[Vwdiesel] Dayco Timing Belts... & Idler pulleys

[mark shepherd]

I think the forum is split on this one.

Wrt VW mk2 idler pulleys in particular, I always check it when fiddling with 
timing etc.

If it looks old, and therefore a genuine OEM but feels same as it ever does, 
then I have every confidence that it will not fail, unless contaminated in 
the near future.

A modern replacement may or may not fail relatively quickly, and will 
condemn you to regular  R &R.

Farmer J. will have something to say I'm sure ;o)

Mark

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "William J Toensing" <toensing at wildblue.net>
To: <vwdiesel at vwfans.com>
Sent: Monday, September 06, 2010 11:58 AM
Subject: [Vwdiesel] Dayco timming belts


>
> This a good question. I don't want the cheapest timming belt but the best, 
> since failure can be quite costly. Fortunately, I have not learned this 
> the hard way. On my Ford Focus, the idler pulley, not the timming belt is 
> the weak point. I got curious when a few years ago, I saw a Focus for sale 
> with the notation "new engine" so I called her & it seems the local Ford 
> dealer replaced her timming belt but did not replace the idler pulley 
> which seized 7,000 miles after her TB was replaced. So lets expand the 
> question to what is the best quality idler  or tension pulley to buy? The 
> VW diesel seems to have the same TB layout as the Focus, which is also an 
> interference engine. At 139,000 my Focus has been the most reliable car I 
> have ever owned, & I am 77 years old. However, its fuel economy STINKS, 
> about a26 MPG average. Hence, my interest in VW & other diesels.
> Bill Toensing, Nevada City, CA
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