I got a quote from my regular mechanic (experienced with the CRD) to replace the timing components, water pump and seals (crank, timing cover, cams) and it seems quite high. Nearly $2000 for everything. I saw the parts, not including the thermostat (mine is fairly new, replaced at 80k) should add up to $600-$700.

Is there really that much labor with replacing that?

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'05 Liberty CRD B100, SEGR - SOLD

'01 Beetle TDi B100, EGR delete
'83 Mercedes 240D B100, no EGR

--- SEGR Builder ---

Based on my, somewhat limited experience, I'd say with the proper tools and experience mechanic should be able to do the timing belt, idlers, tensioner portion of the replacement in about 4-5 hours. The one job I participated in took 2 of us about 5-6 hours without replacing the idlers or tensioner, simple steps that take only minutes at most and did not do them as there was no need as the bearings were solid, but we were taking our time. Not a clue how much time the water pump would add. Last I saw the going price for the whole job including all parts was on the order of $1,200 to $1,400.

I see you are somewhere in Colorado in which case you may want to contact Sir Sam in C. Springs as he was recently looking for someone who needed a timing belt job so he could do a better writeup with pictures.

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Sold to LOST member my 05 Ltd, GDE Stg II turbo + TCM tune, SunCoast TC w. Transgo kit, Steiger window regulators, Samcos, Fumoto valve, 2nd gen filter head with Lub. Spec. bleeder, Hayden clutch & 11 blade fan, inverted spare, P-1 battery, BF Goodrich Long Trail TAs, Etecno1 glow plugs, timing belt at 50K miles/8 yrs

That's a little high, but the mechanic is trying to earn a living.
I have done three with the water pump. It would take eight to ten hours labor to take his time and do it right. Then you should consider overhead cost for heating the shop, insurance, special tools involved, antifreeze, and Murphy's Law to deal with sometimes.

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TWO Identical 2005 Liberty Sport CRDS
#1 CRD, 174,000 miles. Eco tune, Samco hoses. Mobil1 0-40w used since day one
#2 CRD 143,000 miles. Bought used (unknown history) with 100,000 miles. Samco hoses.
Eco tune, new rockers, and 5 volt glow plugs installed at 124,000 miles

Yes, and it's a good shop too. If they mess anything up, I can count on them to make it right. To the best of my knowledge they use correct tools and follow factory procedures.

It's just I'm not used to paying more than $1000 for a timing belt, hardware and pump; to have my ALH TDI done last fall it was only $800 for everything.

Edit: I had my TDI done by a TDI mechanic, not my usual shop who quoted $1200 for the VW job.

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'05 Liberty CRD B100, SEGR - SOLD

'01 Beetle TDi B100, EGR delete
'83 Mercedes 240D B100, no EGR

--- SEGR Builder ---

I paid close to $800 for all the parts 18 months ago, before they went through the roof. People have been quoted over $300 for just the water pump recently. I plan to skip the thermostat, even though I have a new one and go in-hose.

DOC

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2005 KJ CRD Ltd Detroit TrueTrac Bilsteins G2 GDE "HOT" ECU GDE TCM "Tow Tune" "euro" TC SEGR Weeks Elbow New HG at 130K ARPs Clean CAT aFe Filter Magnaflow Exhaust EHM Cumminos In-Tank Lift Pump Hayden Fan Clutch Nylon Fan VH Enabled with GDE lower shutoff point Recalibrated Temp Gauge Tekonsha Prodigy Sears P-1 ZDDP

Parts prices vary depending on how much shopping around you do and, unfortunately, whether you can pay US prices vs. Canada and overseas as the latter are significantly higher.

Water pump prices usually run from about $100-200 depending on whether you are buying a rebuild or OEM online. Unfortunately water pumps are, at the moment, on national back order so those that can be had are going for list, ca. $300, or coming in from like England for a bit more.

The OEM timing belt is a bit pricey as is the serpentine belt but both can be purchased at a substantially lower cost in the Gates brand from like Amazon. The serpentine idler pulleys can be OEM or NAPA 36101 (just ditch the unneeded big washer - this same pulley can also replace the pulley on the serpentine belt tensioner) but IMHO none of the serpentine or timing belt pulleys really need to be replaced routinely unless the bearings are loose or weeping grease. As far as the thermostat goes I don't have a clue why this is often considered to be part of the timing belt job. The tstat is external and easy to replace at any time, even easier if you go with a suplimental inline tstat, and the OEM tstat typically fails either open or by opening early. This failure mode is such that the engine will not overheat rather it will run cold; a condition that is easy to see when the temperature gauge fails to reach dead vertical or about 1/2 a tick left of vertical after 5-10 miles of driving.

Don't misunderstand me doing a complete replace everything job can run the parts cost up to the $500-700 range although, with the exception of the water pump, doing so does not add much to the labor cost. I know that seems odd but given everything that has to come off to do the timing belt popping off a few pulleys and replacing them only takes like an additional 15 minutes total. In fact since I have everything I'll probably do it all when the time comes but then I'm a long way away from the time.

What's critically important to remember is that the weak link in the entire system is the timing belt whose failure can cause extremely expensive repairs to be needed. Hence if money is an issue IMHO it's very important to at least replace the timing belt at or near the 100K mile mark and that can be done for $75 in parts and about 5 hrs DIY labor.

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Sold to LOST member my 05 Ltd, GDE Stg II turbo + TCM tune, SunCoast TC w. Transgo kit, Steiger window regulators, Samcos, Fumoto valve, 2nd gen filter head with Lub. Spec. bleeder, Hayden clutch & 11 blade fan, inverted spare, P-1 battery, BF Goodrich Long Trail TAs, Etecno1 glow plugs, timing belt at 50K miles/8 yrs

Interested in paying me to do it?

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