Cam belt change

[bubble]

we have booked the Hymer in for a cam belt change next week and asked them to do all belts and water pump, they have come back and said , the water pump is not driven by the cam belt and can be done at a later date, but the water pump alone is a 6 hour job, does this sound right. Been to numerous garages for quotes and nobody wants to do it. This is the only garage willing to take it on. Any advice please.

 

[andy63]

Sounds like you are between a rock and a hard place..
If you are happy with their price let them do the work..

I dont know your engine but if they have told you your water pump is ok and only auxillary belt driven then id go with what they have said and leave it alone till it actually is a problem , and there is no reason the current work should cause it to be one...
Andy

 

[dave newell]

I'm assuming you have a fiat ducato based motorhome with a 2.8 engine. The garage is correct that the pump is not driven by the cambelt so generally does not need replacing as a routine item. Changing the water pump is difficult and could well be six hours on an a class motorhome. If you really want it done then tell the garage so but it's obviously going to be a costly job.

D.

 

[bubble]

Hi, it’s a 2.5 turbo diesel, does that make a difference please.

 

[MisterB]

Why do you want the water pump doing? Its normally only done with the cambelt if its cambelt driven as its likely to fail after cam belt change.

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[dave newell]

Hi, it’s a 2.5 turbo diesel, does that make a difference please.

No it doesn't make a difference, the 2.5 is the predecessor of the 2.8 and almost the same engine (other than capacity difference and a few minor other details).

Why do you want the water pump doing? Its normally only done with the cambelt if its cambelt driven as its likely to fail after cam belt change.

The water pump is no more likely to fail after a cambelt change than any other time. The issue is simply that if it fails it will almost certainly destroy the engine. Obviously when the pump is not driven by the cambelt the risk is greatly reduced.

D.

 

[bubble]

Thank you so much, we will not have it done then.

 

[Allanm]

If it’s any help, we had the cam belt, pulleys and serpentine belt changed on our 75000 mile 2.5 TDI Ducato by a garage who just does cambelts. He didn’t recommend touching the water pump, so we didn’t.
Lots of people recommend doing the water pump if it’s cambelt driven, but is it really necessary? We’ve had cambelts done before on other cars with belt driven pumps and never bothered with the pump. Sounds like just a way to bump up the bill to me.

 

[pappajohn]

If it’s any help, we had the cam belt, pulleys and serpentine belt changed on our 75000 mile 2.5 TDI Ducato by a garage who just does cambelts. He didn’t recommend touching the water pump, so we didn’t.
Lots of people recommend doing the water pump if it’s cambelt driven, but is it really necessary? We’ve had cambelts done before on other cars with belt driven pumps and never bothered with the pump. Sounds like just a way to bump up the bill to me.

The new cambelt tensioner will exert a higher load on the already worn water pump shaft and bearings/bushes causing early failure.
The repair procedure is the same as a cambelt change so the labour charge to change the pump later will be very close to what was already paid to change the belt... Two labour charges for basically the same job for the sake of the cost of a new pump while the belt was changed.
False economy not to if nothing else.

 

[Figaro]

Are there any other drive belts on the 2.8 that need periodic changing ie alternator drive.
If so what's the recommended interval.
TIA

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[pappajohn]

Just carry a spare belt and a diagram of the route.
Replace when it breaks.

 

[dave newell]

No

If it’s any help, we had the cam belt, pulleys and serpentine belt changed on our 75000 mile 2.5 TDI Ducato by a garage who just does cambelts. He didn’t recommend touching the water pump, so we didn’t.
Lots of people recommend doing the water pump if it’s cambelt driven, but is it really necessary? We’ve had cambelts done before on other cars with belt driven pumps and never bothered with the pump. Sounds like just a way to bump up the bill to me.

Ducato I've ever seen has a serpentine belt. The older ones had a simple vee belt and the later ones use a multi vee belt but none (as far as I'm aware) have ever used a serpentine layout. I've never heard of a garage that could survive by only doing cambelts, strange world we live in.

D.

D.