# Timing belt due, going on a trip?



## BlueTopaz (Aug 25, 2012)

OK, I've hit 100,000 miles and the message came up and now I'm at 101,000 miles and was planning a 400 mile round trip this weekend. Is there any concern that I shouldn't take the trip? I plan on changing the belt out when I get back. I have everything I need. I was just waiting on a friend to fly in to give me hand since he has done several timing belts in various vehicles. Not to mention an extra set of hands never hurts. Love the diesel. For more info, it was produced in July of 2013 as a 2014 model. I got it used in May of 2015.

The wife and daughter took it on a trip to south Florida four weeks ago and put 1,600 miles on it. Hand calculated mpg was right at 50mpg. Considering it still has all the emissions on it I think it is doing well. 

We did move from the country into the big city of Wilmington NC now and so it gets a ton more city style driving and my last fill up was right at 40mpg. My daughters 2014 1.4 is a constant 29mpg. She would rather drive my diesel than hers.

So is it safe to go on the trip? It is to Charleston SC for our wedding anniversary get away weekend.


----------



## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

I mean, obviously this is just my opinion and not any kind of legal advice, so don't sue me haha, but I'm thinking you're probably fine.

I'm not sure how easy it is to pop off the top of the timing cover, but if it's easy, maybe it's worth taking a look and seeing if the belt looks good, or if it's cracked/dry-rotted and what not.


----------



## Valpo Cruze (Feb 23, 2014)

Chances are you will be perfectly fine to change it after the trip. You can prolong it some but not significantly. I used to have a V6 Vue with a belt that should have been changed around 100K, I finally got it done around 125K. My daughters Eclipse should have been done around 80K but I did not know it and it was still doing fine well past 110K miles when we traded it in.









When did you replace your timing belt?


So 100k miles have come and gone on my 14 Cruze Diesel and now driving with the message alerting me to service the timing belt. The manual recommends replacement at 97,500mi, message comes on at 100k miles and I could have sworn I read somewhere something about 120k miles. I have checked mine...




www.cruzetalk.com





Read post 19 on what the guy found when he did his belt.


----------



## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Have you thought about your oil pickup seal?


----------



## BlueTopaz (Aug 25, 2012)

Tomko said:


> Have you thought about your oil pickup seal?


No. I have not been on here much. Life has been busy and the Cruze has been running well so I have not been on here. I guess I need to find that thread. Is it hard to do? What happens?


----------



## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

BlueTopaz said:


> No. I have not been on here much. Life has been busy and the Cruze has been running well so I have not been on here. I guess I need to find that thread. Is it hard to do? What happens?


It’s all here. This is the one ticking time bomb in these engines. I haven’t done mine yet because I still have another year on GMPP. But plan to do it before I’m off warranty.









Oil Pump Pick Up Seal


This is to create a stickied thread dedicated to the rubber seal that rests between the metal oil pump mounted on the engine block and the plastic pick up tube that descends into the oil pan. This seal hardens with time and use. Loosing its pliability and causing the oil pump to draw small...




www.cruzetalk.com


----------



## BlueTopaz (Aug 25, 2012)

Tomko said:


> It’s all here. This is the one ticking time bomb in these engines. I haven’t done mine yet because I still have another year on GMPP. But plan to do it before I’m off warranty.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks. I skimmed over the thread. Looks like I will be doing this when I do my timing belt in two weeks. Time to get all these parts together. I take it I might need more than just the oil pick up seal?


----------



## Diesel4Ever (May 30, 2018)

Generally there is no warning that a timing belt is going to fail. A visual observation can show cracks or glazing however they tensioner can also fail suddenly or idlers/WP can seize when they begin to approach the end of their life.

With that said, a belt is fine until it isn't and then you either need a new engine and Belt/WP/Tensioner/Idlers or the head rebuilt and Belt/WP/Tensioner/Idlers. 

If you use the aftermarket oil pickup sleeve insert from Poland you won't have to worry about the seal ever again. The sleeve works, I'm @ 5K miles since the pan was dropped and it was put in and no problems.


----------



## BlueTopaz (Aug 25, 2012)

Diesel4Ever said:


> Generally there is no warning that a timing belt is going to fail. A visual observation can show cracks or glazing however they tensioner can also fail suddenly or idlers/WP can seize when they begin to approach the end of their life.
> 
> With that said, a belt is fine until it isn't and then you either need a new engine and Belt/WP/Tensioner/Idlers or the head rebuilt and Belt/WP/Tensioner/Idlers.
> 
> If you use the aftermarket oil pickup sleeve insert from Poland you won't have to worry about the seal ever again. The sleeve works, I'm @ 5K miles since the pan was dropped and it was put in and no problems.


Just curious, but the one video said that it is best to remove the sump than the oil pump since the timing system had to be removed. So my question is, since I'm replacing my timing belt, what is the procedure to remove the oil pump since all that will be out of the way? Could I just replace that seal that way?


----------



## Diesel4Ever (May 30, 2018)

BlueTopaz said:


> Just curious, but the one video said that it is best to remove the sump than the oil pump since the timing system had to be removed. So my question is, since I'm replacing my timing belt, what is the procedure to remove the oil pump since all that will be out of the way? Could I just replace that seal that way?


