Timing Belt/Bent Valves

[teenie]

My timing belt lost teeth about about 45 mph, 25,000 rpm's. Before I knew what had happened, I attempted to restart it a couple times (it stalled right there). I didn't hear anything in the motor, no clattering or anything. Any thoughts on the chance I bent my valves?

[zackforbing]

I sincerely hope you mean 2500. 25000 would have melted your engine. I'm not an expert, but I had the same thing happen to me, and I'd say put a new timing belt on and see if it works.

[teenie]

You're right, I meant 2500...it was a typo.

We have the belt & tensioner ready to go on, I just thought I'd ask some others their opinion 'cause I have a friend who insists I bent my valves, no doubt, and that it's not possible to loose teeth on a timing belt without bending the valves too.

I hope he's wrong!

[tylerrules84]

Your friend is a silly child. All newer VW's (assuming thats what you have) have a non-interference type of setup. Which means, that if your timing belt dies, your engine won't. It just won't run.

[teenie]

You're right! We got the timing belt on, and the motor runs fine! I don't know if a '96 is considered "newer" -in my book it is, but it is getting up in years too.

One more question....I've heard of people losing their timing belts before, but I always thought it happened around 100,000 miles, maybe even at 80,000 for less fortunates. According to "the book" on my Jetta, it recommends a timing belt change every 36,000 miles. Isn't that a little excessive?

[zackforbing]

from what i hear, timing belts need to be changed at 90K. mine wasn't when I got the car at about 100K. at 145K, el snappo. el new engino. el sucko.

[teenie]

lol-I don't mean to laugh at you, but just the way you posted that one made me laugh. Sorry.

I double checked my Haynes manuel, and it states you should CHECK the belt at 30,000. It does suggest replacement at 60,000 regardless of what it looks like.

Like you, I just bought & drove it, and didn't consider the timing belt at all-even though I'd been warned! Mine went JUST shy of 109,000. Just by luck, it didn't bend the valves. I would be crying if it had!

Let me be a lesson to everyone though. CHECK YOUR BELTS! I'm a girl, and don't do much automotive work, however even I can look at a belt, and this one isn't too hard to get to. Maybe you guys don't think this is a big deal, but I'm sure there are other women out there who don't think they can do it on their own. Get a cheap air compressor from Wal-Mart, and you can do it all girl!

[tylerrules84]

hahaha very nice. Yeah, I'd consider 96 to be newer. It might be the same on the Mk2's and older as well, I'm just not sure, and didn't want to talk out of my butt as the phrase goes. So yeah, not by luck at all, but by design.

[jett-n-along]

You are right. i didnt consider the timing belt at all when i had all this work done on this car the i just bought. its all fixed now except for one thing. The timing belt. He told me that the engine was doing a little skip at idle. I did notice this but thought it was due to the air-fuel mix was bad seeing the o2 sensors were NEVER replaced. He thought the timing belt also and showed me how to check. I had assumed it was replaced considering the high miles. Thanks for the reminder. from one girl to another<wink> jett-n