1.4 TSI 122 cambelt row

[ewaf88]

Well I would say nothing lasts forever and if you only have to spend £500 over 10 years for one cambelt change then it's worth it for peace of mind.

 

[ewaf88]

One more thing remember that the recommended change is not on the VW maintenance computer system but now VW UK are recommending it be changed so someone has got cold feet over the claim and doesn't want another dieselgate - or in this case beltgate.

 

[SRGTD]

I can understand if a car has reached 5-yrs-old with high-ish mileage, but my car is a late 2013/63-plate with just 21k miles under its wheels. I'd hardly call that a hard life.

I don’t know if modern cam belts are still made from a rubber compound but if they are, then they will degrade over time, irrespective of the mileage covered.

As ewaf88 has suggested; as a minimum, get it checked at 5 years and if necessary, get it changed. Preventative maintenance is cheaper than corrective maintenance.

 

[ewaf88]

Hi I've still not been contacted by Volkswagen on this matter and will have to give them a gentle nudge.

All I want is confirmation that the cambelt is not one for life (after all - what is life? ) and for VW to let their franchises know to clear up all this confusion.

Perhaps their chief engineer is unsure

 

[golfdave]

Watching this with interest
I have a 14 plate 1.4 Tsi mk7 122bhp with 80000 miles and when I enquired at the dealership about a cambelt change was told it was 120000 miles or 5 years .
No mention of waterpump.
Confused now.
Happy Xmas all ?

Waterpump is no longer run off the timing belt....its on the opposite end & has its own belt & runs of one of the camshafts...

I mentioned this earlier in the thread..I have the full VW workshop manuals & tech docs for the MK7 & the new engines designed for it...

 

[ewaf88]

Hi just to clarify - is there any service interval recommend for the water pump and as it runs off its own belt would this be quite an expensive procedure to replace it.

Basically would both the pump and its belt need to be done - if so the combined cost of the pump - its own belt and the cambelt would surely be appreciably more than for those older models where the pump ran off the cambelt so everything was done at once.

Remember I was charged £520 for the cambelt only.

 

[golfdave]

Hi just to clarify - is there any service interval recommend for the water pump and as it runs off its own belt would this be quite an expensive procedure to replace it.

Basically would both the pump and its belt need to be done - if so the combined cost of the pump - its own belt and the cambelt would surely be appreciably more than for those older models where the pump ran off the cambelt so everything was done at once.

Remember I was charged £520 for the cambelt only.

there is NO service interval for the water pumper or its belt in the books....why would there be?

The ONLY reason that the water pump (on previous engines) was RECOMMENDED (not initially in service schedules) to be replaced with the timing belts was the fact that the plastic impellor can weaken over time & separate from the brass spindle causing it to jamb at an angle in the housing. Thus seizing its drive cog which is driven by the main timing belt....thus the timing belt could shred..

The 1.4lt engines in the MK7 don't have this problem as the water pump is NOT driven by the main timing belt...


STOP panicking....

 

[ewaf88]

Ok so the water pump and its belt are for the lifetime of the car (whatever that is) Also the VW pricing of £499 (including water pump) must be for the previous models and they should now advertise a separate price for the MK7 which is cambelt only.

Hopefully this would sort out the confusion.

 

[golfdave]

Ok so the water pump and its belt are for the lifetime of the car (whatever that is) Also the VW pricing of £499 (including water pump) must be for the previous models and they should now advertise a separate price for the MK7 which is cambelt only.

Hopefully this would sort out the confusion.

Correct...

Please bear in mind that the marketing depts. do their own thing & hardly ever talk to the tech/mechanical depts....which is WHY there are usually masses of technical mistakes in marketing info...

 

[ewaf88]

Thank you - I have a couple of long distance drives later in the year - Switzerland and the Isle of Skye - so can now just relax without the fear of all my red lights suddenly coming on.

This happened on my Citroen AX as I went to pull away from some traffic lights in London - I didn't realise at the time that putting my foot on the accelerator was only making matters worse.

Citroen later distributed service advice for the cambelt change - but for me it was too late - mine went 5 years and 5 months after purchase.

 

[topgazza]

Just to resurrect this thread again...

I have a 2013 GT petrol 1.4 150bhp with ACT

I asked for a quote from my independant service agent to replace the cam belt during its 5 year small service. "Do you want the water pump changed" he asked. I replied no, just the belt and idlers etc. Awaiting the price which is usually good from them but the request for waterpump seemed almost an automatic one. But its good to know that the pump is not required, mainly becuase you have the engine apart and its easier to do then.

 

[ewaf88]

I'll be interested to see what price they quote. I'm not convinced all franchises know that the waterpump in the MK7 is no longer running off the cambelt so are quoting old advice.

 

[Srandard]

Hello ewaf88

It would be interesting to hear how the situation was resolved or not.

Eg water pump changed

A refund

Or neither still

My car due cambelt in a few months tine

 

[ewaf88]

Hi there - the problem was never resolved as the VW engineer never phoned me - but my VW franchise is now quoting £ 549 for a cambelt and water pump change although infuriatingly it doesn't say for which mark. It does quotes price for cambelt only and states All models

I didn't have the strength to keep on arguing with staff who clearly were as confused as I was.

However I am due to take my car in next week as my sump has to be replaced due to rust. While there I'm going to ask for my service file and go through the relevant paperwork to confirm BBC what I originally requested

 

[Srandard]

Oh sorry to hear. So basically you were charged for a new water pump and had it not replaced. As just generic pricing for models requiring cambelt and water pump

Hopefully the rust remedial work is straight forward.

Sure at the end of the day safety first with cambelt. As 2 years covered warranty. Although large cost 494 , 549.

If any future mechanical issues, full vw service history as backup