Cam belt change

[Okta]

Timing chains last longer than belts but it doesn’t take much digging on the internet to discover why so many manufacturers have opted for belts. Lower friction levels, lighter and generally considered quieter. Might well be cheaper to build too? Purchasers like quiet efficient engines in their vehicles so perhaps we are partly to blame.

 

[andyjanet]

Not being cynical!
But look at all the extra money a timing belt brings into a dealership / manufacturer over the lifetime of a car/van

 

[andyjanet]

The boffins said we can line your pocket with hundreds of pounds every four years and if the customer forgets that can be thousands of pounds a couple of years after that

 

[trevskoda]

Sounds like you know your Engines

All my life at them, sad really.

 

[Okta]

Fiat launched their all new 2.2 litre diesel engine in 2021 which is now used in the Ducato. It will probably soon find its way into the Peugeot and Citroen vans as well. I can’t see Stellantis developing any more new diesel engines so I guess we will have to live with whatever is now available.

 

[trevskoda]

My old imps did 45mpg, mini did 50mpg, my skoda 1300 did 48/52 long trips, then my lates 16 valve belt drive proton/renault engine 12.50cc with 80bhp is lucky to get 40mpg on a good day, dont see any advantages with so called moderen engines, more like big garage bills for dealers.

 

[mistericeman]

Cams went in the pintos, big ends on the x flow, best engine they built was the banana trani diesel, dirived from the old troublesome york engine.

The banana engine has a timing belt rather than chain though ....

 

[trevskoda]

The banana engine has a timing belt rather than chain though ....

Correct but easy to work on, and it was inline rather than fwd crap we get sold these days.

 

[mistericeman]

Fiat launched their all new 2.2 litre diesel engine in 2021 which is now used in the Ducato. It will probably soon find its way into the Peugeot and Citroen vans as well. I can’t see Stellantis developing any more new diesel engines so I guess we will have to live with whatever is now available.

Hope it's better than the one in our works Boxer that scrapped itself after a temp sensor fail,effectively running in cold start mode and seizing the engine at 80k

Or the one in our 71 plate Citroen that had its head gasket fail at 84k
Leading to engine replacement ...

Our local Peugeot independant had 5 others in at the same time with similar issues at similar mileages ...
He reckons the ONLY way to stand a chance of decent lifespan is servicing at a strict 10,000 mile schedule (and ideally 8,000 )

I've a funny feeling it's going to be a while before we have another peugeot/citroen/fiat

 

[trevskoda]

Hope it's better than the one in our works Boxer that scrapped itself after a temp sensor fail,effectively running in cold start mode and seizing the engine at 80k

Or the one in our 71 plate Citroen that had its head gasket fail at 84k
Leading to engine replacement ...

Our local Peugeot independant had 5 others in at the same time with similar issues at similar mileages ...
He reckons the ONLY way to stand a chance of decent lifespan is servicing at a strict 10,000 mile schedule (and ideally 8,000 )

I've a funny feeling it's going to be a while before we have another peugeot/citroen/fiat

Toyota is still my miles the best car/van makers if it long life and reliability you are wanting.
My last skoda did 314.000 miles with only a h agasket fail at 275.000 miles, easy fix, serviced every 5000 miles and driven like hell.
When i got it i removed the crap fuel inj sys and went back to a simple carb and points sys, all the black box stuff was binned, they were easy to back engineer.

 

[Burge]

All my life at them, sad really.

Not Sad. . at all you can't beat a Voice with Experience the SAD thing is we're losing all the Old hands. I worked at Rolls Royce & Bentley Motors from 1974 starting as an Apprentice met some really talented people in the day Including a Panel Beater that could make you a ring out of a 2 Bob bit hammered inside out in his Vice , when finished it read Two Shilling 1957 on the inside (pre 1957 2 Bob bits apparently had a larger Silver content making easier to work ).

 

[Rob H]

How long is a piece of string?
Please can anyone in Warwickshure give me an idea of how much a cambelt change should be in these more expensive parts days of engines. Have one quote and waiting on a second.
It was bad enough when I was younger and female because of course most women didn't, or weren't allowed, even change a tire or top up oil etc (I did) but now grey haired old lady doesn't stand a chance even with internet research.
Thanks for reading

Best advice I can give you Andromeda, is ask what is being replaced ? because your cheapest quote may be, 'just the rubber cambelt', your most expensive quote may be, a top notch cambelt 'kit', example GATES or CONTITECH, and include all idler pulleys, tensioner, nuts bolts washers plus new water pump and replacement antifreeze, and the technician will recommend auxiliary belt/s and pulleys and tensioner. Dependent on your manufacturers recomendations, and I don't know what specific vehicle you drive, this may give you 60,000 miles or 5 years reliability. Include your vehicle main agents quote, and insist on knowing what is being fitted. Good luck.

 

[andromeda]

Well, there we are Ann apart from post #4 no fecking help at all.

Edit:-
To be fair posts #2 & #4 did throw up some answers.

Phone around and make sure anything that needs changing at the same time is quoted for. Any decent place will do this automatically.

Thanks Tim.
Yes Fiat Ducato not same as a Ford methinks in my uneducated mind.

 

[andromeda]

Best advice I can give you Andromeda, is ask what is being replaced ? because your cheapest quote may be, 'just the rubber cambelt', your most expensive quote may be, a top notch cambelt 'kit', example GATES or CONTITECH, and include all idler pulleys, tensioner, nuts bolts washers plus new water pump and replacement antifreeze, and the technician will recommend auxiliary belt/s and pulleys and tensioner. Dependent on your manufacturers recomendations, and I don't know what specific vehicle you drive, this may give you 60,000 miles or 5 years reliability. Include your vehicle main agents quote, and insist on knowing what is being fitted. Good luck.

Thanks. CI Carioca on a Fiat Ducato 05 plate. Around 34000 miles. Can't find any paperwork on it ever being changed. Had it since 2016. Some say every 5 years, some say every 7.
I have no idea whether I should get water pumps done at the same time.

 

[HurricaneSmith]

Ann, please always get a full cambelt kit.

I waited 7 years and ordered a full cambelt kit. When I picked the camper up they smiled and said "You've been lucky. Check out the bits we've replaced".

The water pump was almost impossible to turn, and a tad longer it would have been a £10,000 bill rather than £500.

I've always been lucky with vehicles.

 

[trevskoda]

A ggod tip for testing w pumps is remove the drivebelt and turn the pump by hand, if it feels anyway rough or side play then change it.

 

[bartman]

Thanks. CI Carioca on a Fiat Ducato 05 plate. Around 34000 miles. Can't find any paperwork on it ever being changed. Had it since 2016. Some say every 5 years, some say every 7.
I have no idea whether I should get water pumps done at the same time.

I should have added in my earlier reply that the water pump was included in the price I paid. It's my understanding that a full cambelt kit for the boxer or ducato will include the water pump. In any event, it's just not worth not changing it at the same time

 

[Molly 3]

Not all boxers have a cam belt some have 2.2 ford engine with chain .

 

[Burge]

I should have added in my earlier reply that the water pump was included in the price I paid. It's my understanding that a full cambelt kit for the boxer or ducato will include the water pump. In any event, it's just not worth not changing it at the same time

Don't understand that last bit....it's got to be worth changing the Water Pump while it's all stripped down, allways had the Full Kit changed on my Vehicles.

 

[2cv]

Don't understand that last bit....it's got to be worth changing the Water Pump while it's all stripped down, allways had the Full Kit changed on my Vehicles.

That’s what he’s saying. It’s not worth not changing it equals it’s worth changing it. Hope that makes sense!