Normal Timing Belt Change Interval 1.6 NA

[rs899]

What do you guys do?  I used to do 50K and I am getting there about now...but maybe I can go another 10K?

[theman53]

Check the Bentley and for sure the belt manufacturer, but IIRC the Contitech belts and tensioner were to be no more than 60,000 miles...But that maybe the injector service interval...or both. I am not sure on it right now.

[air-cooled or diesel]

do water pump when you do timing belt. 40k is low side of mileage, 60k is max mileage. water pump needs to be done somewhere about 40k+ miles. i like to do all 3 seals too.

[wolf_walker]

I generally start trying to talk myself into it about 40K, so it's usually done by 50K.  Back when I drove more than 50 miles a week anyway.. 
And ditto on the water pump, V belts and assorted seals.

[bbob203]

I like gates timing belts they seem more stout than contitech..

[rs899]

Just for giggles I bought a Mitsuboshi (that's right) belt from AHAZ.  Made in Japan, OEM to Subaru ,etc.

[745 turbogreasel]

I do em with the head gasket, so every  other year or so.

[bbob203]

I do em with the head gasket, so every  other year or so.

I want aware people changed the head gasket as routine maintenance.

[CRSMP5]

   why so low on a 1.5/1.6? if they have no oil.. no antifreeze or diesel on them they last long time... back in 80-90 it was 100k job with continental belts.. fag tensioners..

bbob.. you ask bout headgaskets... older fiber ones start to fail and seep antifreeze 3-4 years that i have seen... the fiber material breaks down... or say you do not use a titch of weather stripping adheasive on the rubber oval port ring thinggy they deform and start to seep oil.. (old tricks for those who do not know it) but back in the 80s-90s... id do a headgasket a week (sometimes 2 in 1 day) on norm thru 96... and on the same cars to see how effectiv the weatherstripping trick works...

then 90s started metal stuff... they do not fail... and if you make one fail... you melted somehting else...

[rs899]

My caddy has had the same head gasket on it since...1997.

[bbob203]

My caddy has had the same head gasket on it since...1997.

Yea... AFAIK my eco is the original head gasket..

[CRSMP5]

but you missed the timeline bbob... 80s tru 96ish... the materials changed... the later ecos had a dark fiber gasket, copper ring vs rubber one and stuff... but the older yellowish/creamish colered fiber ones break down... yes el-ring... you can see the fiber board desinigrate over time...

you will find this more on non hydro too.. as i said eco 91ish era got the first of the black/smoke grey ones..

i also think he runs crazy boost on his for 2 years... i average abt 5 on the older non hydro yellowish clored ones.. then ill start to notice antireeze residue on the back of the block.. and when i see it actually leak.. it will sweat some green for a good year if you look before you start it 1st thing in the am.. but never really loose any amount ..then its its time..

then you get those with oil leaks on the oil returns from blowby... lots ofg my car not allowed to mark its spot people out there...

the front oil passage.. been a while since ive seen that mess up.. but ive seen it both blow internally into #3 what a oily mess that was... and external into rad...

[745 turbogreasel]

I'm kind of kidding, but if you do it every other year, you will almost never have  reliablility problems.
My Caddy was cursed, and came apart at least that often for one reason or another.

+1 on the metal HG as good for the life of the car.

[libbydiesel]

My 1.6 rabbit has had the same fiber head gasket for at least 18 years.  No leaks.  The engine wasn't running for 16 of those years, tho.  

[the caveman]

Back before the B2 Passats [-1990-1992 no grill models] with the 16v gassers started breaking timing belts as early as 40,000kms,and most of the diesels were still 1.6's, we were recommending replacing the diesel belts at 160,000kms ! Once that started happening we reviewed our maintenance intervals and decided on diesel belt changes at 60,000kms. Never had a car come in with a suspected broken belt before it was due. Of course I am NOT suggesting going that long between changes and,even though I know better, I wouldn't sweat a few miles one way or an other.