Hi All

Sorry another post.

I've received a postcard type reminder today from Fiat that they're concerned my car is overdue a timing belt replacement. I know if my timing belt packs in that it could be the cost of a new engine to fix, but I don't know if my car actually needs replaced.

My car is a 2011 so will be 6 years old in March and has done 37,000 miles so on average just over 6,000 each year. I thought cars get them after about 60,000 so was hoping I'd not need to replace it in my time owning the car.

Is it a definite it needs replaced or do Fiat base it on the age of the car?

Anybody any idea on costs of replacing a timing belt with labour and VAT included, both from Fiat or a cheaper garage?

Thank you

JNAnderson said:

My car is a 2011 so will be 6 years old in March and has done 37,000 miles so on average just over 6,000 each year. I thought cars get them after about 60,000 so was hoping I'd not need to replace it in my time owning the car.

Is it a definite it needs replaced or do Fiat base it on the age of the car?

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If it were a Panda with the non-interference engine, I'd be more relaxed about this, but it isn't. As you say, it'll likely ruin your engine if it does break.

It really should be done now; certainly if it were mine, I'd want it done sometime in 2017.

When the time comes to move it on, a recently replaced timing belt will make it much easier to sell privately & if trading it in, you'll likely find the dealer will deduct the cost of replacing the belt from the trade in value unless it's been done.

Replace the water pump while you're at it; it doesn't add much to the cost and the result of the water pump failing is basically the same, as the belt will snap.

What's the water pump?

Do you know roughly how much I should expect to pay for all this? I don't think I'll take it to Fiat this time, not for an expensive job when their labour charges are so high. I'm due an MOT and service in March as it is

JNAnderson said:

What's the water pump?

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£30.23 from shop4parts. Should add little if anything to the labour cost, since you're in there anyway.

It, er, pumps water (strictly it pumps coolant unless some eejit has kept on topping up with plain water). They both wear and corrode, and when the bearings are worn, they can seize solid. This snaps the cambelt, with predictable consequences. Sometimes the first sign of failure is a trickle of coolant past the seal; if you have to keep topping up the car it could well be the cause.

Driving the water pump from the cambelt is c**p design IMO. Much better to drive the water pump via the auxiliary belt like in the old days, so that it won't wreck the engine if it seizes. Unless I'm missing something.

Amen to everything JR said above, with the following addendum - as the auxiliary belt will have to be removed to get at the cambelt, have a new one of those fitted too. If it breaks, at best it's inconvenient, but on some engines with some of the cambelt exposed it can tangle in that and ruin the engine. Not familiar enough with the 1.2 to know for sure whether that can happen.
And JR, I'm with you on the aux belt driving the water pump as in the olden days - why not?

Thank you. Had a wee Facebook post and I've got a mechanic friend doing it on Saturday for £140. That's the water pump &a timing belt. Does that sound reasonable?

JNAnderson said:

Thank you. Had a wee Facebook post and I've got a mechanic friend doing it on Saturday for £140. That's the water pump &a timing belt. Does that sound reasonable?

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Eminently fair to both parties.

And I'd agree with TrevC about replacing the auxiliary belt at the same time - they're generally much less durable than the cambelt. They're cheap (less than £10), so that would bring it up to, say, £150.

Thank you.

Possible silly question but am I safe to drive my car still just now, or is it safer to leave it until the timing belt is changed?

Our cam belt is 7.5 years old! Being replaced this Friday, found out up here the Fiat dealer is actually the cheapest as they do fixed price service for some things.

How much are they charging you? Is your mileage high for 7.5 years?

I'll be glad when the belts changed so I can relax

Mileage is irrelevant at that age. Age is very important.

D

Definitely. Mine will be done Saturday and that should do until I sell the car in a few years hopefully

£239 all in(independents 250-330) am supplying a new alternator belt £5.50 for them to fit mileage normal 67k car has service history but no mention of cam belt, confusing info relating to when to change (Fiat dealer said 7 years others said 4 or 5 )
Will ask for old parts back just out of interest.

Slightly different but I just got a price from my local fiat dealer for a timing CHAIN replacement plus all other ancillaries (gaskets, tensioners etc) for my 1.3 mjet. The total was £728 Inc vat.

Yeah my Papa nipped in to Fiat this morning for me to check if it was right enough as he thought mileage was quite low, lady said 5 years or 60,000 miles so different to what I've read online. She said herself I'm cheaper to go elsewhere as they'd be £65 per hour labour, 3 hour job, the part plus VAT, so probably nearer to £400.

£728??!! I'd be crying if mine cost as much.

Dreading my MOT in March, god knows how much that'll cost

JNAnderson said:

£728??!! I'd be crying if mine cost as much.

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I think you may be confusing the timing belt on a petrol engine with a timing chain on a diesel engine.

The latter is a longer and more awkward job, with more costly parts.

All the Fiats I have owned from 2009 onwards state the timing belt should be changed every 5 years or 60,000 miles (this is for petrol 1.2 or 1.4 8v engines).

If your car is low mileage and does less than 6,000 miles per year, the manual says it should be done every 4 years. Either way the information for your car should be in the manual.

Obviously the belts CAN still go on past that time, but it is a bit of a "ticking time-bomb". You wouldn't want to be the person who tried to drag it out a bit longer to save a few quid...

I need to get the belts and water pump done on my Punto later this year, amazing how quick year 5 comes around!

Super Uwe said:

All the Fiats I have owned from 2009 onwards state the timing belt should be changed every 5 years or 60,000 miles (this is for petrol 1.2 or 1.4 8v engines).

If your car is low mileage and does less than 6,000 miles per year, the manual says it should be done every 4 years. Either way the information for your car should be in the manual.

Obviously the belts CAN still go on past that time, but it is a bit of a "ticking time-bomb". You wouldn't want to be the person who tried to drag it out a bit longer to save a few quid...

I need to get the belts and water pump done on my Punto later this year, amazing how quick year 5 comes around!

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I've had the car since April 16 when it was on 33500 miles, I'm now at 37300 and something so definitely less than 6000 a year. Why do they need changed sooner if mileage is lower? I thought it'd be opposite way around.

JNAnderson said:

Why do they need changed sooner if mileage is lower? I thought it'd be opposite way around.

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Being left in one place for extended periods isn't good for rubberised things subject to point stresses, like tyres and drive belts.

Leave the car parked up for a long time and both should ideally be changed irrespective of age or mileage. You can save the tyres by putting the car on blocks, provided you store it out of direct suunlight; the only way to preserve the cambelt would be to loosen it right off before laying the car up; I know of no one who does this.

Low mileage cars generally need more servicing, not less.

Thank you. Will I definitely be ok driving it until Saturday without it packing in?