I am just curious if it would be a good idea to do my timing belt early since my car is tuned a bit. I own a 2017 VW Jetta 1.4TSI that makes 150 hp stock with 184 ft lbs of torque. Since new I have installed a high-flow AWE Tuning cat back exhaust with an AEM short-ram cold air intake, a Forge blow off valve, and an Unitronic Stage 1+ tune. I am at 57k miles now and was going to do my first coolant flush at 60k for funsies and got to thinking that perhaps my timing belt may be under additional stress with all the additional crap I have strapped to it. I drive quite a bit as you can see and want my car to be perfectly reliable. If I were to do it I would do the water pump at the same time. VW says the belt is good for 150k miles but ya right even when stock I wouldn't go that far. I just had my car dynoed and it is now putting out 191 hp with 249 ft-lbs of torque @ 5400 rpms. To me this means additional stress, what do you guys think?
Tuned car - should I change timing belt early?
- Thread starter jagtuner28
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Do whatever floats your boat. It sounds like you've already convinced yourself that you need to do it. What is factory interval?
I wouldn't, the manufacture is usually fairly conservative on belt maintenance. The only added drive pressure on the belt you have is the intake valve trying to close with more boost pressure being drivin into the cylinder head.
Maybe at 100k. Might not hurt to use a better oil and transmission fluid to help with the stress. Try a Grp 4 or 5,change transmission fluid or upgrade it and you should be good. Try a pea based cleaner with ucl to keep clean and protected. You might go through a belt tensioner faster though. If your planning serious power look to GReddy or Gates belts. Nice car!
Change the belt at the factory-specified interval. Use only OEM parts.
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
Change the belt at the factory-specified interval. Use only OEM parts.
Agreed. Isn't this belt some special steel reinforced splashed with oil deal?
If you want a faster Jetta, get a GLI. 1.4 is the Grandma model.
Change the belt at the factory-specified interval. Use only OEM parts.
Agreed. Isn't this belt some special steel reinforced splashed with oil deal?
If you want a faster Jetta, get a GLI. 1.4 is the Grandma model.
Originally Posted by dishdude
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
Change the belt at the factory-specified interval. Use only OEM parts.
Agreed. Isn't this belt some special steel reinforced splashed with oil deal?
If you want a faster Jetta, get a GLI. 1.4 is the Grandma model.
Not with 200hp/250ft-lbs it's not.
I don't believe the EA211 has an oil-bath belt. Volvo does that though. But it is a hefty belt, and was designed to be "lifetime."
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
Change the belt at the factory-specified interval. Use only OEM parts.
Agreed. Isn't this belt some special steel reinforced splashed with oil deal?
If you want a faster Jetta, get a GLI. 1.4 is the Grandma model.
Not with 200hp/250ft-lbs it's not.
I don't believe the EA211 has an oil-bath belt. Volvo does that though. But it is a hefty belt, and was designed to be "lifetime."
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
Originally Posted by dishdude
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
Change the belt at the factory-specified interval. Use only OEM parts.
Agreed. Isn't this belt some special steel reinforced splashed with oil deal?
If you want a faster Jetta, get a GLI. 1.4 is the Grandma model.
Not with 200hp/250ft-lbs it's not.
I don't believe the EA211 has an oil-bath belt. Volvo does that though. But it is a hefty belt, and was designed to be "lifetime."
I'm curious how a tune wakes this motor up. I've driven 1.4T rentals and they reminded me a lot of the old first gen Neons (a good thing) if a tune brings out that much power this could be a fun sleeper.
Originally Posted by dishdude
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
Change the belt at the factory-specified interval. Use only OEM parts.
Agreed. Isn't this belt some special steel reinforced splashed with oil deal?
If you want a faster Jetta, get a GLI. 1.4 is the Grandma model.
Not with 200hp/250ft-lbs it's not.
I don't believe the EA211 has an oil-bath belt. Volvo does that though. But it is a hefty belt, and was designed to be "lifetime."
I'm curious how a tune wakes this motor up. I've driven 1.4T rentals and they reminded me a lot of the old first gen Neons (a good thing) if a tune brings out that much power this could be a fun sleeper.
Can you remove the timing cover and rotate the engine while doing an inspection??
I don't even think there is a factory specified timing belt change?
Interference engine? Water pump driven off TB? Generically speaking , at 2yrs and only 60 K You don't need a coolant flush. I would push the flush and whatever else off to 100 K . If your mods have stressed the cooling system, think about a bigger radiator maybe or an oil cooler
If the engine still has the stock cam and valve spring loads, the belt operating loads will still be the same for normal driving.
If you have raised boost pressure, the cylinder pressure will be higher, and the belt will undergo higher loads to open the exhaust valves. But this only applies when you are at WOT, which is only about 1-2% of the time.
