Timing belt time?
 

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Re: Timing belt time?
 

Svxfiles replaced the timing belt (and all idler pulleys, etc) on my 1996 Polo about a month ago, along with water pump, oil pump, all new seals and gaskets.

The car had the original timing belt on it (12 years old) and 122,000 miles on it at the time it was changed. When we pulled off the old belt and compared it to a brand new OEM one, you couldn't tell the difference.

There was no cracking, crazing, dryness or wear on the old belt. All of the guide markings and numbers were as clear and bright as on the new one we put in.

I still have the old one as it is in remarkable condition. Tom said I could save a little money by just putting the old belt back on and buttoning it up. :lol:

You can pull off the timing belt covers to check the condition of the belt. In my case, there would be no way to know how old the belt was if I had just gotten the car. I bought mine at 42,000 miles, so I know it was original.

Just replace it (and the water pump too) and forget about it for 100,000 miles or so. California law requires that timing belts last 105,000 miles, so I am sure that you may never need to change it again.

I'll take some good photos so you can see what a 120,000+ belt looks like.

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Re: Timing belt time?
 

10 characters.

Re: Timing belt time?
 

I replaced mine this summer and likewise, it looked in excellent condition. The print had been mostly worn off, but otherwise there was no indication that it was 16 years old with ~120K miles. (I'm about 75% on it being original)