(T) Cam belt change

Can't seem to find it anywhere, does anyone know the recommended interval mileage/ age for cambelt change on a 02 Stilo 1.6?

Fiat UK recommend at 60,000 miles or 5 years, but service books etc state 72k. Personally, I will change mine at 36,000. Included in the 36k service is a timing belt inspection, unfortunately it is a snapshot at the time so if you have an oil leak 250 miles later the cam belt may need replacing due to oil contamination not there at the inspection. In short a cam belt inspection at 36k cannot guarantee the life of the belt. What it will pick up is any problems already there. Also a financial concern must be how long are you going to keep the vehicle? Is it worth having the belt done early if you sell the car soon after?

Thanks for that. I'll be keeping the Stilo for quite a while so it'll be needing one or two cambelt and tensioner changes. Easy? Not an engine out job is it? Please say no!

I would guess it's an "unsafe" engine like most these days too yes?

No, not even the Abarth is an engine out job now- and yes there ''unsafe'' when the belt snaps.

Alfa now recommend 36k miles on their engines, too many failed to make the original recommmendation. I will get mine done next year, by then it'll be 60k miles. I presume motorway mileage put less wear on the whole engine including the cam belt, doing about 24k a year mostly motorway.

i remember the early Bravo/ Brava engines were terrible for timing belt tensioner failures, it used to wreck the engines. Fiat eventually brought out a modified tensioner. I think some of the Stilos are based on the old Brava/ Bravo engines too.

cmc