# Help! Passat timing belt replacement/ poor gas mileage



## k95ranger (Oct 1, 2009)

I need some help. (03 passat 2.8l 30V) I just did a full timing belt job and replaced everything along with the cam chain tensioner gasket, seals, and even spark plugs. All the timing markes were dead on and now I am getting poor gas mileage. I mean it is alittle over 16mpg now and it was 22 mpg. I have no engine light on and it doesnt show any error codes when scanned. 
It runs great with no hesitation but the gas mileage is killing me.

So my question is what would cause it to get such bad gas mileage now? If my timing jumped a tooth wouldnt it produce a error code and turn on the check engine light? Any help would be great.


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## [email protected] (Jul 27, 2010)

k95ranger said:


> I need some help. (03 passat 2.8l 30V) I just did a full timing belt job and replaced everything along with the cam chain tensioner gasket, seals, and even spark plugs. All the timing markes were dead on and now I am getting poor gas mileage. I mean it is alittle over 16mpg now and it was 22 mpg. I have no engine light on and it doesnt show any error codes when scanned.
> It runs great with no hesitation but the gas mileage is killing me.
> 
> So my question is what would cause it to get such bad gas mileage now? If my timing jumped a tooth wouldnt it produce a error code and turn on the check engine light? Any help would be great.


Between highway and city, I average around 18mpg and that is with me babying the gas. Highway the most I have averaged was 22mpg. 

Sounds about right to me, unless I have something wrong with my car too? :screwy:


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## paul99 (Oct 1, 2000)

did you check spark plugs gap ? usually when you buy new spark plugs they are not set to manufacture spec rather general pre-set gap . 
my car calls for .32 when I bought new spark plugs they were at .38 ,

but returning to your concern, I had the same situation happened when I did full timing belt my mileage have dropped by 7 mpg , and couldn't find the solution but notice when I passed 25000 miles the mileage did return to original consumption and got better until second timing belt and the same situation repeated, I suspect that belt possibly stretches and changes timing to some degree which possibly why you get different mileage , my fuel consumption is 20 mpg in city driving on hwy I get 26 mpg but early next year I will be doing 3rd timing belt replacement,


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## O_o (Nov 12, 2009)

k95ranger said:


> If my timing jumped a tooth wouldnt it produce a error code and turn on the check engine light? Any help would be great.


Yes, it should. I'm assuming you checked for obvious things, like tire pressure, brake drag, and the air filter.

Does the car take a long time to warm up? Or does the temperature needle bounce around wildly, or seem stuck at 60*?


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## Slimjimmn (Apr 8, 2006)

if you didnt put in NGK platinum plugs, I would start there. any of those bosch, autolite, ect plugs are garbage and the 2.8l engine doesnt like them


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## The Captin (Feb 4, 2007)

I am about to do this timing belt swap my self. Did you ever find the cause of the poor gas milage.

I get about 26 mpg avg. but on the highway I normly get about 30mpg. I do drive slower though around 60 to 62.


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