How risky is it to delay cam belt change on a Fiat Ducato?

[Sixty-nine Chevy]

Hi. I understand that the cam belt on a Fiat Ducato should be replaced every five years. This means that we should have had it done last June, but we didn't because a medical issue greatly limited the use of our campervan last year. As a result even now we have done less than 3,000 miles since last June. Ideally we would like to get the cam belt replaced this coming June when a normal service is also due. Does anyone know how risky it would be to have such a delay of one year? Are we asking for trouble? If an old cam belt does die, is it a catastrophic thing that goes with a bang? Or would we first see some kind of performance drop off? Thanks for any comments.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

What is your total mileage

I wouldn't tempt fate by making a recommendation but its is said that 1% of belts on vehicles with more than 100K miles and more than 5 years old. Therefore you would be very unlucky if it failed (although not sure what your total milage is)

I have same dilemma. Vehicle is now 5 years old but only done 12K miles. Do i do the cam belt this year?

Mechanics at work say I would be mad to do it

Do it, only a tenth as painful as not doing it and the worse happens.
Mike.

 

[Burge]

Thanks to all for the swift and clear comments. You are all very persuasive. Booked in to be changed next week!

If you don't mind me asking ...how much have you been Quoted ???? I'm getting mine done £650 C/Belt W/Pump & Alt/ Belt. 6yr old Ducato 13000 mls.

 

[Revolvor]

Posted before -
One evening, years ago, the engine cut out on my Ford Sierra as I slowed down and changed gear to turn into my drive. I maintained momentum enough to park up in the usual place. I called the RAC and they came and diagnosed a broken cam belt. They agreed they would take the car to our local Ford agent, and leave it on their forecourt.

The next day, about lunch time, I phoned the garage to explain why there was an abandoned car on their premises. Their reply - "That's fine, we have replaced the cam belt and it's ready for collection!"

I was amazed, but grateful, and got a lift over to pick it up and pay the bill.

I later passed the car to my son, and about 5 years later the belt failed as he was accelerating hard. A couple of valves were bent, so it cost him a bit more to get it fixed.

 

[westhamman]

Funny enough I took my van for service, mot and new cam belt plus DPF issue. I thought about delaying cam belt for a year but decided against, reading this convinces me that my decision was the right one.

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[gus-lopez]

If you look at the European service regimes for many vehicles, including VWs, the cam belt has a longer life in Europe that the UK!

& in countries with a hot climate,like here in spain ,it used to be half of the uk amount but in kilometres.

 

[LaurenceM]

Hi. I understand that the cam belt on a Fiat Ducato should be replaced every five years. This means that we should have had it done last June, but we didn't because a medical issue greatly limited the use of our campervan last year. As a result even now we have done less than 3,000 miles since last June. Ideally we would like to get the cam belt replaced this coming June when a normal service is also due. Does anyone know how risky it would be to have such a delay of one year? Are we asking for trouble? If an old cam belt does die, is it a catastrophic thing that goes with a bang? Or would we first see some kind of performance drop off? Thanks for any comments.

Very ! Il
On my second van ( VW Crafter / Sprinter ) just now and like the first one I had -VW T5.1 mileage was around 75k. No written record ( invoices / service book entry ) that the belt had been done. I had a verbal “ yes I’m sure it’s been done “ from the bloke who sold it , but I was taking no chances and had it done by VW dealer . £450 ( that was 5 years ago ) - I’m just off the phone this afternoon to the garage , arranging the crafter to go in for a new belt / water pump/ auxiliary belt kit to be done - exact same circumstances “ yes I’m sure it’s been done “ verbal comment from the seller but no sign of any written evidence, so I’m not taking chances. It’s going in !! Prob cost me a bit more now but I don’t care. It’s the one things I’ll not take a chance on !!
Watch out if you drive a Ford - they use wet cam timing belts running in a specific oil. Saw a 2017 van being stripped in the garage - new engine needed as a local garage had used any old oil and the belt perished rapidly and pinged! .. save a penny and spend a fortune.

