Hi everyone, how often the cambelt should be changed? My coop has done 90000km with not changing the belt.

zaryvas said:

Hi everyone, how often the cambelt should be changed? My coop has done 90000km with not changing the belt.

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i think it is 7 years or 72k miles

check on www.fccuk.org for the experts opinion

welcome to here, i would never wait till 72k miles do it at 50k miles imo

20V is 120km
16V is 60km

OR approximatly 5 years

My coop was produced in 97 and is 20v non turbo. I think I'll wait till about 110000km. i hope the belt isn't going to break down...

Your car is 8 years old, i would get it done ASAP.

dont go by what is in the book you got with the car, fiat changed all the belt changes times but only sent the updated info to main dealers. i will pm this thread to one of our fit dealer techs

dave said:

i will pm this thread to one of our fit dealer techs

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Are you trying to tell us something here Dave?

I agree that the cambelt should be changed ASAP.

Get your cambelt Changed ASAP. Should be changed no later than 6 years regardless on mileage. I'm looking at a second cambelt change on my coupe, and it's the same age as yours

At Daves request,

Officially vehicles with 12k/month schedules have a belt at 72,000 miles or 5 years whichever is sooner.

In my experience 5 years with low mileage is fine, however i would get it done before 72,000 miles, 60,000 is about the average as this coinsides with 5 years - it is more a problem with the tensioner causing a belt to snap as they seize or the plastic gear seperates from the rest of the tensioner.

If in doubt GET IT CHECKED - rather that than a big repair bill.

fiattech said:

At Daves request

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Sounds like he was forced at gunpoint!

Agree though. You can't change a cambelt soon enough. I've heard stories of cam belts going at 60k, 55k, or even 5 miles from the garage where the car was booked in for a belt change! While having the cambelt changed would anyone reccomend any other work being done e.g. waterpump? Would that require a cambelt change if the pump needed changing?

Hellcat said:

Sounds like he was forced at gunpoint!

While having the cambelt changed would anyone reccomend any other work being done e.g. waterpump? Would that require a cambelt change if the pump needed changing?

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Just being helpful is all,

I would always recommend a water pump being changed with a cam belt, as well as any idler pulleys associated with the cam belt only because its cost effective in the long run. ALWAYS REPLACE THE CAM BELT WITH A NEW TENSIONER.

sorry mate forgot the smily

please see this as sensible advice.i have seen 16 v's and 20 v's cambelts snap way before 50k.sometimes its the counter rotating belt that snaps and takes the cam belt with it.so cam belts should be changed as follow.all non turbo engines - 36k. all turbo engines - 24k.the last figure is low,but these engines have the most wear on the cam belt due to the torque.all tensioners and the water pump should be changed as well as any auxillary belts.how much does a head cost to fix if the belt snaps?

my old bravo snapped at 40 odd K, didnt have the car 6months. good job the warrenty covered it or i would have been looking at a big bill.

Not worth it, get it done. My coupe was done about 15k before i got it at 80odd and that was its second belt change, i was looking at getting it done again between 115-120k.

Its not as an expensive job as it used to be, can be done by shifting the engine not removing.

Hellcat said:

While having the cambelt changed would anyone reccomend any other work being done e.g. waterpump? Would that require a cambelt change if the pump needed changing?

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You should get the cambelt, the auxillary belt, and all associated tensioners done at the same time. It's not a bad idea to get the water pump changed too, as it's about £35 I think, and easy to do at the same time. This changes thae parts bill from about £15 (for the cambelt) to about £200 (tensioners are expensive!). But it's the labour that costs a bit anyway.
While the belt is being done, get the garage to check that the cambelt cover doesn't foul the cambelt, as on early cars the cambelt cover warps over time and can gently rub the cambelt.
H

Would that be the same for the 2.0 16v tipo? Get tensioners, waterpump etc done with belts?

I can't say categorically, but as you'd have to remove the belt to change the water pump, so it might be a good idea. On the coupe, many cambelt failures aren't due to the cambelt snapping, but the auxillary belt snapping, then getting caught in the cambelt. A seized water pump can cause the aux belt to snap, so while it would cost more money to have it all done at once, it's less than changing them individually, and less than fixing a broken engine!
H

Hi

I just thought that id mention that I had a new cam belt when i bought my coupe, and after hearing all the `engine out £500 job` I went to a local garage who changed it easily for under £100... just thought id throw that in!!

What did they change? Just the rubber? What about tensioners?