Golf 1.9 TDI 1997 lost the cambelt

OK.... How great a need do you have to gamble? Keep a couple of things in mind as you ponder:

a) the Timing Belt (cam belt) is a maintenance Item that should never have broken. What other elements have been treated similarly to this belt that will eventually turn around and bite you? b) At the least, you will need a new head based on several bent valves and possible damage to the cam lobes. So, start with at least that expectation in your budget. c) It is certainly possible that more than just valve damage was done with potential damage to the pistons being one thing. That is something of a crap-shoot (gambling term).

Diesel engines are quite rugged and take a lot of abuse. But they are also pretty dependent on a minimum degree of operational integrity. Is there any way you can investigate the actual damage any further before you bid?

Best of luck in any case!

Peter Wieck Wyncote, PA

True, in a perfect world. However, compare VW's recommended replacement interval with the mileages at which they typically break. Also, consider how hard it is to visually determine that they are about to break. A lot of well-meaning owners, who maintain according to the manual, have suffered the timing-belt break. It's not automatically a sign of abuse.

I looked in my maintenance manual (VW Golf 1998) and it made no mention of changing the timing belt - said only on Golf TDI. I'm not sure VW's instructions on this maintenance are very clear at all.

If lucky, only head and related parts. Not so lucky, piston damage if valves got turned and stuck into piston surface. Very not so lucky... bents rods.

A diesel will almost certainly bend valves since it is a very high compression engine.

If you have a VR6, there is no timing belt.

The vehicle in question is a TDI.

Peter Wieck Wyncote, PA