HELLOOOO diesel PEOPLE! and etc...

[vanbcguy]

Playing with fire without that timing cover.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  = TRUE

[trav1856]

Playing with fire without that timing cover.

Mine didn't come with one. What're the risks? Just having it come off?

[8v-of-fury]

Having what "just come off"? the belt??

You got huge problems if that happens..

However I am being a tad hypocritical... I don't run one either... Chances of a rock breaking the belt are prob around the same with the cover on lol

[vanbcguy]

Playing with fire without that timing cover.

Mine didn't come with one. What're the risks? Just having it come off?

If it comes off, you're rebuilding at a minimum your head and are probably putting in a bunch of new valves, possibly lifters and a cam too.

Since it's exposed, any sand/dust/water/mud you may happen to drive through will find its way between the belt and the pulleys and into the tensioner wearing everything out faster than would happen otherwise.  I don't mean driving around on the beach, I just mean stuff on the road or whatever.  If the recommended change interval is 60,000 miles for a protected belt, I'd imagine the change interval for an "exposed" belt would be much less!

[8v-of-fury]

Sand, dirt, particles what have you.. All can still get in the belt housing. It is no sealed.. As matter of fact if you take a look at the back of the cover there is a clear open hole that anything smaller than a golf ball could fit through .

The cover does NOT protect from dirt and water.

I repeat does NOT protect from dirt and water

.

Rocks and sticks? A little bit.. How often do these things fling up in to the engine bay? And when do you honestly drive over long branches that will go up and take out the belt??

[theman53]

I just took mine off and you could eat out of the timing cover area it was that clean. I think it does great for protection of sand/mud/water. It is not 100% sealed, but mine doesn't have a golf ball opening either? The only thing I could say is that the belt exposed you could see if it was getting eaten "slowly" but I put a plexiglass window in my cover so I don't have the dissadvantage of not being able to see the TB. Also, if something like the metal that holds the mat on the hood wants to come down and rub up against the TB then it is a bad day.

[Quantum TD]

libbybapa had a story about a customer who left it off, and a plastic grocery bag got sucked up into it and it popped.

Also, and a recent story here (or www.vwdieselparts.com forum) where someone popped their belt because of no timing cover. Had to pull the head.

Ah. For your reading pleasure.

http://www.vwdieselparts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=10687

[8v-of-fury]

Gov Mod in my sig.

[8v-of-fury]

I've also seen stock motors throw a rod under normal use. If it's gonna happen its gonna happen. Karma man, Karma.

[vanagonturbo]

Not diesel related, but VW interference related. I used to have no upper or lower cover on the 16v rocco. On a drive back from Cali to Wa, I was passing a logging truck, a piece of bark got caught between the belt and the pullies. Car stopped running. We (I was caravaning) went and got a new belt (super easy to install with no covers) and yup, 3 bent valves. Car was towed to Eugene and sat for 2 weeks before I could get a trailer down there to bring it back to take the head off and replace the bent valves.

All that said, the diesel rocco only has the lower cover and the previous rocco now has a lower cover

Yes, I live my life a quarter of a mile at a time

[vanagonturbo]

Tach sig is from the Alt. Being an AAZ, it should have a W terminal on it right? Get an '83-'84 GTI cluster and mod it to work.

Do the GOV mod yourself. Its not that hard to do. Theres lots of write ups here on the board.

I cant run that cluster in the truck. its an early westy and just has this:

Use a non-C model cluster with tach. AKA Scirocco. mod the tach so it works with the W terminal output from the alternator.

[vanagonturbo]

I am not suggesting that anyone run with no covers at all. Just pointing out my experiences with no covers Tolerances on the diesel rocco do not allow enough room to run an upper cover. Yes, I know, its dangerous. I check the alternator belt religiously

[Digital K]

Im aware the motors are interference. The AAZ covers dont fit. irony is I dropped a washer into this motor in specific and bent every valve in the head. it now has a completely rebuilt head, new pistons, and new rings.

I also dont have any vbelts.

[Digital K]

Im aware the motors are interference. The AAZ covers dont fit. irony is I dropped a washer into this motor in specific and bent every valve in the head. it now has a completely rebuilt head, new pistons, and new rings.

[vanagonturbo]