the job period. .

get your belts nad misc supplies from jim royson at dieselgeek.com

hope this helps

thanks deo

\x/ hillfolk!

 

[therabbittree]

i don't know holeset just cuz i only have the stock injectors in it now doesn't mean i haven't beeen deeper into my tdi then you... im making a adapter hanrness for my 205s. for my wifes, then i have the 216 powerplus's like you, plus the ulimate kerma injectors on order, plus two more tdi injector sets 184 and 158's, etc, i got the parts as you know jsut need the time to put all of my goodies on..... same story as everybody else i suppose. . argh such is life . got to love it

hehe

later

deo

\x/ hillfolk!

 

[Wheaties]

Hey, I hear a guy over at the 'Tea Room' has changed his air filter... and another guy is getting ready to change is oil! He says he's going to do the oil filter at the same time!!!!!



Sounds pretty deep into the engine to me!!

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Wheaties (MTE): Some of the TDI folks are so lazy that they suck the oil out through the dipstick tube.



This way they can do the entire oil change without getting any oil on their khaki pants.



MTY

 

[therabbittree]

so true ha i fell off my chair reading that matt hahaha. . beive me im so ******/ grumpy when i get home it takes a lot to make me laugh out loud when im in this mood ha. . i'll talk to ya soon

deo

 

[Wheaties]

Originally posted by HoleshotHolset

Wheaties (MTE): Some of the TDI folks are so lazy that they suck the oil out through the dipstick tube.



This way they can do the entire oil change without getting any oil on their khaki pants.



MTY

Yea, they probably p*** through their ear and ***** through their nose so they don't have to unzip their fly or drop their drawers... ... ... .....

 

[HoleshotHolset]

MTE said: "Yea, they probably p*** through their ear and ***** through their nose so they don't have to unzip their fly or drop their drawers... ... ... ..... "



That mental image reminds me of the movie "About Schmidt". The main character is forced his entire married life to sit down if he has to go #1. After his wife passes on - he still sits down - until he realizes his new 'freedom'.



MTY