New Timing Belt???

[Befuddled]

Hi,

Sorry top raise a question on my very first post, but I've been going round in circles with this and could do with some help.

At the end of May I bought a 2018 Transporter camper from a dealer with a new belt, water pump etc., thrown in as part of the deal. I guess something that happens many times on purchase.

I decided to check if they had actually done it and so removed the top cover and took some pictures. From what I gather new belts should be matt black and have some slight flexibility, whilst used belts are generally shiny and very rigid. The belt is very shiny and rigid and the the top roller/pulley is damaged with missing chrome.

AI states that the yellow block of letters refer in this way: 26091 (Dayco's plant and manufacture code), 126 (production line mould), 1638 (year 16 and week 38). However, when I raised this with the vendor, he says no, the 26091 part refers to year 26, week 09, day 01. I have emailed Dayco, but have heard nothing as of yet.

Question is, do you think it's a new belt (only 50 miles since installation), or is it an old one? Is the fact that it's not VAG stamped mean it's been replaced? If it has been replaced, should they have done the roller anyway as it's in the kit? They said if it's not noisy they leave it. I'm not sure why anyone would leave a damaged roller with a new belt.

Any comments greatly appreciated!!!

 

[Sasquatch]

VAG were the UK importer and ceased to exist as a legal entity in 1993, so you wont be seeing their logo on there.

A genuine belt will have VW Group, Volkswagen Group AG, VW/Audi, some combination thereof, part number and date code, so it's likely not original.

I think your vendor is talking out his arse, and the Internet shows different interpretations of Daycos cambelt date codes, but I'd hang fire and see what Dayco say.

It's difficult to say without the belt in front of me, but your visual impression is not one of a new belt. Let us know what Dayco say.

 

[Befuddled]

Will do and thanks for the reply. If they don't reply the only option is removal as far as I can see. I know that the water pumps have a date stamp on them, but I can't easily access it to see.

 

[DXX]

Regardless of the belt date code the tensioner, idler and fasteners get renewed with a timing belt renewal. Nobody in the right mind leaves them out.

 

[manfrotto]

They should have also put a label/sticker on the cambelt cover with the date mileage it was changed.

 

[Befuddled]

Thanks both. My thoughts exactly, why run a new belt over damaged parts that you have replacements for?

The only sticker on the top cover is the one from new - 2018.

 

[DXX]

Hopefully we moved on from stickers and writing on the oil filter.
Up to you whether you believe they renewed the belt, hopefully you’ll get the code information