When did you change your cam belt? (1 Viewer)

[Sue]

Fiat 2.3 engine. 2014 reg. 12000 miles. Read it should be changed at 4 years. Any experience anyone?

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

I am happy to do mine at 5 years with similar low mileage.
If it is something that would worry you thinking about it then do at 4 years as the extra cost (between 4 or 5 year replacements) is less than a tank of fuel.

 

[Sue]

Just searched on here and found a thread relating to this in Feb. Seems like the advice is 5 years even if low mileage. Although I notice one post said year of manufacture can mean that date should be brought forward.
So looks like it's a job to be done next year, for us. Pretty expensive too from what I read.

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[Rob and Val]

@Sue, it's a lot more expensive if you DON'T have it done and it breaks. Ten years ago we bought a second-hand Renault Scenic from a trusted garage and drove it to Spain, where we lived for three months. Halfway up a mountain road the cam belt went and it knocked out two valves in the engine. Even with breakdown cover the cost made a big hole in our spending money. When we bought our motorhome the first job we had done was full service and cam belt change.

 

[Pia]

Ours is a chain....the first thing we had checked.

 

[johnp10]

Just had mine changed at 6 years as per advice from Fiat.
(2.8tdi, don't do great mileages.)

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[Northernraider]

Ours is a chain....the first thing we had checked.

Mine too thankfully,.. I've also had cambers snap in the past and aren't cheap to put right.
Coincidentally also on a Renault scenic with only 40k on the clock think it's cost about £700 to fix

 

[irnbru]

We changed ours at 5 yrs and only 14000 miles on the clock. Not cheap but peace of mind definitely.

 

[Tea Bag]

Hi
It is "X" miles or. 5 years. Advice from Dr. Raj. Garage owner and top man. (He will be an Older top man now...where did those years go?)
Tea Bag

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[BusyBuilder]

What does it cost ?

 

[Neckender]

What does it cost ?

An arm and a leg.

John.

 

[Frazzle]

Ours is a chain....the first thing we had checked.

Mine a chain as well, think they need changing every 10 years.

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[Northernraider]

What does it cost ?

In 1992 i paid £675 for my very first campervan a 1973 vw Devon conversion

A Campbelt and water pump replacement on my vw transporter t4 cost £650 just a few years back

 

[tinks703]

Hi, our 2008 Renault master based m/h approx 15000 miles on the clock. Checked with previous owner had not had cam belt changed. Had it done in March this year by Renault truck dealer in Carlisle approx cost £600. Cheaper than truck dealer near Edinburgh. Should h have been done 4years ago. Never chance your luck could be expensive.

 

[PhilG]

Did my 2.8 jtd at 28000 miles as no history of it being done since 2003... car one is 84000 or 4 years.

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[Emmit]

This is how important dealers regard the changing of cam belts.
We were owner No.3 of our 'van when we bought it (and one of those was a dopey executor of Owner No 2's will who had died!!!)
Our van has had a change of cambelt on each change of ownership.
I've put a tag in the back left corner of my brain to change it in about three years time
(Unless we HAVE to do it because of the mileage we are doing!!!)

 

[Paul an Jane MK]

The advantage of the 100 multijet is it has a cam chain yay.

Incidentally had a cam belt snap many years ago on a 10 month old Vauxhall with 20k on clock while I was parallel parking so not moving quickly.

No cost to me obviously as under warranty and cam belt not due.

Typical - no damage what so ever and car was up and running two hours later.

If it hadn't been under warranty Murphy's Law would have dictated catastrophic damage.

 

[TerryL]

Had mine changed five years ago (about 35k I think) on advice of Dave Newell. He'll be changing it again at next service - just passed 90k. The van is regularly used and driven responsibly so probably not really needed but compare the cost to a new engine.

Many years ago had the cambelt break on my fathers Vauxhall Victor FD when I borrowed it one day to go to work. AA man towed me into a nearby garage, who told me I had been extremely lucky, no damage at all, just new belt and re-timed. Won't be that lucky again!

