HOW LONG TO DO timing belt 200tdi

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how longs a piece of string?

Depends on the knowledge of the person doing it, if they've done similar, if they've read up on it before starting or going by a manual.

Would take me 30-45 mins as i've done it so many times, but for someone who hasn't, give yourself a few hours or a nice afternoon :D
 
it all depends really. I did mine whilst it's been on the floor in my garage, which has definite advantages, however, a lot of things made it more difficult, and some things went well which could've been difficult. If you're doing it by leaning over the radiator, then you might have the following hitches, dependent on how nicely the previous person to do it copper slipped up all the bolts etc :)

1) getting the viscous fan off - can be a pain in the arse - apparently
2) getting the crank pulley off - can be a pain in the arse too. Getting the bolt off is just the beginning :)
3) getting the bolts off, especially at the top right where the water travels in to the block. I rounded the very top right bolt off, and then spent ages trying to get it out by welding nuts on to it. eventually I had to take off the entire timing case, not just the cover, and I had to actually snap this bolt off and spend ages smacking the shank out of the timing case where it had seized absolutely solid
4) the crank belt pulley (behind main crank damper pulley) can be a bugger to get off too
5) if you get the newer style of tensioner pulley, then use a shorter bolt, or you'll snap the bolt in the block, and might have to take it all off again to weld a nut on to get it out again :(
6) I stripped the threads in a few of the timing lid holes, and had to helicoil them. I'd get an m8 helicoil kit (got mine for about £12, and I'd pay that for each insert that I've actually used because they're possibly the greatest things ever!

compared to all of that, actually doing the belt and tensioning it etc is an absolute piece of cake, and I know that when I do it again in 60K, it's going to be so much easier than it was this time because I've been careful to clean all threads/shanks/holes and grease 'em up before putting it all back together :)

I reckon if I did it again now, and it all went really well, then I'd have it done in a couple of hours :)
 
Did mine on the drive took a couple of hours no worries, mate took a little longer on the disco tdi as he hadnt done one before
But on another disco tdi i couldnt get the crank pulley off no matter what i tried!



Lynall
 
Thanks for all the answers its what i thought approx 21/2 hours steady , i got a quote and it was £200 but he said its a 4 hour job , if i was a bit younger and fitter i would of had it done quicker than asking about it , So i reacon its a £150 job or get my old spanners out , or even better Badger how you fixed for 1/2hr-45mins this wk.end lol
 
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It all looks fairly clean and looks as though it was not to long ago done ie pump looks new etc , the last chap did 4000 miles only and he did not change the belt, so its before that and there lies the problem how long before better be safe than sorry , But will watch for that dreaded top bolt again thanks folk atb gerry
 
Took me 2 weekends - bearing in mind it's now dark soon after work and this was the first one I've done.

Most of the time was spent removing and cleaning stubborn bolts - one of my water pump bolts broke off, it remains to be seen whether that means I have to go back and remove timing case.

The timing belt itself is quite straightforward - it's getting there that's the hard part!
 
still waiting for parts being posted....
all ready though,
made flywheel locking pin, found the proper size drill shank for doosel pump,
refitted rockers after 4 bent pushrods, made crank holding tool & found 4 new cap head bolts in my old ex works tool box
( along with lots of hi spec drills & metric taps - wooppee )
but, as in the now legendary line from Quadraphenia,
Mr ****in Post man!
not wanting to upset our nice mr postman, he can only deliver whats been sent to his sorting office eh...
 
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hi
Just done mine, it took me 2 days ( mainly due to not having the correct tools )
the viscous fan was an absolute nightmare
the pully bolt was a nightmare
the crank balancer thing behind the bottom pully was even worse a normal legged puller will not work ( i made one from the mounting bracket of my scrapped bull bars, some long bolts & lots of spacers )
I also snapped the bolt in the top right corner of the cambelt cover
Put it back together and it weeps a little occasionally so ive just left it as is !

If you want my advice buy yurself a haynes manual, fan spanner & a proper puller ( ebay )
Make sure you lock the fuel pump pully & good luck !

Hope this helps
Stu
 
started Saturday and not finished yet, nearly all the time spent was removing bolts that had been put back in where the heads were rounded and hours and hours spent trying to get the crank pulley bolt off, my mate eventually did it in about 2 minutes with an impact driver. ( I had to take the radiator, power steering pump and alternator off as well.)
 
When you build it up and tighten the crank bolt put a paint mark across the bolt and onto the pulley so each service a quick visual check confirms it hasnt moved, they had a reputation once for coming loose and fcuking the crank and the keyway.

Edit, hang on just noticed the post is from 2011!
 
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