Timing belt condition after 80,000 km + 30 months, how is this possible?

Hello,

I have a Passat manufactured in November 1993 with a 1Z engine.
He has already driven 266,000 kilometers.

Attached should be a picture of the timing belt. Two main tendons have already ruptured.
And that's after 80,000 km and 30 months.
I nearly had a heart attack when I saw that.

I highly doubt this belt would last another 10,000 kilometers.
The last oil change was done at a VW workshop by the previous owner.
These are also genuine VW parts.

The previous owner drove it for 10,000 kilometers.
I drove the other 70,000 km in 12 months. 99% of that was on highways.

I replaced the belt, including the tensioner pulley and idler pulley. I also replaced the crankshaft pulley bolt, even though a 12.9 grade bolt was already installed. It was also quite firm, perhaps too firm for my taste.
I also replaced the serpentine belt and the V-belt at the same time.

Now I would like to know how that can happen.

I checked all possible values using VAG-Com after the replacement, but everything seems to be fine.
Both the crankshaft and the camshaft can be turned normally.

Are the daily 260 kilometers of highway driving an unusually high load on the timing belt?
I can't really imagine that, since I have a speed limiter and usually drive at 140 km/h.

I hope someone here has an idea about this.

Best regards,

Hi,

It could also be a pre-existing damage to the wheel rim, caused by, for example, prying it off the hub with a screwdriver, which is now becoming noticeable.

Best regards, Rainer.

...or perhaps the previous owner drove it more than 10,000 km. Could it be?

Hi!

Hello,


It looks like a stone might have been lodged in your turbocharger.

Take a closer look at the abrasion on the lower ZR cover. Besides the red rust, there's usually some sandy material in there. That's residue from stones. They cause lasting (but not immediate) damage to the ZR.
If a ZR cover is missing or has gaps, the risk of foreign objects entering is even greater. It is often overlooked.

Hi,
Thinking back to my old CS 50PS diesel days: Volkswagen's official timing belt replacement interval was 80,000 km, but the "internal" recommendation was every 50,000 km.
Audi has also significantly reduced the recommended service intervals in the past.
While my belts have never looked like that, I do regularly check them (including the side edges, etc.).
I can imagine that the belt might have been slightly damaged at some point, similar to a "curb rash" on a tire, and then gradually lost its functionality.
Hi Marcus,

Hey everyone,

Because I have limited time due to building a house, I check my timing belt and pulleys monthly – and then continue driving. Currently, he has approximately 95,000 kilometers on the odometer and the car is 4 years old.

Currently, I only obtain my knowledge about the ZR from online forums, but this is how the situation appears to me.

The theoretical lifespan is very high; for my AFN, it's 180,000 km or more. VAG has specified a lifespan that is half the actual duration for safety reasons.
Why does this often not work in practice?
Currently, it is considered certain that the majority of zipper failures are due to either aging (which, at more than 4 years, isn't really that old!) or external factors. These are the pebbles described above, installation errors caused by the friendly installer, and prematurely failing tension/guide rollers.
In other words, the problem isn't the lifespan of the component, but rather its sensitivity to 'disturbances' in its environment.
That's why I'm also very skeptical about the recurring news stories about 'Super ZR' batteries that supposedly last the entire lifespan of a motor. (The current ones are already quite durable!) ZR-End is also the engine end.

It's generally a good idea to regularly check your ZR, regardless of its age.
Unfortunately, the lifespan of a set of Spann/Umlenkrollen (tension/guide rollers) is very short, and once they start to fail, there's nothing you can do to prevent it. Careful inspection won't help.

oho, I still had an issue with the tensioner pulley during Easter; somehow, a metal sleeve got into the belt drive (after a motor change by a company that also "just happened" to disable the pressure line from the turbo with a screw ?).
"Of course, I replaced the belt (and briefly opened the valve cover..), but there was no visible sign of any problem."
Hi Marcus,

Hello,

I don't believe the previous owner drove that many kilometers.
The car was always maintained at a VW factory service center.
And even after the change, there were still outstanding invoices.

It still has the original turbocharger and the original ESP (Electronic Stability Program).
The previous owner had it for over nine years, and I received a lot of bills and other documents. He kept everything neatly organized.

A total of 9127 kilometers are missing from the odometer. It was replaced due to a defect at that mileage.
So, the car actually has about 276,000 kilometers on it.


No sand or similar abrasive material was found inside the covers.
The covers are also in perfect condition.

I suspect the problem was probably more likely due to the workshop. I've discovered some 'clumsy mistakes' or 'minor errors.'
I'm not used to that kind of thing from authorized workshops.
So, I think it's likely that the screw was either stripped before or was tightened with a screwdriver.

However, I'm experiencing a problem after the change. When I slightly accelerate while in 'limp mode,' the engine jerks briefly. It's almost more of a vibration. But then it disappears after about two seconds. Is this still normal, or does this already count as stuttering?

Regards,

Best regards,

Are the daily 260 kilometers of highway driving an unusually high load on the timing belt?
I can't really imagine that, since I have a speed limiter and usually drive at 140 km/h.

I would rather say that short-distance operation puts more strain on the belt.
http://forum.gute-fahrt.de/attachment.php?attachmentid=6739

Regards,

Tobias.