Timing Belt Question

[rory182 0]

Hi Guys, newbie here.

 

I'm travelling to London on Monday to view a 1.9gti, the car sounds like a bit of a rare beast in that it's had 1 owner since 1991 and is on 55k miles.

 

I read on 205gtidrivers website that it's due a belt at 48k miles. Is there an age at which belts should be changed i.e. say the car hits 5 years old but hasn't covered 48k miles in that time is it due a change? My 182 for instance is every 72k or 5 years whichever comes first.

 

Anyway the issue is, lack of history with the car, so I don't know if the belts ever been done. I am fully intent on changing the belt asap, but I need to get the car from London to Glasgow and driving it is the plan.

 

Am I mad to drive a 17 year old 1.9gti 400 miles on motorway knowing it's done 55k miles and not knowing if the belts been done?

 

I would have used the search feature but it's down, so I'm sorry if this kind of question has been done to death.

[chris1986 1]

just a risk if you do it. could you not set off and disconnect something so it doesn't run and ring up recovery if you have one and get towed home?

Edited October 24, 2007 by chris1986

[rory182 0]

haha that was one of my first thoughts actually, hence I joined the AA yesterday!

 

Is it a big risk though? Are the belts likely to fail quite soon after the recommended change? I know its not an exact science but some car's are worse for it than others.

 

They don't fail safe, do they? Bent valves to be expected if it did go?

[Guest jonathanes]

Hi Rory,

 

welcome and good luck

 

I bought my Rallye blind (off eBay) and drove 500 miles from Oxford to Aberdeen to collect it!!! so I can empathise with you. Whilst I too have AA membership, I had my partner following me in her Toyota Prius (at least it was economical to have a chase car )

 

I took it steady to start off with as I had no idea what condition brakes, gearbox and engine was in then increased how much I would push it as the miles rolled on.... cruised nicely at 70mph over Beattock and down the M6

 

Thankfully, it was spot on and didn't miss a beat - not bad for 15 years old and 107,000 miles

[pugrallye 0]

Yes chnage belt when either time or distance has expired as they perish being of rubber constitution and have a shelf life..

[joelpsmith 1]

the AA plan won't work. They won't tow you home 400 miles for sure. they will take you to the nearest garage, and you will have to pay them to fix the thing that you broke yourself.

 

Personally, i would take the top cambelt cover off when i got there, give it a quick once over and if it looked ok, ie not perished, then i would just drive it back. My car had its first cam belt changed at 70k and it looked pretty fresh when it came off.

Edited October 27, 2007 by joelpsmith

[rory182 0]

My aa cover tows me to anywhere in the UK if they can't fix it... but never came to that lol

 

I drove the car home, pulls well.

 

A slight rattle on acceleration, not sure what that is?

 

Idle is a bit funny after holding the throttle at maybe 3-4k then releasing it it idles very low and wants to stall.

 

I plan to get the timing belt and water pump changed asap, not using the car at the moment. Will clean out the throttle body and idle control valve too.

 

Just discovered it's leaking onto the passenger footwell, not sure where its coming from, any common places?

 

Cheers, Rory

[jonnie205 1]

just risk it, i would be very very suprised if its on its first belt and they hardly ever break on 8v engines

[jeremy 71]

My cambelt went at 42K last Christmas day LOL this would have been the original since 1990 when the car was made.