Nobody has mentioned this? (1 Viewer)

[Loujess]

The van has been in for a service today, MOT, new clutch (don't mention it) and almost a new cam belt. When I said to the garage it might need a new cam belt, I was told and shown that we have a chain so we don't need a cam belt. Can somebody please explain and tell me if the chain will need to be renewed? All I ever seem to hear on here is cam belts. Nobody ever mentioned a chain.

Ivy

 

[vwalan]

well there is belief that chains dont break .
i have seen loads that have broken .
iveco use a chain on there 4x4 daily . some renaults use the same engine .
but years ago old cars used to break chains as well.
chains and there adjusters be them manual or auto matic i think should be changed maybe every 50,000mls .
i,m sure some will say drive on dont worry but i wouldnt .

 

[greyman1]

in my experience the majority of cam chain failures are due to poor oil supply to the chain and tensioner . this is usually down to not adhering to service schedules and using low grade oils . in the case of a motorhome that does not cover a huge milage annually it is still imperative that your lubrication services are carried out and if possible do a exta oil and filter change inbetween . engine oil works best when it is being pumped to every component under pressure not sitting in the sump attracting condensation etc. this becomes all the more relevant when a vehicle is parked up over the winter months ! cam chains usually start to give a warning sign that there is a problem (rattly on start up due to lack of pressure at tensioner for example ) a competant mechanic should be able to diagnose a cam chain problem by listening to the engine start up from cold . if you are up to date with your servicing and there are no untoward sounds coming from the front of the engine then its a case of "if it aint broke dont fix it " otherwise you will find youself replacing every component on the van on the basis that it might fail sometime in the future !! regards garry

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[Phill D]

timing / cam belts are changed as theya re a fabric / plastic etc mix therefore they stretch and age, when the do that the loose teeth. no second chance probable engine damage.

chains are usually very reliable for many many miles / years and only stretch and break if poorly lubricated and / or your driving is extreme. usually a chain will become very noticeably noisey before it fails in anyway, it may even wear through the timing case befor it breaks.

IMO and it is only IMO ( ex auto engineer ) unless its noisey and you dont service the van sleep peacefully and leave it alone.:thumb:

 

[jhorsf]

What engine year model size do you have

 

[rangi]

Sleep peacefully Darl, you have more chance of stepping out your front door, and being mown down by the # 19 tram from Dussldorf Station, than your chain breaking

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[TheBig1]

I did post a few days ago that the ducato from 2006 on known as the x250, is different as the 2.2 100bhp and 3.0 160bhp have permanent timing chains rather than belt. these do not need replacing under normal servicing, only if they develop a fault

 

[pappajohn]

timing / cam belts are changed as theya re a fabric / plastic etc mix therefore they stretch and age, when the do that the loose teeth. no second chance probable engine damage.

chains are usually very reliable for many many miles / years and only stretch and break if poorly lubricated and / or your driving is extreme. usually a chain will become very noticeably noisey before it fails in anyway, it may even wear through the timing case befor it breaks.

IMO and it is only IMO ( ex auto engineer ) unless its noisey and you dont service the van sleep peacefully and leave it alone.:thumb:

Phil is correct......

for my sins i used to have a Lada Riva 4x4 for off road use (and VERY capable it was too !) and the chain on that eventually wore a hole through the chain case.

the tensioner may/will need replacing at high mileages as they are, usually, a spring loaded and hydraulic (oil) pressured plunger with a nylon/synthetic rubber block on which the chain runs.


even a badly worn tensioner will let you know it needs replacing by the metal to metal noise as the chain runs on the nylon blocks metal backing plate.

as long as oil changes are at recommended intervals there should be no problem.

 

[chrisgreen]

ivy has a ford transit based motorhome,possibly the duratorq engine:thumb:

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[wasp]

It`s a Ford Tranny same as mine Dura torque engine it has a chain, Ivy why have you had a new clutch yours has only done about 45 thousand miles ant it, is somebody a bit heavy on the pedal??

 

[rainbow chasers]

Cam Chains are much stronger, will last between 60,000 miles and upwards depending on make and how well they are serviced - which is the key thing here. Cam Chains require nice, clean uncontanminated oil - regular oil changes will give them a longer lifespan.

But nothing is infinite! Look to replace round 50-60k as a precaution. Keep your oil fresh and levels correct and you won't have a problem. Do remember though, modern cam chains are not a well built as the older ones, so they won't last forever!

 

[Loujess]

It`s a Ford Tranny same as mine Dura torque engine it has a chain, Ivy why have you had a new clutch yours has only done about 45 thousand miles ant it, is somebody a bit heavy on the pedal??

What caused the clutch problem was going through Brussells a few weeks ago. There was something going on which blocked all the roads and we were on this road which went constantly up and down beneath roads passing overhead. The bad luck was that we had to keep stopping on the up bits and somebody was riding the clutch and I didn't notice until it started to smell. However, he did say that if it kept stalling when he was doing hill starts. I'll say no more. :shout:

Ivy

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[rangi]

I had a Bedford J1 137,000 miles on the clock, still with the original timing chain:thumb:

 

[Phill D]

Cam belts typically last 60,000 miles or 5 years. Chains wil in 99% of cases last the life of an engine unless badly treated as mentioned before. And they are not affected by clutch abuse...:Blush:

So you have no worrieso:thumb: