UK cambelt service, age or mileage?

[Paul_W]

I know this is a well discussed topic but thought I’d post this out of interest.

I was reading my service schedule manual last night before dropping my van in this morning for its annual service and MOT and spotted this (this is the original manual supplied with our 2012 T5.1 180 SE).

So in B&W it quite clearly states cambelt to be changed at 210,000 KM and not at a specific age, unless you live in a very dusty climate, which we don’t!

Why is it then that VWCV UK insist it should be changed every 4 years, other than making more money obviously?

Wonder if anyone else’s differs from this on later models?

PS wouldn’t normally be reading the manual that closely but I’ve been laid up for a week and am bored stupid

 

[clarinetbcn]

I know this is a well discussed topic but thought I’d post this out of interest.

I was reading my service schedule manual last night before dropping my van in this morning for its annual service and MOT and spotted this (this is the original manual supplied with our 2012 T5.1 180 SE).

So in B&W it quite clearly states cambelt to be changed at 210,000 KM and not at a specific age, unless you live in a very dusty climate, which we don’t!

Why is it then that VWCV UK insist it should be changed every 4 years, other than making more money obviously?

Wonder if anyone else’s differs from this on later models?

PS wouldn’t normally be reading the manual that closely but I’ve been laid up for a week and am bored stupid

View attachment 82041

There's a frequent poster on the T6 forum who is a mechanic at a private shop specializing in VW vans who didn't know this because he had never read the VW service manual, just the recommendations of the private importer who represents VW in the UK. I don't know how to explain it, other than the importer has for years been presenting their own recommendation, the criteria for which they have said to members of this forum "are not available to be shared," as VW's own, when it clearly is not.

The truly dangerous part is that it appears that some UK mechanics are skipping the belt inspections that are supposed to accompany every service, which they can mostly get away with since they are changing perfectly good belts every 4 years. However, there have been cases where a belt has failed due to incorrect installation at the unnecessary 4 year change, and it hasn't been caught in time due to the periodic inspection being skipped.

This is only happening in the UK, the rest of Europe follows the VW recommendation. What is even stranger is the number of UK owners who read the many posts about this, including @Loz 's communications with the belt manufacturer, and then say they feel more comfortable following the "VW" 4 year change schedule. You can lead a horse to water...

 

[Paul_W]

Interesting, I had ours changed last year and asked the garage to give me the old parts for inspection which they were happy to do, this is our local garage that we’ve used for years and trust, not VW. The belt that came off was 4 years old and had covered about 20K miles, it looked like new, absolutely no sign of wear whatsoever. I decided at that point we won’t be changing the belt again, it would take us 20+ years to cover 210K km and I really see no reason to ignore the manufacturer’s advice that that is the expected life of the belt.

In any case our van is the dreaded 180 BiTdi so I’m expecting the engine to implode at any moment

thanks for the info

 

[clarinetbcn]

Interesting, I had ours changed last year and asked the garage to give me the old parts for inspection which they were happy to do, this is our local garage that we’ve used for years and trust, not VW. The belt that came off was 4 years old and had covered about 20K miles, it looked like new, absolutely no sign of wear whatsoever. I decided at that point we won’t be changing the belt again, it would take us 20+ years to cover 210K km and I really see no reason to ignore the manufacturer’s advice that that is the expected life of the belt.

In any case our van is the dreaded 180 BiTdi so I’m expecting the engine to implode at any moment

thanks for the info

Refreshing at this late hour. WelshGas "180s are being unfairly bullied" would not be amused. Make sure your mechanic does the recommended belt inspection at every service!

Edit @Paul_W : Gates, the belt manufacturer, told @Loz that the belt is designed to last 210,000km or 10 years.

 

[Paul_W]

Refreshing at this late hour. WelshGas "180s are being unfairly bullied" would not be amused. Make sure your mechanic does the recommended belt inspection at every service!

Edit @Paul_W : Gates, the belt manufacturer, told @Loz that the belt is designed to last 210,000km or 10 years.

Can the belt be inspected without the removal of any covers etc. and is this just a visual inspection? If so I’ll ask them to do this in future.

I only ask as looking at my service report from today it states “check all auxiliary drive belts, not timing belt”
Elsewhere it states “check timing belt replacement interval” where they have indicated 4 years/130K miles.

In my mind about 8 years seems a reasonable interval at which to replace any belts to allow for deterioration due to age.

Anyway heading off to bed now, got a busy day washing and polishing the van tomorrow

 

[clarinetbcn]

Can the belt be inspected without the removal of any covers etc. and is this just a visual inspection? If so I’ll ask them to do this in future.

I only ask as looking at my service report from today it states “check all auxiliary drive belts, not timing belt”
Elsewhere it states “check timing belt replacement interval” where they have indicated 4 years/130K miles.

In my mind about 8 years seems a reasonable interval at which to replace any belts to allow for deterioration due to age.