 

[leann53]

Just had mine done with a new tensioner £700 worth every penny

 

[L' Hobo]

As far as I'm aware it a catastrophic thing that goes with a bang.
There is no warning.
And if it does go bang you will need a new engine (or a very expensive repair)

Why not simply bring the June service forward to Feb/March and get it done ASAP.
(Next time, get a Mercedes, they have a chain rather than a belt and should be good for the life of the engine)

So does the 3ltr engined Ducato I believe!

 

[Gellyneck]

OK following on from my previous.

Just got ours booked in with local mobile guy (highly recommended by lorger - thank you Gerry) for 7th March. Full pukka FIAT kit - was Gates belt and Graf pump the last time.

it doesn't snap when I'm bringing it out of the storage compound!

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[lorger]

Gates belt

Top quality made in Dumfries

 

[jerryz]

My Ducato was done twice over 12 years, 23,000 and 41,000 miles I will do next one at 5 years or 70,000 miles .. ducati used to quote 2 years and 10,000 miles on the bikes but experience has shown me that 4 years and 15k is OK and now Ducati say 4 years and 18k themselves ,, The belts work harder on high revving bikes ....

 

[Gellyneck]

Top quality made in Dumfries

Along with the wellies!

 

[StillGoing]

It is a risk not having it changed at 5 years. However, the manufacturer will build in a safety margin when deciding on the life of a belt. The life is based on an average of all Ducato’s some of which will have high mileage, some will have low mileage, some will have been used in extreme heat, some will have been used in extreme cold, some will be used in dusty conditions, some will have been used as delivery vehicles with lots of stop/start, some will have been in vehicles that do only long journeys, some will have been used in motorhomes that sit on a drive or on a campsite for long periods before being driven hundreds of miles.

 

[Sixty-nine Chevy]

Are you sure it's a belt ?
Some Ducato have belt, some a chain.
If it's a belt, I'd bring the service and timing belt replacement forwards and do it soonest. Unless the vehicle is under warranty, I'd get the works done at a good local garage.

Belt snapping is catastrophic. At best the valves "riverdance" on the piston crowns. At worst, I've seen the pistons make (not so neat) ventilation holes in the engine block. So anywhere between an expensive engine rebuild or replacement.

Thanks. Yep, definitely a belt.

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[Sixty-nine Chevy]

What is your total mileage

I wouldn't tempt fate by making a recommendation but its is said that 1% of belts on vehicles with more than 100K miles and more than 5 years old. Therefore you would be very unlucky if it failed (although not sure what your total milage is)

I have same dilemma. Vehicle is now 5 years old but only done 12K miles. Do i do the cam belt this year?

Mechanics at work say I would be mad to do it

Our total mileage is just coming up to 40,000. Mechanic tells me he is currently replacing cam belts on a couple of Ducatos, neither of which has yet reached 10,000 miles but both about 5 years old.

 

[lorger]

Along with the wellies!

Been a few years since they made wellies here, now manufactured in china I believe. Dumfries does belts and diving suits among other stuff.

 

[Fdhadi]

Does the 5yrs start from build date or registration date? Some vehicles could have been sat around for 2yrs before going to the converter’s. Asking for a friend!

 

[rob1234]

hi ,,i had a discovery ,the place i got it serviced said ,best change the cambelt ,,i quoted the service book that said it wasn't due for another 5k,,2 months later it slipped a tooth and and cost me £1500 he said i was lucky could have been £5k ,,i always change it even before it says it should be done in the book ,,but you take your chance ,,might never break ,,

 

[Bertilak]

I'd say it depends on a) mileage since last time; b) years since last time, c) whether the engine has been run regularly, eg once a month (to keep the plasticisers working and belt supple).
If you've a low milage (e.g 40K miles) perhaps don't change the full kit, just slip a new belt on.
IMHO the "new waterpump" malarky is simply to ensure that the pump and other idlers get changed at some time as planned maintenance, otherwise they wouldn't be at all.
Some engines (GMs?) used the pump as the tensioner, thus adjusting a new tension meant cracking the waterpump gasket face, so you got to take it off; and there have been dodgy pump designs that don't last (eg with plastic impellors).

