# VW GTI belt mystery



## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

Guys,

Trying to help my kid's friend- her 2003 VW GTI 1.8L "T" (turbo??) .

Chilton's import manual is not very clear. It talks of a belt, but none at all in their photos. Then, a page over, it shows a diagram showing a CHAIN at the far end of the straight 4 engine. What is that? The sprocket that would appear to house a belt is on the front side, and far end, a chain. Why would a chain be at the end wjhere the MT is?

Do I have a belt, or chain? If belt, whats that chain?

Thanks!


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Just a guess but most offten I've seen a chain from the crank to the crank shaft so it will not slip and through the motor out of time and bend the valve stems.
The belt would run A/C pump. oil pump, water pump, power steering, may even be the fuel pump.


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

joecaption said:


> Just a guess but most offten I've seen a chain from the crank to the crank shaft so it will not slip and through the motor out of time and bend the valve stems.
> The belt would run A/C pump. oil pump, water pump, power steering, may even be the fuel pump.


Thaks, Joe, but yes, I understand about the serpentine belt/accessory belt- but Im taliking about the timing belt. Thats what Im scared of breakling. So, why would the picture in Chilton's show the chain on the OPPOSITE side of the cam sprocket? Get it? Confusion. 

Stories about that belt breaking, and valves crashing into the piston. Too risky to drive the car now.....


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

Do that belt right away, I just broke one on my wife's Hyundai, and now we'll be doing an engine rebuild with our tax return. Yay me. 

As far as the chain, it could be for the balance shaft, but I'm not real familiar with that particular engine.


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## paintdrying (Jul 13, 2012)

Best to change that belt right away. Look into the water pump and tensioner as well. May not be a bad idea to use vw parts as well. I would try and find a factory manual off ebay. Would not even bother with one of those childrens manuals


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

That belt that you need to change should be right there in plan sight.
Some place there going to be an idler pully that you use a socket on to releve the tension on the belt.
Any car of truck I've ever got stuck working on also had a diagram some place show how it's ran, some are on the hood, shroud over the fan blade Ect.


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## paintdrying (Jul 13, 2012)

Let us just start from the top. What is the car doing, which exact belt are you talking about? Year make and model...


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## johnniebravo (Oct 4, 2011)

Without knowing what your problem is its difficult to assist with a diagnosis. If you are simply over your mileage limit for the timing belt, have a look here:

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?2840728-Ultimate-Timing-Belt-DIY!

It will take a little patience to get through some of the fluff, but VW Vortex is PACKED with info.


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

johnniebravo said:


> Without knowing what your problem is its difficult to assist with a diagnosis. If you are simply over your mileage limit for the timing belt, have a look here:
> 
> http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?2840728-Ultimate-Timing-Belt-DIY!
> 
> It will take a little patience to get through some of the fluff, but VW Vortex is PACKED with info.


Too Much! Thaks, johny, for the link! Only hope is- thats a 2002, mine is a 2003. I have a feeling that 2--2-2--3 jump was a change for a generation, but not 100% sure.


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

paintdrying said:


> Let us just start from the top. What is the car doing, which exact belt are you talking about? Year make and model...


Sheesh, I shoulda explained more- the car has 135,000 on it and NEVER had a timing belt changed!!!!! Now, see what I mean?! Yup- I told her NOT to drive that car anywhere!!! WALK!


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

But, when I looked up the diagram in Chiltons, it showed a chain at the other end. never seen this before. And, the chioltons didnt even have a section on timing belt! Not even in the index! Paint suggested a manual from ebay. Time to check it out.....


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

I was thinking that chain might have something to do with the variable valve timing. Either way, you wouldn't have to do anything with it, only a belt (if in fact it exists).


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

Update: stumbled across some info- my car DOES have a tim belt. That chain is the other end, connects exhaust/intake cams with crank, I believe. Either way, belt has to be changed.


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## paintdrying (Jul 13, 2012)

Probably the hardest part of that job is getting the crank nut loose. It is Not that bad of a job, I personally would not do it. I would tell you that is not a good car to learn on.


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## grizzzlle (Jan 27, 2013)

paintdrying said:


> Probably the hardest part of that job is getting the crank nut loose. It is Not that bad of a job, I personally would not do it. I would tell you that is not a good car to learn on.


Yup. My Passat on almost everything is not a car I would recommend not learning on. Now my Tercel is easy on the other hand.


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

Yup. I declined the whole job. I did warn her of consequences of the belt snapping, as in engine destroyed. Its too much , man. Still, thanks to all here who contributed all the info!


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## paintdrying (Jul 13, 2012)

No joke I did my tercel rwd timing belt in under 20 minutes. My last Honda accord had 175,000 miles with the original belt.


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