toledo 18 20v questions?

[vs29]

hi guys i have a 18 20v which i have had for 3 years now.it is an 04 model with 50000 on the clock.im wondering when i should have a timing belt fitted can anyone tell me when it is due.another problem i have is an orange light in the dash it has burnt now for about a year and a half,its the light for engine management.i have to get it fixed for mot does anyone know what the fault could be and how hard it is to repair.i think it must be an emissions sensor or something.can anyone reccomend a good brand oil to use in this engine as its also due a service. is the timing belt a major job? many thanks

 

[WeeJase]

the engine check light won't be an issue with MOT.no idea what the fault is,it could 1 of a hundred things.
cam belt is 60,000 miles i think,get the water pump done at the same time,before that fails(get one with a metal impeller),its only another 30 quid max on top of the belt kit(belt and tensioner).
oil could be a multitude of types,some say fully synth some say otherwise,but "should" have the relevant vw code for suitability.
i paid 240 quid for a belt and water pump change on my 20VT engine,so i can only guess yours will be similar in price.difficult? if you need to ask what oil you need ,i'd leave it to the experts mate

 

[Oz]

Probably the MAF sensor (i think) its pretty easy to replace, just make sure you tighten it up properly, mine came loose and i lost all coolant - lucky i was within a mile from a garage as we were on our way back from whitby when it happened

 

[Sam20v]

coolant doesnt go anywhere near the MAF (mass air flow) sensor. are you thinking of the thermostat for the radiator or coolant temperature sender.
unless you are experience a major change in performance of the car, its unlikely to be your MAF....have you got access to vag com? can read the error codes...although as Weejase said, if your not totally sure what your doing leave it to the experts because you could mess things up further....

if your good with the old mechanics, my other half (electrical mechanical engineer) followed the instructions in the bora/golf haynes manual to execute the belt/pump change....wasnt to major, although if you get the timing wrong it will be major.......major expenditure to put it right!

 

[Oz]

it wasnt good, whatever it was