Is 2006 gti a timing belt or chain ?

[AlanD]

Redrobin, I swear your having an affair with the man at your local VW

[RedRobin]

Redrobin, I swear your having an affair with the man at your local VW

....

Which one!? My 'main man' was working as a mechanic/technician there but is now on the Customer Service desk but will still occasionally put on his overalls. He knows my car well and we first met when he PDI'd it in 2005. He is also an enthusiast who mods his cars. He's also the Revo rep there.

I know I'm always singing the praises of my dealers VW Loders of Dorchester, but not without good reason. They're not perfect - No-one is - But we have a very upfront and honest working relationship, good banter and good communication. I think that being a long established family business in a rural area encourages good practices.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

^^^^
T-T, that's a quality post - My faith in you is restored! [for now! ]

I'm about to have a chat with my trusted VW dealer [no, I'm not being sarcastic ]

  

So how old is your car?  Reason I ask is that whilst antifreeze/coolant is supposed to be 'filled for life' - it is still seen as a very good idea to change it at around the five year mark - so this would indeed roughly tie in with the cambelt and water pump change.

Oh, and if it is approaching 60k miles, I would seriously recommend getting the underfloor fuel filter changed too.  Again, there is no actual recommended timescale for these, but in my experience, even with modern high detergent petrols, they can start to become partially blocked from 40k miles.

P.S. - I think our relationship is one of Love/Hate, but no, I'm not getting a room with you!

Awwww, shucks - I'll put my cheque book away and cancel the reservation then!       

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Robin if you do decide to change the water pump at the same time (and I agree it should be done) could you, if possible, take a look at the old/new parts and confirm whether the pump impellors are made of plastic or metal? Would be much appreciated

I thought I heard somewhere that all water pumps now have the metal impellors!    Even with the metal impellors, it still don't stop them from braking free of the shaft, though.

[RedRobin]

^^^^
T-T, that's a quality post - My faith in you is restored! [for now! ]

I'm about to have a chat with my trusted VW dealer [no, I'm not being sarcastic ]

  

So how old is your car?  Reason I ask is that whilst antifreeze/coolant is supposed to be 'filled for life' - it is still seen as a very good idea to change it at around the five year mark - so this would indeed roughly tie in with the cambelt and water pump change.

Oh, and if it is approaching 60k miles, I would seriously recommend getting the underfloor fuel filter changed too.  Again, there is no actual recommended timescale for these, but in my experience, even with modern high detergent petrols, they can start to become partially blocked from 40k miles.

....Car is 05-plate (August 05), 06-build, 62k miles and i have had to top up my coolant occasionally recently (usually after a very cold night in her garage). She has been run exclusively on V-Power and probably no more than 50 litres of anything else in her whole life (spoilt tart!).

[Teutonic_Tamer]

^^^^
T-T, that's a quality post - My faith in you is restored! [for now! ]

I'm about to have a chat with my trusted VW dealer [no, I'm not being sarcastic ]

  

So how old is your car?  Reason I ask is that whilst antifreeze/coolant is supposed to be 'filled for life' - it is still seen as a very good idea to change it at around the five year mark - so this would indeed roughly tie in with the cambelt and water pump change.

Oh, and if it is approaching 60k miles, I would seriously recommend getting the underfloor fuel filter changed too.  Again, there is no actual recommended timescale for these, but in my experience, even with modern high detergent petrols, they can start to become partially blocked from 40k miles.

....Car is 05-plate (August 05), 06-build, 62k miles and i have had to top up my coolant occasionally recently (usually after a very cold night in her garage). She has been run exclusively on V-Power and probably no more than 50 litres of anything else in her whole life (spoilt tart!).

So it really wouldn't be too early for a coolant change too.

And be a devil, try some Tesco 99 for a change - especially as they are doing the 5p a litre discount again!     

[topher]

Robin if you do decide to change the water pump at the same time (and I agree it should be done) could you, if possible, take a look at the old/new parts and confirm whether the pump impellors are made of plastic or metal? Would be much appreciated

I thought I heard somewhere that all water pumps now have the metal impellors!    Even with the metal impellors, it still don't stop them from braking free of the shaft, though.

i'd heard that too, but it's always nice to have confirmation

[RedRobin]

Robin if you do decide to change the water pump at the same time (and I agree it should be done) could you, if possible, take a look at the old/new parts and confirm whether the pump impellors are made of plastic or metal? Would be much appreciated

I thought I heard somewhere that all water pumps now have the metal impellors!    Even with the metal impellors, it still don't stop them from braking free of the shaft, though.

....I've just had a chat with my man at my VW dealers and he said exactly the same - There used to be probs braking off the shaft when plastic and he thinks the Mk5 has metal impellors but didn't know for certain off-hand but we'd look and so I'll confirm here next week.

He also agreed that, although it wasn't on the servicing 'list', we should renew the water pump while at it and I'd only be charged the cost of the part.

Similarly the underfloor fuel filter is meant to be a 'lifetime' part but he changes his on his own cars every 2 years anyway and he said that with a remapped car running V-Power it was good maintenance practice. So, it'll be done too - It's only £25 and includes a 'regulator'.

Oh, and my dealer would be changing the coolant anyway and also be doing a pressure test. And they only replace the whole cambelt kit with rollers etc and wouldn't entertain just doing the rubber belt alone.

I think my car is in good hands and it's wrong that apparently not all VW dealers are like this. Dare I say I'm lucky!

Thanks for your valuable input on this, T_T

[AlanD]

I'm so jealous Robin, I don't trust any of the dealers in my area one bit

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Robin if you do decide to change the water pump at the same time (and I agree it should be done) could you, if possible, take a look at the old/new parts and confirm whether the pump impellors are made of plastic or metal? Would be much appreciated

I thought I heard somewhere that all water pumps now have the metal impellors!    Even with the metal impellors, it still don't stop them from braking free of the shaft, though.

....I've just had a chat with my man at my VW dealers and he said exactly the same - There used to be probs braking off the shaft when plastic and he thinks the Mk5 has metal impellors but didn't know for certain off-hand but we'd look and so I'll confirm here next week.

He also agreed that, although it wasn't on the servicing 'list', we should renew the water pump while at it and I'd only be charged the cost of the part.

Similarly the underfloor fuel filter is meant to be a 'lifetime' part but he changes his on his own cars every 2 years anyway and he said that with a remapped car running V-Power it was good maintenance practice. So, it'll be done too - It's only £25 and includes a 'regulator'.

Oh, and my dealer would be changing the coolant anyway and also be doing a pressure test. And they only replace the whole cambelt kit with rollers etc and wouldn't entertain just doing the rubber belt alone.

I think my car is in good hands and it's wrong that apparently not all VW dealers are like this. Dare I say I'm lucky!

Thanks for your valuable input on this, T_T

As always, you are all most welcome to my help and input, irrespective of weather anyone chooses to implement or ignore it. 

Do you reckon you could get a photo of the new water pump before being fitted, and another one of the old one?  And you might also like to try the 'blow through' test on the old and new fuel filters, providing that the health and safety boffins don't lynch you (oh, and you don't mind the odd taste of V-Power . . . . and I said blow, not suck!!!!!!          )