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Date:         Fri, 7 Dec 2007 13:27:41 -0800
Reply-To:     Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject:      Re: diesel Vanagon vs. MB, Volvo, other diesel VW
Comments: To: Karl Mullendore <groups@WESTYVENTURES.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <47598EA7.3070504@westyventures.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

The timing belt concern makes sense. Many new manufacture's engine designs are going to timing chains now, after a few decades of going with timing belts - which do have advantages - namely compact, light weight, inexpensive to make, and quiet, Now there is a trend back to timing chains , due to their basic longevity nature. What I don't like about a vw diesel timing belt is if 'anything' goes wrong with it ........you get serious instantaneous engine damage. Same is true for many other engines of course, and vw's diesel timing belt has always been nice and wide and well made, I don't think they are weak timing belts at all, but the margin for anything to be off is zero. And that's not to say 'they're really bad' , they're not Karl, they're good, but I can understand someone's appreciation of timing chains in Benz diesel engines.

Those aren't infallible either. If just run 'forever' they'll go too, sometimes with disastrous results....though the 240D I bought that way .........check this out ..........when the chain finally got long enough to jump timing , and the pistons hit the valves, rather than bending valves ( they are aimed straight at the pistons in that engine, so they don't bend ) or the pistons getting smunged, or a rod breaking , the 3 camshaft towers snapped off. The engine still cranked fine, just wouldn't run.. When it took the ( cast iron ) head to a machinist, and this is after always hearing from the machinist about vw heads - 'it needs everything' .....the machinist on the 240D head job said 'just needs a valve job.' Damn that was a tough engine, I must say ! So chains are good, they cost more to produce though, during manufacture. I can't think of any timing chain engine VW has ever made. It's been push rods or timing belts always. No wait ! ...VR6, that's a timing chain engine.....BUT .....it's not on the front of the block, it's inside the block at the rear, on the flywheel end. And their V6 might be 'with chain' , and W8 and W12's, I can't imagine what they were thinking there ! those have chains too, but what weird engines.

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Karl Mullendore Sent: Friday, December 07, 2007 10:19 AM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Re: diesel Vanagon vs. MB, Volvo, other diesel VW

VW belts are now good for 100K miles.

Zeitgeist wrote: > I agree, and am quite familiar with VW diesels, but there's one thing that > still just bugs the hell outta me...timing belts. That makes the MBs look > much more attractive, IMNSHO


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