Anyway heading off to bed now, got a busy day washing and polishing the van tomorrow

The timing belt has a cover, in part to stop it from being affected if the auxiliary belt fails. It needs to be removed in order to do the inspection.

 

[Loz]

Only the top part of the cover needs unclipping to inspect it.

 

[WelshGas]

Refreshing at this late hour. WelshGas "180s are being unfairly bullied" would not be amused. Make sure your mechanic does the recommended belt inspection at every service!

Edit @Paul_W : Gates, the belt manufacturer, told @Loz that the belt is designed to last 210,000km or 10 years.

Incorrect. 2010-2012 180's had a problem. Post 2012 the rate seems no more than any other engine.
On mine, now at 100,345 miles, oil use between services less than 250 mls. Cambelt changed at 4 yrs and 80,000 miles.
Next big item could be the DPF, but it's still showing minimal ash levels.
Have a nice day.

 

[Wesel]

I know this is a well discussed topic but thought I’d post this out of interest.

I was reading my service schedule manual last night before dropping my van in this morning for its annual service and MOT and spotted this (this is the original manual supplied with our 2012 T5.1 180 SE).

So in B&W it quite clearly states cambelt to be changed at 210,000 KM and not at a specific age, unless you live in a very dusty climate, which we don’t!

Why is it then that VWCV UK insist it should be changed every 4 years, other than making more money obviously?

Wonder if anyone else’s differs from this on later models?

PS wouldn’t normally be reading the manual that closely but I’ve been laid up for a week and am bored stupid

View attachment 82041

Also planned at 120,000 km a few lines higher !?

 

[Ozzy Pete]

Interesting, I had ours changed last year and asked the garage to give me the old parts for inspection which they were happy to do, this is our local garage that we’ve used for years and trust, not VW. The belt that came off was 4 years old and had covered about 20K miles, it looked like new, absolutely no sign of wear whatsoever. I decided at that point we won’t be changing the belt again, it would take us 20+ years to cover 210K km and I really see no reason to ignore the manufacturer’s advice that that is the expected life of the belt.

In any case our van is the dreaded 180 BiTdi so I’m expecting the engine to implode at any moment

thanks for the info

I did exactly the same as you. Had my belt, waterpump, rollers and ancillary belt change at 19000 and 4 years. Asked the garage to save the old vw parts. I inspected them and they were perfect with no wear whatsoever. Makes you wonder what’s different in mainland Europe vans compared to UK vans? The answer is nothing. It’s just a VWUK money making exercise.

 

[WelshGas]

I did exactly the same as you. Had my belt, waterpump, rollers and ancillary belt change at 19000 and 4 years. Asked the garage to save the old vw parts. I inspected them and they were perfect with no wear whatsoever. Makes you wonder what’s different in mainland Europe vans compared to UK vans? The answer is nothing. It’s just a VWUK money making exercise.

If the California was treated like a van and covered the same milage as a van then you probably would want it changed at 80,000 miles or 4 yrs. Maybe there should be a separate servicing schedule for Californias?

 

[Paul_W]

Also planned at 120,000 km a few lines higher !?

That’s only for countries with “high levels of dust” think very dry countries with little rainfall, so definitely not the UK

 

[Paul_W]

Incorrect. 2010-2012 180's had a problem. Post 2012 the rate seems no more than any other engine.
On mine, now at 100,345 miles, oil use between services less than 250 mls. Cambelt changed at 4 yrs and 80,000 miles.
Next big item could be the DPF, but it's still showing minimal ash levels.
Have a nice day.

Mines is a 2012 but I noted the offending item is date stamped manufactured July 2014 so must have been replaced at some point so I’m hopeful we’ll be OK We’re at 52k miles and the oil barely moves off the full mark on the dip stick between annual service….

 

[Ozzy Pete]

If the California was treated like a van and covered the same milage as a van then you probably would want it changed at 80,000 miles or 4 yrs. Maybe there should be a separate servicing schedule for Californias?

But if VWUK changed their service schedule for just the California they would lose a fair bit or revenue. After all £500 ish to change. Water pump and belts is a really good earner for them. We are just a cash cow to VWUK.

 

[Paul_W]

Only the top part of the cover needs unclipping to inspect it.

Thanks Loz and clarinetbcn, that’s helpful.
I’ll have a poke around the engine bay when I’m cleaning the van today see if I can find the bit of the cover that needs to be unclipped to view the belt.

 

[Loz]

2 Clips you just gently lever back and that cover slides out to reveal the belt.

 

[Paul_W]

2 Clips you just gently lever back and that cover slides out to reveal the belt.
View attachment 82078

View attachment 82077

Thanks Loz, I had a poke around before I started washing and found the clips, popped them off and moved the cover just enough to see the belt and tensioner, looking at your pictures the cover comes right out but there was a lot of pipes and cables in the area I didn’t want to disturb. Anyway satisfied myself for this year belt looks perfect and I’ll ask the garage to check and report at future services.

Really appreciate you taking the time to post, cheers