If the belt is rated for 150k miles, you definitely don't have to change it at 60k. Maybe for safety's sake, change it at 120k.
If you have raised boost pressure, the cylinder pressure will be higher, and the belt will undergo higher loads to open the exhaust valves. But this only applies when you are at WOT, which is only about 1-2% of the time.
If the belt is rated for 150k miles, you definitely don't have to change it at 60k. Maybe for safety's sake, change it at 120k.
Maybe cut the interval down to 100k or so, but I agree with 150k seeming very very long. I learned the hard way back in 2001 with my 97 a4 1.8t. Recommended every 60k back then (bad design), mine stripped 7 teeth at 62k, just as I was getting to the class where we could have done the belt ourselves in Lincoln Tech! Luckily there was a class action on it.
Originally Posted by Gebo
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
Change the belt at the factory-specified interval. Use only OEM parts.
+1...and not "OEM Equivalent" parts. VW OEM
Or from Blauparts. They put together their own kits with upgraded parts.
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
Change the belt at the factory-specified interval. Use only OEM parts.
+1...and not "OEM Equivalent" parts. VW OEM
Or from Blauparts. They put together their own kits with upgraded parts.
Originally Posted by jagtuner28
..VW says the belt is good for 150k miles but ya right even when stock I wouldn't go that far...
Does VW have a "severe service" rating for the timing belt? As I recall, the standard timing belt interval for a Honda V6 is 105,000 miles, but that is reduced to 60,000 miles if the vehicle is operated in extreme cold or extreme heat, or used for extensive towing.
..VW says the belt is good for 150k miles but ya right even when stock I wouldn't go that far...
Does VW have a "severe service" rating for the timing belt? As I recall, the standard timing belt interval for a Honda V6 is 105,000 miles, but that is reduced to 60,000 miles if the vehicle is operated in extreme cold or extreme heat, or used for extensive towing.
I would leave the belt alone. From the sounds of it you'll be doing some more mods before the belt needs replacing.
OE recommendations are untill warranties are run out!! i did my 1.8T every 75,000 on a 200,000 mile 300 ft tq jetta. recently got a kit for my 2001 TT similar but a bit more power, they had a high performance gates belt i got + of course change everything involved with the belt function. if your gonna DIY cost is reasonable. your prolly a little early but a failure is $$$$. i would open my hood after a long drive in summers heat as some Vortexers experienced earlier failures in hotter climates.my factory recommendation was 100 thou on the belt for a 2001 1.8T stock.
Originally Posted by Audios
just as I was getting to the class where we could have done the belt ourselves in Lincoln Tech!
The one in my hometown (Union)?
just as I was getting to the class where we could have done the belt ourselves in Lincoln Tech!
The one in my hometown (Union)?
Originally Posted by A_Harman
If the engine still has the stock cam and valve spring loads, the belt operating loads will still be the same for normal driving.
If you have raised boost pressure, the cylinder pressure will be higher, and the belt will undergo higher loads to open the exhaust valves. But this only applies when you are at WOT, which is only about 1-2% of the time.
If the belt is rated for 150k miles, you definitely don't have to change it at 60k. Maybe for safety's sake, change it at 120k.
That's my though, with stock springs and cam the belt isn't doing more work. Maybe spending more time at high rpm, but it's a Euro motor, they expected that.
I might be more tempted to shorten the interval on the basis of being a VW and that alone. Mine had a 100k interval but when I was thinking of having the second one done I was told my (well trusted VW TDI mechanic) that the PD motors were now 80k. Didn't get any letter in the mail about that change... Of course there's more to it than just the belt, the tensioner and any pulleys have bearings, and those are known to go bad over time.
Anyhow, if it's for peace of mind, why not. I just don't think the modified motor aspect matters in this case.
If the engine still has the stock cam and valve spring loads, the belt operating loads will still be the same for normal driving.
If you have raised boost pressure, the cylinder pressure will be higher, and the belt will undergo higher loads to open the exhaust valves. But this only applies when you are at WOT, which is only about 1-2% of the time.
If the belt is rated for 150k miles, you definitely don't have to change it at 60k. Maybe for safety's sake, change it at 120k.
That's my though, with stock springs and cam the belt isn't doing more work. Maybe spending more time at high rpm, but it's a Euro motor, they expected that.
I might be more tempted to shorten the interval on the basis of being a VW and that alone. Mine had a 100k interval but when I was thinking of having the second one done I was told my (well trusted VW TDI mechanic) that the PD motors were now 80k. Didn't get any letter in the mail about that change... Of course there's more to it than just the belt, the tensioner and any pulleys have bearings, and those are known to go bad over time.
Anyhow, if it's for peace of mind, why not. I just don't think the modified motor aspect matters in this case.
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