Do NOT buy Continental parts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Quantum TD]

Here's a fun story. I purchased a Conti timing belt for a 2004 Golf TDI BEW engine code back in Jan 2009. I installed it, along with new INA rollers and a HEPU water pump on a friend's car: basically, all OEM or better than OEM quality parts.
 
She drove the car for 3 years, and put 60K on the belt. The other day, the belt exploded. I mean, there is nothing left of it except shreds. My initial thought was that the car dropped a valve, or the tensioner rollers or water pump siezed. Nope. Everthing was fine, except for the collapsed and mushroomed lifters, bent valves, scored camshaft, and impacted pistons. The rollers and water pump spin like brand new. The cam gear had not moved, and I had inspected the belt at her last oil change.

I've used Conti/ CRP parts for over 2 decades and never had a problem. Now this.

I've generally watched the quality of their parts slide over the past decade. From CV boots that dry-rot after only 2 years, to V-belts that stretch prematurely. Customer service basically told me to go f*ck myself on any sort of warranty. 12 months, 24,000 miles is all they cover, unless you buy their complete kit. Apparently, you can't use their piece of $hit belt with better quality parts, or it will explode.
 
If you EVER do a TB on a VW, diesel or otherwise, I would strongly suggest that you consider Dayco (another OEM supplier, and the co that makes nearly all the belts for VW right now), or Gates.

I will NEVER use Conti/Continental/CRP products AGAIN. If you value your car, or your car repair business, I would suggest you do the same.

[rabbitman]

What's the belt change interval supposed to be on that engine? I've heard of some engines/belts that won't make it 1000 miles past the interval.

[R.O.R-2.0]

Here's a fun story. I purchased a Conti timing belt for a 2004 Golf TDI BEW engine code back in Jan 2009. I installed it, along with new INA rollers and a HEPU water pump on a friend's car: basically, all OEM or better than OEM quality parts.
 
She drove the car for 3 years, and put 60K on the belt. The other day, the belt exploded. I mean, there is nothing left of it except shreds. My initial thought was that the car dropped a valve, or the tensioner rollers or water pump siezed. Nope. Everthing was fine, except for the collapsed and mushroomed lifters, bent valves, scored camshaft, and impacted pistons. The rollers and water pump spin like brand new. The cam gear had not moved, and I had inspected the belt at her last oil change.

I've used Conti/ CRP parts for over 2 decades and never had a problem. Now this.

I've generally watched the quality of their parts slide over the past decade. From CV boots that dry-rot after only 2 years, to V-belts that stretch prematurely. Customer service basically told me to go f*ck myself on any sort of warranty. 12 months, 24,000 miles is all they cover, unless you buy their complete kit. Apparently, you can't use their piece of $hit belt with better quality parts, or it will explode.
 
If you EVER do a TB on a VW, diesel or otherwise, I would strongly suggest that you consider Dayco (another OEM supplier, and the co that makes nearly all the belts for VW right now), or Gates.

I will NEVER use Conti/Continental/CRP products AGAIN. If you value your car, or your car repair business, I would suggest you do the same.

i have a contitech belt waiting to go on my Audi GT coupe.. this has me second guessing the belt..

last timing belt i did, was a GATES kit for my 86 GTI.. its worked out fine, ive been running it for a year now.. kit was decent quality, was really cheap too!

when the timing belt snapped on my diesel, it was a conti belt also, and shredded..

60k miles is also the timing belt change interval.. being as how crappy new belts are, i would not even take a car to the maximum change interval, i would do it 10000 miles soon, just to be SUPER SAFE..

if it was a 2.slow 8v engine, i wouldnt worry as much, but a 20v, 16v, or diesel, im gonna be on top of those.. no negrection of the timing belt on those engines..

[Quantum TD]

Well, the OEM belt is about 80-100K. I work in the parts dept at the dealership, and the techs inspect the belts every 20K service. They usually quote them at about 80-100K. OEM belt for this application is Dayco, and it's BEEFY.

I would have expected at least 70-80K out of it. Conti belts apparently just stretch too much. Never again.

As for an IDI, I usually go 60-70K. But from here out, it's Gates or Dayco. Screw conti.

As for my friend, I'll probably do the labor for free, and just have them pay for the parts to fix the head.

[theman53]

It is weird but on my ALH the kits are different. The manual trans belt from VW was a 40,000 mile belt, and the auto trans belt said 60,000 You can buy either of those for replacement or a 100,000 mile belt kit, again all for ALH TDI's. Why do that to people???

My IDI belts have all said replace no more than 60,000. I have used many conti belts, but others as well. None got to 60,000.

[CRSMP5]

my 1.6td has 100k+ on its conti belt... been on it 10 years... age is due to replace... when i unmothball it..

when i did 91k-256k back in 90 thru 92.. was in highschool and did not stay home.. i was doing 125k intervals on my 1.6na..

unless 16v, 20v, diesel.. or big cam high comp gassers.. all it is is a break down slap belt on and go again..

no idea why it failed on you... but crap happens.. now if all a sudden 30 people post my belt broke.. id chalk it up as crap.. of the 1000s made i got the bad one.. yes it sux.. but honestly.. how many have you heard of fail

[MattRabbit]

It is weird but on my ALH the kits are different. The manual trans belt from VW was a 40,000 mile belt, and the auto trans belt said 60,000 You can buy either of those for replacement or a 100,000 mile belt kit, again all for ALH TDI's. Why do that to people???

Strike that... reverse it

The ALH was 60K for manual and 40K for auto.  I've got a 100K mile kit on my Golf now, and I'll replace the belt at 80K.  Why?  Because I don't trust it!

[R.O.R-2.0]

It is weird but on my ALH the kits are different. The manual trans belt from VW was a 40,000 mile belt, and the auto trans belt said 60,000 You can buy either of those for replacement or a 100,000 mile belt kit, again all for ALH TDI's. Why do that to people???

Strike that... reverse it

The ALH was 60K for manual and 40K for auto.  I've got a 100K mile kit on my Golf now, and I'll replace the belt at 80K.  Why?  Because I don't trust it!

i would never EVER run a timing belt 100k miles, even if its rated for 200k..