Timing belt replacement: Vehicles with hydraulic belt tensioning system — VW

🧭 Before you start

Fits: VW Polo 9N (2001–2009)

• Timing position: the crankshaft or camshaft is set and locked during this job
• Special tools named: locking pin

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• Turn the crankshaft until the mark on the crankshaft toothed belt pulley is on the top and the arrow on the rear toothed belt guard aligns with the lug on the hub sender wheel (arrows).
• The marks on the crankshaft pulley and the crankshaft stop T10050 must be aligned. At the same time, the pin of the crankshaft stop T10050 must engage in the drilling in the sealing flange.
• Mark direction of rotation of toothed belt.
• If the hexagon key is not inserted deeply enough there is a risk of it slipping out.
• Adjustment work on toothed belts must be performed only on cold engines, as the indicator position on the tensioning element varies depending on the engine temperature.

🔧 Engine codes this applies to

🔩 Torque settings

Values can differ between engine variants — check the code stamped on your block.

ℹ️ Always cross-check the exact figure against your vehicle's factory manual before final tightening — a wrong torque can damage the engine. These values are extracted from workshop data and may not cover every variant or revision.

📐 49 workshop diagrams for AJM

Real factory drawings for this job — timing marks, bolt locations and routing. Locked in the free view.

📋 Procedure

1. Remove engine cover.
2. Remove connecting pipe between charge air cooler and intake connection.
3. Fit support bracket10 - 222 A as shown and take up weight of engine in installation position.
4. Remove engine carrier (1) and engine console (2).
5. Remove poly V-belt .

6. Remove locking pin T10060 A from tensioning element.
7. Remove upper toothed belt guard.
8. Remove noise insulation 50.
9. Remove connecting pipe between turbocharger and charge air cooler.
10. Carefully cover or seal open ends.
11. Remove belt pulley with vibration damper.
12. Remove centre toothed belt guard.
13. Remove lower toothed belt guard.
14. Turn crankshaft to TDC No. 1 cylinder. [Note: Turn the crankshaft until the mark on the crankshaft toothed belt pulley is on the top and the arrow on the rear toothed belt guard aligns with the lug on the hub sender wheel (arrows).]
15. Lock hub using diesel injection pump locking pin3359. To do this, slide locking pin through the free elongated hole on left into hole in cylinder head.
16. Lock crankshaft toothed belt pulley with crankshaft stop T10050. To do this, slide crankshaft stop T10050 from face side of toothed belt pulley into teeth. [Note: The marks on the crankshaft pulley and the crankshaft stop T10050 must be aligned. At the same time, the pin of the crankshaft stop T10050 must engage in the drilling in the sealing flange.]
17. Mark direction of rotation of toothed belt.
18. Insert a hexagon key into the hexagon hole onto limit stop and push the tensioning roller anti-clockwise (arrow) until the toothed belt tensioner can be fixed with the locking plate T10008. [Note: If the hexagon key is not inserted deeply enough there is a risk of it slipping out.]
19. Loosen tensioning roller securing nut.
20. Unscrew and remove securing bolts (1) of toothed belt tensioner and remove tensioning element.
21. Remove toothed belt. [Note: Adjustment work on toothed belts must be performed only on cold engines, as the indicator position on the tensioning element varies depending on the engine temperature.]
22. Loosen securing bolts (1) of camshaft pulley until the camshaft pulley can be moved within the elongated holes.
23. Turn camshaft pulley anti-clockwise (in direction of arrow) in elongated holes until stop is reached.
24. Now carefully turn eccentric clockwise using pin wrench3387 until eccentric lug lies directly before limit stop (B).
25. First fit toothed belt onto camshaft pulley, tensioning roller, crankshaft toothed belt pulley and finally onto coolant pump toothed belt pulley.
26. Install toothed belt tensioner.
27. Turn eccentric anti-clockwise using pin wrench3387 (lug of eccentric moves in direction of limit stop (A)), until the locking plate T10008 is not under tension and can be pulled out.
28. Release force of tensioning element in clockwise direction (lug of eccentric moves towards stop (B)) until dimension (a) has been attained. Specification dimension (a): 4 ± 1 mm. [Note: Dimension (a) reduces when the tensioning roller securing nut is tightened. Therefore adjust generously using ∅ 4 mm drill bit.Measurement (a) may be reduced to 1 mm if engine is at operating temperature.]
29. Hold tensioning roller in this position and tighten tensioning roller securing nut as follows: 20 Nm + 45° (1/8 turn) further. — 20 Nm (15 lb-ft) + 45°
30. Tighten securing bolts (1) of camshaft pulley to 25 Nm. — 25 Nm (18 lb-ft)
31. Remove locking pin for diesel injection pump3359 and crankshaft stop T10050.
32. Turn crankshaft two rotations in engine direction of rotation and set again to TDC no. 1 cylinder. [Note: When doing this, the pin of the crankshaft stop T10050 must engage in the sealing flange from the rotational movement.If the crankshaft is turned past TDC No. 1 cylinder and the crankshaft stop T10050 was unable to engage in the sealing flange, turn the crankshaft back 1/4 turn to set it to TDC No. 1 cylinder by again turning in direction of engine rotation. Corrections to the position by turning against engine direction of rotation in order to insert the crankshaft stop T10050 are not permissible.]
33. Once the crankshaft stop T10050 has engaged, check whether dimension (a) has been attained and whether the hub can be fixed in place using diesel injection pump locking pin3359.
34. Tension the tensioning roller again. To do this, hold tensioning roller with pin wrench3387, loosen securing nut and release force of tensioning device until dimension (a) is attained. Specification dimension (a): 4 ± 1 mm.
35. Retighten securing nut to 20 Nm + 45° (1/8 turn further). — 20 Nm (15 lb-ft) + 45°
36. Pull crankshaft stop T10050 pin out of hole in sealing flange and turn crankshaft until hub can be locked with diesel injection pump locking pin3359.
37. Loosen securing bolts (1) for camshaft toothed belt pulley.
38. Turn crankshaft slightly against engine direction of rotation until the pin of the crankshaft stop T10050 is positioned just before the hole in the sealing flange (arrow).
39. Now turn crankshaft in engine direction of rotation until pin of crankshaft stop T10050 engages in sealing flange from rotational movement.
40. Tighten securing bolts (1) of camshaft pulley to 25 Nm. — 25 Nm (18 lb-ft)
41. Remove locking pin for diesel injection pump3359 and crankshaft stop T10050.
42. Turn crankshaft two rotations in engine direction of rotation until crankshaft is set to TDC No. 1 cylinder again. [Note: When doing this, the pin of the crankshaft stop T10050 must engage in the sealing flange from the rotational movement.If the crankshaft is turned past TDC No. 1 cylinder and the crankshaft stop T10050 was unable to engage in the sealing flange, turn the crankshaft back 1/4 turn to set it to TDC No. 1 cylinder by again turning in direction of engine rotation. Corrections to the position by turning against engine direction of rotation in order to insert the crankshaft stop T10050 are not permissible.]
43. Repeat check.
44. Install lower toothed belt guard and pulley vibration damper.
45. Install centre toothed belt guard.
46. Install lower part of toothed belt guard.
47. Install engine carrier and engine console. Specified torque .
48. Install poly V-belt .
49. Install connecting pipes between charge air cooler and turbocharger and between charge air cooler and intake connecting flange.
50. Install noise insulation 50.

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