Fuel injection pump belt change

This is the only reference I can find to changing the V6 or V8 TDI HPFP belt and tensioner. These are not listed as a service item by VW but they clearly have a finite life due to belt wear and aging and the bearing in the tensioner pulley wearing out. What experience do people have of these failing and needing to change these apart from this single post ?

cheers
Rohan

SaVAGeSoot said:

erWin has all the service information you need. If you don't want to pay, use the search function and find gifts from others, both on here and many other (typically russian) sites.

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Yes I have the Erwin download and unfortunately there is no data in either the engine or fuel system or maintenance sections on the HPFP tooth belt drive life and recommended maintenance. There is also apart from this one thread nothing I can find on peoples experience with any HPFP drive belt failures and maintenance. Fortunately my Treg has only done 100k kms but it is now 10 years old. I am trying to put together the maintenance plan for the next 10 years and i am struggling to find information I can rely on around this item.

The lack of data suggests the belt and tensioners have a very long life normally and that failures despite no maintenance are very rare

If the pump and belt system was easily accessible I would just replace the belt and tensioner pulley now but its buried up against the firewall at the rear of the engine on the V8 TDI and under a lot of Air Con system piping so it not a trvial exercise to do the job

Yes I agree the tensioner bearing is probably going to fail first. The tooth belt is relatively lightly loaded and runs at a relatively low speed compared to cam timing belts. My guess is that a 150k to 200k km replacement of belt and tensioner is reasonable preventitive maintenance. If the belt fails you will get no warning and the car should just stop due to lack of fuel from the HPFP not great if your in Australia and in the middle of nowhere. If the bearing goes out then you will get a warning as it starts to whine well before it will fail totally.

Malaudi said:

FWIW I have a 2004 Audi A6 with a BMK engine. (3.0 L TDI). The recommended change interval is 120K Km (80K miles) and the tensioner every 240K Km.

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I wonder why Audi have a recommended HPFP belt and tensioner change interval but VW dont ? Just something they missed maybe. Given the difficulty on doing it on the V8 I think i will do belt and tensioner at 120k km which will come up in about 12 to 18 months