Replace timing belt on VW Polo Mk3?

davida...@gmail.com

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Nov 19, 2013, 4:42:46 PM11/19/13

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Hi

I have a 1998 Mk3 (6N) VW Polo 1.4 auto. The timing belt was last replaced in 2004 at 35,000 miles. The car has now done 64,000 miles. So 9 years and 29,000 miles have elapsed since the last belt change.

The car does a very low annual mileage of about 1,200 miles per year and is in good condition.

Is it due for a timing belt / water pump change?

Is it possible to check the condition of the belt?

Best regards

David

Chris Whelan

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Nov 19, 2013, 4:55:20 PM11/19/13

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According to Autodata, VW do not have a service interval for timing belt
replacement on this vehicle. It is listed as an interference engine
however, so if you intend keeping it then it would be wise to replace it.

The water pump is driven by the cam-belt, so replacement would be
sensible.

Autodata lists belt replacement time at 1.3 hours for engine code AEX,
and 1.6 hours for engine code AFH. Pump replacement adds 0.3 hours to
that.

Chris

--
Remove prejudice to reply.

Mrcheerful

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Nov 19, 2013, 7:15:31 PM11/19/13

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It would be a very good plan to replace the belt, tensioners and pump.
Rubber belts degrade with age, tensioner bearings take in moisture and
plastic covered bearings crack up. Water pumps like to be used daily or
the bearings rust up and fail. I have seen very low mileage belt
failure for all these reasons (on arious cars), the results are
horrific, usually a 4 figure repair bill, which usually means an
otherwise very good, low mileage car gets scrapped, which I find sad and
not environmentally sound.

Tim..

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Nov 20, 2013, 10:21:16 AM11/20/13

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<davida...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:f6fe89a5-96e6-437c...@googlegroups.com...

Yes, definately. Replace the plastic idler & tensioner too.

Chris Bartram

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Nov 20, 2013, 3:59:50 PM11/20/13

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On 19/11/13 21:55, Chris Whelan wrote:
> On Tue, 19 Nov 2013 13:42:46 -0800, davidandbella wrote:
>
>> Hi
>>
>> I have a 1998 Mk3 (6N) VW Polo 1.4 auto. The timing belt was last
>> replaced in 2004 at 35,000 miles. The car has now done 64,000 miles.
>> So 9 years and 29,000 miles have elapsed since the last belt change.
>>
>> The car does a very low annual mileage of about 1,200 miles per year and
>> is in good condition.
>>
>> Is it due for a timing belt / water pump change?
>>
>> Is it possible to check the condition of the belt?
>>
>> Best regards
>>
>> David
>
> According to Autodata, VW do not have a service interval for timing belt
> replacement on this vehicle. It is listed as an interference engine
> however, so if you intend keeping it then it would be wise to replace it.
>

> The water pump is driven by the cam-belt, so replacement would beFor

> sensible.
>
> Autodata lists belt replacement time at 1.3 hours for engine code AEX,
> and 1.6 hours for engine code AFH. Pump replacement adds 0.3 hours to
> that.
>
> Chris
>

For years VAG didn't specify cambelt changes [*boggle*]. I had a
Scirocco years back, with no chnage interval, changed the belt at about
8-9 years, 55-60k miles, it was cracked half through. In short, yes,
change it, and the pump, and the tensioners.

davida...@gmail.com

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Nov 21, 2013, 3:32:47 PM11/21/13

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Thanks very much to everyone who replied - all very helpful.

Best regards

David