Don't change your timing belt

[libbydiesel]

It was actually an issue with the intermediate shaft pulley and bolt.

As Gingy said, "It's a Thong!"

[the caveman]

the belts hold up much better than you'd think, i had a 1990 cabriolet 1.8l engine, 170k the belt must have been original, the tensioner actually locked up and the belt was so glazed over it just slipped over the tensioner as if it were supposed to be locked up, i didn't even notice until it started to squeak a little haha.

Oh yeah. I know that we definitely had a couple of customers with over 300,000 k on their gassers. Those engines weren't interference ones so we never saw a problem, even when they did break. Change the belt ( sometimes not even the tensioner) and sent them on their way

[ToddA1]

I believe the large valve 1.8 heads were interference.

-Todd

[the caveman]

You could be right, however we never saw any motors damaged because of broken belts until the 16V Passats came out.