Last week, the wife calls from Indy, telling me her 235,000 mile VW Golf is not running well. We discuss possibilities, but there is little I can do over the phone. She ends up driving back home on Tuesday night, so I can check it out. After trying a couple of quick fix things and a test drive, I come to the conclusion that the timing belt has taken a crap and the cam timing has jumped. :eek: :rant:
I know that I was way overdue to replace the belt at 235K, since 100K is usualy the limit, but it is such a PITA I kept putting it off. Now there was no ignoring it. The wife drove my son's Mustang back to Indy the next morning, since it would fit in the parking garage better then my Ford Super Duty 4x4. My son then drove the truck to get to his job. I ordered parts from NAPA the next morning, and picked them up Thursday.
After much other "stuff", I finally got around to doing the work on Friday evening. Getting to the old belt was a job in its self. Removed the coolant expansion tank, the power steeering reservoir, right front tire and wheel, right inner fender splash apron, and one contrary SOB of a motor mount. I was finally ready to remove the belt covers and the belt.
Why the car was still running was beyond me. The belt was loose, and it was missing 16 teeth in one section. And why the engine did not beat itself to death is another mystery. It is a zero tolerance engine, meaning the valves and pistons should beat each other to death if the belt goes away. We must be living a charmed life, as it only slipped a little, and not enough to do any damage.
After much struggling with the timing marks, one on the cam gear and the other on the flywheel at the opposite end of the engine, I eventually got the belt on and everything in time. Then I spent a good half hour or more, trying to snake the motor mount back in place, raising the engine up and letting it down numerous times. After winning that wrestling match, it was a matter af reconnecting everything and firing the engine. And fire up it did, running like new as always. Talk about relief :biggrin: I was 99% sure there was no damage, but until it came to life and ran quietly, I could not be certain.
So after all that, I went ahead and did the oil change and tire rotation it was due for. The entire job took about 5 hours, so I know why VW wants $1000 plus to do this. It can be done faster with a couple of specialty tools I don't have, and with experience, but it was not that bad, other than tight confines of a small car with a sideways engine.
Oh, I don't reccomend going as long as I did to change the belt. It could have been catastrophic. I'll do it again at the next 100,000 miles.
Did you know NAPA rents specialty tools? I rented a special wrench so hubby could replace the break line on my van and it didn't cost that much.
Quote from: me on July 06, 2009, 10:43:11 AM
Did you know NAPA rents specialty tools? I rented a special wrench so hubby could replace the break line on my van and it didn't cost that much.
* brake
Yes, I am aware of NAPA's tool rental. Unfortuntely, the one that would have been handy, had to come through VW. It is a toothed crank pully block that keeps the crank from turning while swapping the belt. Not having it cost me a little time, as it made keeping the timing marks aligned while slipping the belt on a little more difficult.
Thanks for mentioning it.
Quote from: Exterminator on July 06, 2009, 11:29:28 AM
* brake
:groan: Gimmie a brake......There I evened it out..... :razz: