No... not another "my engine blew up" thread... But. We bought a little lupo from VW a few months ago. 55k miles, 6 years old, original cam belt. Cambelt due at 60k according to the book. "6 year old... hmmm... better get that done" thinks I. A few weeks later we have some money and a mate kindly does the belt. This is a 55,000 mile, 6 year old belt. Joe public car nonce would have carried on running this until prompted to change the belt at the 60k service (i.e. at 63,000 knowing joe...) Would it have lasted another 8,000 miles? Another 8 months of joe average milage? Not sure myself... A good 80% of the belt was cracked like that. Cracks run the entire width of the belt... Eeek!
Blimey, glad i've just had mine done as there was no evidence in the service receipts showing when it was last done. Although the belt and tensioners that were taken off were in near new condition...Doh!!
I always think when it comes to Cam belts and tensioners it pays to always ge them done if your anyway unsure of milage etc. Ok, so you found out teh ones that came off were near new, but thats sooo much better than not knowing the ones you have on the car you rely on to get to work, has belts and tensioners well past there advised milage. One other thing to mention, that isn't in that pic, is that VW in there infinite wisdom with those belts, have stamped INTO the belt a part or ID number. Not printed, but stamped! Guess where the belt is also cracking up badly.......!
also had that on my ex-aa T4 van, they weren't due to be changed till 120k and i was only on 99k, but had them done anyway. It was a good job i did as the cambelt was split halfway across!
My ex's polo's belt ws similar to that when it wasn't changed till about 70k (she did it the week after she bought the car)....heard that although vw says 60k, 40k is advised by a lot of people. On a side note, this is what happens when a non vw tensioner siezes (well within cambelt interval) on a mk2 16v -
hah, the cambelt on my old 193k PB engine that came out of the passat had done at least 73k (although there was nothing in the service history to say it had been done at 120k . . . and there were no signs at all of it breaking up. weird how some go and some seem to last indefinately?
Just had mine changed this morning as it happens. Tensioner was starting to 'chirp' a little. Not an interference engine, so not too scary, but I don't like squeaks or the possibility of breaking down. One thing about the OP's picture though...surely the strength of the belt is in the fibrous layer between where those cracks are, and where the teeth are; so the cracks aren't all that significant?
Interval is only 80k on those 8v engines altho I would advise 60k on a tuned G60 because of the extra torque... I changed a belt on a Polo 1.05 with 125k on it and altho it was very shiney and hard was still okish! 16V enignes and modern TDI needs belts changing more reguarly despite the wider belts, also don't forget that service schedules say to inspect every year! Always, always buy genuine belts and tensioners, replace water pumps and idlers if applicable and crank bolts on G60s!