[Vwdiesel] Timing belt tensioner

[William J Toensing]

Can't speak from any VW experience but on my 2001 Ford Focus ZX3, I had the timing belt replaced at 80,000 miles. Ford recommends 100,000 miles. Found the timing belt was still in good shape but was about worn out & could have seized in a few thousand miles & this is an interference engine. A few weeks earlier, I saw a Focus for sale with 109,000 miles on the car & 19,000 miles on "new" engine. Called the seller & she said she had the timing belt replaced around 20,000 to 25,000 miles ago under an extended warranty but they didn't replace the timing belt tensioner which later seized. 
As I recall, I replaced the tensioner on my Dasher when I had the head off & as near as I recall, it was worn & noisy( 227,000 miles on the odemeter). As I recall, the timing belt tensioner is not that expensive. I learned that the head gasket is bad on my '82 Quantum so I will replace the timing belt & tensioner, regardless of how good they look. I don't like to be "penny wise & pound foolish", as some say.