Hi Guys, I'm looking to get my cambelt changed on my 1.8T 20V I have priced it all up on http://www.vwspares.co.uk/ and its just over 45.. not bad Now for the job of replacing it... I have read some horror storyies about bracing the engine and lifting it etc... is it that hard? and can anyone point me in the right direction for a photo tutoral on doing the job? I have a mate who is great with cars... mainly mercedes and he has offered to help, but has no knowledge with VW. Oh I found this Linky but its for a 2.0 GTI.. is it almost the same job? Any help would be great ! Cheers Dan
Yeah mate that's is almost the same apart from the cam belt tensioner. You will need a long M6 bolt to release the tension and then a small pin to pass through the plunger in the tensioner so you can remove the bolt. (pin is supplied with the new hydrolic part of the tensioner) I would recomend changing both the roller, hydrolic adjuster and a water pump is a must! You can also just unbolt the hydrolic tensioner and clamp it slowly in a vice to detension it. Apart from that, the rest of it looks pretty good Quickest i've done one is about an hour and a half. Have done quite a few tho
Has anyone done this on a mk4 1.8T? could really do with some pointers with pics if can... or point me to a good guide they have used? Cheers Dan
Yes done it lots of times on 1.8Ts in various VAG cars. It's a 2 hour job including tea breaks Replace the cambelt tensioner while you're there, as well as the water pump - plactic impellors on them are crap. No guide I'm afraid, but you don't need to lift the engine - you can do it all in situ.
I've done it 4 or 5 times now in Mk4 Golfs and a Leon Cupra R. You need to remove the O/S engine mount as it is located in the middle of the belt. I normaly supprt the engine with a trolley jack and some timber packing under the sump. Replace the belt, hydraulic tensioner, tensioner pulley, idler pulley (usually supplied on tenioner), water pump. Make sure you have spare coolent incase you lose any. It is one of the worst jobs I have ever had to do on a car. The fastest I have done it in a Mk4 is 7 hours, and last month I did it and it took quite a bit longer. It would be easy with the engine out of the car, but with it in, there is very little room. I'd recommend you get it done at a specialist.
Cheers for the advice, do you have any idea of price for parts? and if I took it to a garage the price to get it done? I have dont most things to my car i/e/ spring and shock changes and such like.. jobs dont scare me and I can follow guides/ advice very well.. but if its that bad then I would have to take it to garage.
Euro car parts do various kits depending on the model of your car and make of kit you want. The full kit is about 120 delivered IIRC. I'd imagine the book time would be around 4 hours, so probably about 200 labour, plus parts.