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[mike mcglynn]

My cambelt came off in France less than 1400 miles after I had it changed and it was about 9000 Euros for a new engine to be fitted and that was 5 years ago, so make sure that it was fitted by a reputable garage as my French mechanic told me there was a bolt missing and that was probably the cause of the belt slipping.

 

[Geoff185]

I'm afraid most engines today are interference so you will get valve damage if it goes. In addition some cam followers are designed to break as well. Valve stems are a lot smaller in diameter these days so tend to bend when they hit the piston. Just gone through thus on sons A3 diesel, belt had been changed 2 years ago, so far even pulling in favours all new valves , followers , skim head and new head set and cambelt set. Just under £1000 would probably have written car off if garage quoted( getting partial refund from original cambelt supplier) so advice is change on age and mileage even if low miles between changes

 

[Sue]

@Sue, it's a lot more expensive if you DON'T have it done and it breaks. Ten years ago we bought a second-hand Renault Scenic from a trusted garage and drove it to Spain, where we lived for three months. Halfway up a mountain road the cam belt went and it knocked out two valves in the engine. Even with breakdown cover the cost made a big hole in our spending money. When we bought our motorhome the first job we had done was full service and cam belt change.

How old was you Renault? Sounds awful.

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[gwyntaxi]

Fiat 2.3 engine. 2014 reg. 12000 miles. Read it should be changed at 4 years. Any experience anyone?

DON'T CHANGE IT, AND YOU ARE BEGGING FOR TROUBLE, I WOULD SAY CHANGE IT NOW WITHOUT DELAY IF ONLY FOR PEACE OF MIND,A SMALL PRICE TO PAY ONCE EVERY 4 YEARS, OR WAIT FOR THAT EXPENSIVE PUFF OF SMOKE AND BE PREPARED TO FORK OUT FOR A COMPLETE NEW ENGIN.

 

[Sue]

DON'T CHANGE IT, AND YOU ARE BEGGING FOR TROUBLE, I WOULD SAY CHANGE IT NOW WITHOUT DELAY IF ONLY FOR PEACE OF MIND,A SMALL PRICE TO PAY ONCE EVERY 4 YEARS, OR WAIT FOR THAT EXPENSIVE PUFF OF SMOKE AND BE PREPARED TO FORK OUT FOR A COMPLETE NEW ENGIN.

It's just 3 years old, so was thinking we MUST change it ....next year

 

[Rob and Val]

How old was you Renault? Sounds awful.

Hi, Sue, it was 6 years old.

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[tonyidle]

This also begs the question: You buy a second-hand motorhome from a dealer that has had 'a full service', and the said motorhome was, say, 5 years old and no mention of cambelt change in the service history. I would suggest that if the belt breaks within the next four years because it had not been changed the dealer would be liable for the full cost of repair.

 

[SMB]

My mh is on the Ducato X250 chassis, manual says 90,000kms or 5 years, not far off both and I'm booked in on Wednesday to have it done. Travelling to Spain the following week so don't want to chance it. By coincidence the other half's mothers car has just had its cambelt snap, quoted £700 for repair

 

[dave newell]

This also begs the question: You buy a second-hand motorhome from a dealer that has had 'a full service', and the said motorhome was, say, 5 years old and no mention of cambelt change in the service history. I would suggest that if the belt breaks within the next four years because it had not been changed the dealer would be liable for the full cost of repair.

Not a snowballs chance in hell of getting the dealer to suck that mop. Full service does not include replacing the cambelt.

D.

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[tonyidle]

Not a snowballs chance in hell of getting the dealer to suck that mop. Full service does not include replacing the cambelt.

D.

Not even if it is part of that particular service (at that mileage / age) according to the vehicle manufacturer?

 

[dave newell]

Not even if it is part of that particular service (at that mileage / age) according to the vehicle manufacturer?

No because it rarely is listed as a SERVICE item, just a manufacturers recomendation.

D.

 

[tonyidle]

No because it rarely is listed as a SERVICE item, just a manufacturers recomendation.

D.

Oh bu66er - thought l had you there

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