Also not all engines need belt replacement, my wife's 1.4 Cit C3 didn't specify a period, the local brand specialist said it wasn't needed, and was still going strong at 90k and 15 years on... The lad who bought it then did a Lands End - John o Groats trip to prove it.
The rubber doesn't mysteriously disintergrate, its mainly the cost of a rebuild that scares people.

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[Sixty-nine Chevy]

If you don't mind me asking ...how much have you been Quoted ???? I'm getting mine done £650 C/Belt W/Pump & Alt/ Belt. 6yr old Ducato 13000 mls.

I don’t know exactly yet. I have used the garage before and very happy with their work, so I was more focussed on getting booked in asap. I think similar to what you quote, but can confirm when all done next week. Mechanic said no need for water pump to be replaced as we have only done near 40,000 miles. He says water pumps now rated as good for 250,000 miles.

 

[Gellyneck]

Been a few years since they made wellies here, now manufactured in china I believe. Dumfries does belts and diving suits among other stuff.

Yip.
When we used to freight them overseas the lefts went one day and the rights later to minimise theft.
Did the golf balls also come out of there?

 

[Burge]

I don’t know exactly yet. I have used the garage before and very happy with their work, so I was more focussed on getting booked in asap. I think similar to what you quote, but can confirm when all done next week. Mechanic said no need for water pump to be replaced as we have only done near 40,000 miles. He says water pumps now rated as good for 250,000 miles.

Always on all my Vehicles when having the C/Belt replaced have had the Water Pump done whilst it's all stripped down

 

[Cookieboy68]

I have the 2.8 jtd Cambelt due in August, does anyone know if it has to be done from underneath, or can access be gained from the front. I have a Hymer b574.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

Does the 5yrs start from build date or registration date? Some vehicles could have been sat around for 2yrs before going to the converter’s. Asking for a friend!

Well it's a good question, but probably favours changing the belt at 5 years old from registration as the belt might be 8 years old by then, old stock on old stock.
Mike.

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[POH]

Mines coming up to 4years old in March, going in for mot and minor service next week when booked they did not mention the cambelt, should I rebook and have it done or wait until the 5 years as per Fiat.

 

[Phill D]

Mines coming up to 4years old in March, going in for mot and minor service next week when booked they did not mention the cambelt, should I rebook and have it done or wait until the 5 years as per Fiat.

personaly i would stick with the fiat guidlines

 

[Langtoftlad]

Interestingly, after an earlier thread on the same topic I checked with my local garage & their PC said 10 years !
Didn't quite believe them some emailed Citroën and they [via Peugeot] that it is indeed a ten year replacement.
And I've since seen it printed on my service schedule.

So what sort of rubber band do I have if Citroën/Peugeot have the confidence of double the industry standard?

Citroën Relay 2.0 BlueHDi (130ps), 2017

 

[Lenny HB]

It will probably be fine but £800 for a new belt or £10,000 for a new engine your choice.

 

[royandsharont]

I had mine done at 5 years and will get the new van done too. I have no personal mechanical knowledge.

But I found this interesting in relation to cam belt changes. My Skoda was scheduled to have it replaced last year at 5 years old. Then before the event Skoda, and VW etc part of the same group, changed their minds and said they were all good for life!

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[lorger]

Yip.
When we used to freight them overseas the lefts went one day and the rights later to minimise theft.
Did the golf balls also come out of there?

Yes golf balls were manufactured here too, where the new factory sits (behind old rundown one) was the factory football pitch and golf ball testing field, I think that part closed in early to mid 80s they also had a golf ball factory at Locharbriggs just as you come into Dumfries on the A701.