Hi add
I have a marea weekend 1.8 on a x plate .its now done 59 thousand miles . Is it time to change the timing belt and ifso how easy is it and also would you recomend a new water pump at the same time . Is there any special tools needed for the job Any help would be gratfull .
many thanks ppl

You are VERY lucky the belt didn't brake, Fiat recommends a belt change every 40.000mls (60.000Km's), or three years, whatever comes first despite the earlier recommendations, because many belts broke before the scheduled change interval, on all DOHC Fiat/Alfa/Lancia engines....

My service book says 72000 miles but I get it done 5 years or 50K miles with no problems. Water pump and idler while it's in pieces makes sense. Perfectly possible yourself if you are very handy with the spanners be sure and set the engine and mark all the pulley positions while the old belt is still on

using the same belt for 8 years is asking for trouble, change it asap.

personally i wouldnt replace the water pump, the chance of it failing before 100k is very very small. you do need to replace the timing belt tensioner.

replacing the belt on the 1.8 is easy, you can use the bravo/brava haynes manual.

Renegade_8 said:

My service book says 72000 miles but I get it done 5 years or 50K miles with no problems. Water pump and idler while it's in pieces makes sense. Perfectly possible yourself if you are very handy with the spanners be sure and set the engine and mark all the pulley positions while the old belt is still on

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Well, everything past the 40000 is at your own risk, and don't be surprised when you suddenly stop, after hearing a loud "bang" under your bonnet.
Again, it's been said here before, the Fiat factory has shortened the cambelt change interval by halve (distance and/or time) for all double overhead camshaft engines, ALSO for the earlier models, no matter what the manual says.
Too many broke before the scheduled interval, causing massive engine damage.
But again, don't believe me, call your official importer.

Back in the 80s, cam belt changes were every 36K miles or 3 years. Then some bright spark manufacturer said (slaes/marketing) 48K or 4 years......soon we got to 72K miles. Some Jap cars even say 100K miles.

Changing a cam belt on an 80s car is quick and easy. Modern cars a fraught with all sorts of complications, intricate timing proceedures etc. etc. All this = COST

Grrrrrrr

Nick /////

Hi ppl
Thanks to everyone who replied looks like its going to be a new cam belt change this weekend . Getting a worshop disk of ebays so will be doing this myself .
Thank again everyone

Hi JUG,

You may remember me as that Brit/Liverpudlian resident in Rio de Janeiro, happy owner of a 2003 Brazilian Marea Weekend 1.8. With your wealth of knowledge of this car range, I was wondering whether you could settle a small doubt for me, one that the technical manual does not mention: I've noticed that the plastic timing belt shield does not fit snugly onto the engine, that is, it seems warped at the top leaving a 1-2mm gap at the front and the same at the back. I have put insulation tape over the whole top part of this joint so as to prevent dust/grit entering, but maybe it is actually designed to be slightly open so as to allow cooling of the belt and other components. I'd be very grateful for your word on this matter.

Cheers, BRIAN

it should sit tight but they warp under heat, it shouldnt matter, just be careful of it warping near the crankshaft pulley and getting caught.

Hi BEAU,

Wow! That was a quick reply! Thanks a lot. I'm very grateful to you. I'll now see what I can do to straighten out the shield and stop it warping again. Maybe a metal strip along the inside of the top as a stiiffener. Cheers, BRIAN

BatMarea said:

Hi BEAU,

Wow! That was a quick reply! Thanks a lot. I'm very grateful to you. I'll now see what I can do to straighten out the shield and stop it warping again. Maybe a metal strip along the inside of the top as a stiiffener. Cheers, BRIAN

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i would not put anything on or in the cover!

eithe buy a new one or leave it, the one on my bravo is rather warped and has never caused a problem.

you can push the rubber edge of the cover up against the cam cover and it makes it look normal, thats all i do

Hi Bulldog,

Many thanks. I'm not sure my shield has rubber, but, if it does, your suggestion sounds easier and more practical than trying to straighten out the warp. Cheers, Brian BatMarea

Good point re cambelt cover. It's a big cheap plastic moulding and mine looked a mess since the first time it came off. It's a bit better now but has a 2 mm or so gap in places. It's there to save fingers if the engine is running and to stop road debris jamming the belt so it's just a cosmetic problem. No probs due to it over 60K miles and 4 years.

Hi
I think my marea needs a CB change - it's at 66k. I biught the car with 35k on it - I'm not sure whather the CB was changed before I got it.

Whats a rough estimate of how much it would cost to get it done (e.g at a non-dealer garage which I'm asuming will be cheaper). Would be cheaper to get the belt myself (patent part ?) and get the garage to fit it ?

Anything that ought to be done whilst I'm having th CB done ?

Sorry to hijack your thread !

Sorry - forget car details

2000 (W) 1.8 ELX Weekender

Hi Weakenderman,

Given the dire consequences of a broken or slipping belt, i.e. severe engine damage as pistons and valves go out of sync and smash into each other, any doubt about whether it has been changed at the right mileage should lead you to get it replaced immediately.

I had mine, on a 4-cylinder 1.8 engine, replaced by a competent local (Rio de Janeiro) mechanic in just 2.5 hours and without the special tools. Note well that the belt cannot be out by even one single tooth. Also note that, in the case of the 5-cylinder engine, if there is no removable underwing engine wall panel on that side that allows easy access to the belt, the job will require expensive engine removal, given that there is simply no space to work. Always change the belt tensioner and check that other belt that drives the alternator, airconditioner etc.

One wonders why a cam/timing belt cannot have the lifetime durability of e.g. the CVT belt in the Honda Fit automatic. Maybe a prize and trophy need to be offered to researchers.

I hope this helps you.

Cheers, BRIAN BatMarea

weakenderman said:

Sorry - forget car details

2000 (W) 1.8 ELX Weekender

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you had probably better not start the car again if its never been changed, get it recovered to a garage to be done and tell them not to run it.

Brian,

Its not the belts that fail, its the tensioners



weakenderman,

the 1.8 probably wont be too expensive to get done, my guess would be £250-300 but i'm not a 1.8 owner.

Ry

hi weekender man dont know where you are in the country but on my 1.8 i was quoted £175 including tensioners but without water pump by a guy in great yarmouth norfolk