You don't need to remove the oil pump to replace the seal. It's a machined aluminum sleeve that has two o-rings. The sleeve fits inside the pump suction and connects with the baffled oil pan pickup tube. You need to drop the pan to install the sleeve. The oil pan uses RTV sealant and doesn't have a gasket.














Vauxhall Insignia , Astra 2.0 CDTI Oil Pump Sump Seal / oil pick up seal | eBay


For sale new upgraded oil pickup seal suitable for Opel/Vauxhall insignia, Astra or Zafira with 2.0cdti engine (code A20DTH, A20DT, A20DTJ, A20DTR, A20DTE ) 130/160bhp and Fiat Ducato 2.0jtd multijet 115bhp.



www.ebay.com


----------



## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

You don't need to rebuild the head.

Either you need an engine or you don't. 

If the car is driven high miles it could probably go 150k. If the car sits and ages. Be lucky to get 20k.

I once had a pinto that was a drivers ed car. The car was 13 years old at the time I bought it. The belt lasted 10k. But actual run time is anyone's guess.


----------



## Diesel4Ever (May 30, 2018)

snowwy66 said:


> You don't need to rebuild the head.
> 
> Either you need an engine or you don't.
> 
> ...


An interference engine will need the head rebuilt if the belt fails at the minimum. When pistons contact valves there usually is damage to the valvetrain which will require R+R and rebuild.

If the engine speed is high enough when the belt goes it can also bend the rods. This usually means a full engine rebuild or replacement in addition to damage to the head.

So you don't need an engine if the damage is isolated to the valvetrain. It appears you don't understand how interference engines work.

@BlueTopaz Its a better idea to follow the manufactures guidelines and just replace the belt. I also have a 2010 Jetta TDI Sportwagen that only has 50K original miles. The interval is 120K on the car however the belt is over 11 years old so I'm getting it done anyway. It's really not worth the risk on an otherwise low mileage car.


----------



## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

Diesel4Ever said:


> An interference engine will need the head rebuilt if the belt fails at the minimum. When pistons contact valves there usually is damage to the valvetrain which will require R+R and rebuild.
> 
> If the engine speed is high enough when the belt goes it can also bend the rods. This usually means a full engine rebuild or replacement in addition to damage to the head.
> 
> ...


name one motor that will ONLY bend the valves.
You're not smacking the piston in to the valve without damaging the piston. Usually putting a hole in to the piston.

I understand interference motors more then you think. 

.


----------



## Diesel4Ever (May 30, 2018)

snowwy66 said:


> name one motor that will ONLY bend the valves.
> You're not smacking the piston in to the valve without damaging the piston. Usually putting a hole in to the piston.
> 
> I understand interference motors more then you think.
> ...


Actually that's not true. It's common for a VW 1.9 TDI either VE or PD that looses a timing belt to only have damage to the valvetrain. The piston may have impact marks, however they are superficial and not enough to require replacement of the piston itself. It's even less common to have damage the rods on these engines as they are forged an overbuilt for their application.

Diesel engines including their pistons are stout, usually have more mass than their gas counterparts and can take a hit from a hollow valve at moderate engine speed. There are exceptions like if the engine was spinning at high RPM and the valve broke and separated from the stem.

Read this: Tdi Head Repair | Kansas City TDI


----------



## JettatoCruze (Mar 10, 2019)

Diesel4Ever said:


> Generally there is no warning that a timing belt is going to fail. A visual observation can show cracks or glazing however they tensioner can also fail suddenly or idlers/WP can seize when they begin to approach the end of their life.
> 
> With that said, a belt is fine until it isn't and then you either need a new engine and Belt/WP/Tensioner/Idlers or the head rebuilt and Belt/WP/Tensioner/Idlers.
> 
> If you use the aftermarket oil pickup sleeve insert from Poland you won't have to worry about the seal ever again. The sleeve works, I'm @ 5K miles since the pan was dropped and it was put in and no problems.


Can you recall or estimate shop costs to change out that seal? Or know how many hours the average shop would say?


----------



## Diesel4Ever (May 30, 2018)

JettatoCruze said:


> Can you recall or estimate shop costs to change out that seal? Or know how many hours the average shop would say?


It was a trade deal with a friend. I don't think it took him more than a few hours.


----------



## Brickmnjim58 (Sep 23, 2019)

BlueTopaz said:


> OK, I've hit 100,000 miles and the message came up and now I'm at 101,000 miles and was planning a 400 mile round trip this weekend. Is there any concern that I shouldn't take the trip? I plan on changing the belt out when I get back. I have everything I need. I was just waiting on a friend to fly in to give me hand since he has done several timing belts in various vehicles. Not to mention an extra set of hands never hurts. Love the diesel. For more info, it was produced in July of 2013 as a 2014 model. I got it used in May of 2015.
> 
> The wife and daughter took it on a trip to south Florida four weeks ago and put 1,600 miles on it. Hand calculated mpg was right at 50mpg. Considering it still has all the emissions on it I think it is doing well.
> 
> ...


Hope your trip went well. If you haven"t changed your timing belt yet I would. If it breaks it will tear up your motor. I wouldn't put if off to long. Replace the idler and water pump also. Take Care.


----------



## BDCCruze (Jul 12, 2017)

I went 125k on mine. There's no way that it was designed to changed right at the breaking point. GM is extremely conservative with their designs. I wouldn't be surprised if someone said they went 200k on one belt.

The issue is more about the belt stretching than breaking.


----------

