My JTD115 has done 54,000 and is 5 years and 3 months old, I am almost certain the belt has never been changed, is there anyway of telling as cars last service in Sept 08 was done by a mechanic friend of the previous owner ? I have not been able to find out. I know its wise to change it now, but I am short of cash having just bought the car, whats the chances of it breaking if I leave it for another 6 months (just another 4000-5000 miles in my case) ?
Technical delaying 5 year overdue cam belt change
- Thread starter davidthelodge
- Start date
Currently reading:
Technical delaying 5 year overdue cam belt change
you will be even more short of cash if it goes and you have to pay out for the damage, get it done.
belt changes are as low £150
engine rebuilds cost a lot, lot more
engine rebuilds cost a lot, lot more
john55
Established member
Not on a JTD. The belt kit with tensioners is around £120.
I thought JTD cam belts were good for 80K miles, or am I mistaken?
Also, don't forget to change the water pump while you have everything apart. It is cheap and saves expensive problems later when it fails.
![12[X]](https://cdn.fiatforum.com/data/avatars/m/11/11062.jpg?1637729219){kind=avatar}
do it yourself to save cash 
but do it - regardless of mileage - age matters and yours is overdue
but do it - regardless of mileage - age matters and yours is overdue
72k miles or 5 years according to service book
Personally, I think the OP should be safe as long as he treats the engine with respect (for the 6 months)
The cam belt on our '52 1.6 Dynamic with only 42K on the clock is being done as I type .... well I hope it is.
42K is under the mileage but '52 is well over. The car was a "gimmee" but I didn't know the belt hadn't been done. They are also replacing what appears to be a perfectly good water pump.
However, I've also had a belt go on another car before and that was head off and three valves !!
Did I want the belt done.... not really.
Do I want to spend the money .... definitely No!
Do I want the peace of mind ... you bet.
You just have to think of it as buying insurance. A pain in the bum but you just know if you didn't have it......
The long and the short is.... you have to get it done.
42K is under the mileage but '52 is well over. The car was a "gimmee" but I didn't know the belt hadn't been done. They are also replacing what appears to be a perfectly good water pump.
However, I've also had a belt go on another car before and that was head off and three valves !!
Did I want the belt done.... not really.
Do I want to spend the money .... definitely No!
Do I want the peace of mind ... you bet.
You just have to think of it as buying insurance. A pain in the bum but you just know if you didn't have it......
The long and the short is.... you have to get it done.
There's actually another side to this which is not always appreciated.
Having a cheap belt fitted by say a less than competent garage is almost certainly worse than not having the job done at all!
Worth considering as there have been a few horror stories on the Forum
72k miles or 5 years according to service book
Personally, I think the OP should be safe as long as he treats the engine with respect (for the 6 months)
never go by the out of date service book, go by the revised bulletins issued to techs and also by belt makers
i wouldnt let it go past 40k myself dayco recomend 36k
https://www.fiatforum.com/punto/174815-cambelt-change.html
Last edited:
Thx for all your comments, I decided to empty my wallet & have it done now, as I dont fancy being broke and having a car with a broken cam belt. Just picked up a £80 Unipart belt kit (tensioner pulley and belt), not doing the w/pump
well just to give a reference point - and please, don't say you could have got it cheaper 'cos it really doesn't help! '52 plate 1.6 Dynamic with 42K. While it was apart I had the lot done (today).
Cam belt kit £77.49
Poly belt 1 £ 6.99
Poly belt 2 £ 7.99
Water pump £45.60
Anti freeze £ 3.50
Labour £175 (included loan car, arranged Monday for today)
Gordon Tax £47.48
Total £364.05
Done by independent who has impressed me so far with other work. Not cheap but I have recourse if it goes wrong. Obviously the place to save money is the labour and Gordon's bit, but then you pays yer money and yer takes yer choice.
Cam belt kit £77.49
Poly belt 1 £ 6.99
Poly belt 2 £ 7.99
Water pump £45.60
Anti freeze £ 3.50
Labour £175 (included loan car, arranged Monday for today)
Gordon Tax £47.48
Total £364.05
Done by independent who has impressed me so far with other work. Not cheap but I have recourse if it goes wrong. Obviously the place to save money is the labour and Gordon's bit, but then you pays yer money and yer takes yer choice.
When i phoned Rockingham Cars & enquired getting the belt etc changed with the service (thinking the belt was needed at 5 years or 60,000 miles) they said it was 5 years or 72,000 (as quoted by others on here) so after a quote of between £350-£450 WITHOUT the service, i thought 'mebbe just a service for now then'.
However, that (overdue) service hasn't materialised yet so i'm now thinking that at 4 years 6 months old & 54k miles, maybe i should get it. It does sound like abit of a big job on the JTD, because of the waterpump etc being recommended for replacement too. Not what i was expecting considering how cheap most things are for the Stilo JTD (service, tax, insurance group etc)
john55
Established member
It does sound like abit of a big job on the JTD, because of the waterpump etc being recommended for replacement too. Not what i was expecting considering how cheap most things are for the Stilo JTD (service, tax, insurance group etc)
It is straight forward to change the cam belt on a JTD. Nothing difficult like the problems people have with timing on the 1.6. It is an 8 valve engine so is much simpler. There are however quite a few bits to take off to get at the cam belt and then put back on again, so it does take a while.
I DIY changed mine, including water pump without any problems.
john55
Established member
What did they use? Normally antifreeze for the stilo is quite expensive. It should have been about £15 for the good quality stuff.
A well intentioned post I'm sure but my caveat in post #9 is I believe even more important.
In the 3 years plus on this Forum I've taken an interest in all cam-belt issues relating to the JTD.
Several owners have reported doing well over 100k before changing the belt but the most alarming are those that have suffered engine failure AFTER the belt has been changed which presumably can be put down to using cheap belts or just plain incompetence.
Obviously a belt can also fail quite naturally, as some have been reported, but it's important the keep the risk in proper perspective.
use a garage that is part of the dayco warranty plus scheme then, dayco will then pay for all repairs even if the belt has been fitted wrong
If that's the case then I'd say that's excellent advice
You get the same protection from Fiat main dealers - although cost may well be higher.
who makes fiat belts then?
Mine is due a cambelt service due to age rather than mileage...35600 miles and about 5 and a half years old. Not stressed the engine at all in the time I've owned RGZ due to head gasket going on my Punto previously, so feel fairly comfortable with a slight over run.
Got a quote on just the cambelt kit and fitting from a Fiat/Alfa specialist and was £145 or so without the waterpump, which is less than half what Fiat quoted. I'll certainly be getting it done when I can afford it as I do view it as an essential way of insuring lengthening an engine's life. As long as it's done properly of course
Got a quote on just the cambelt kit and fitting from a Fiat/Alfa specialist and was £145 or so without the waterpump, which is less than half what Fiat quoted. I'll certainly be getting it done when I can afford it as I do view it as an essential way of insuring lengthening an engine's life. As long as it's done properly of course
