My car is five years old in December and has done 55000 miles. I popped into my local Fiat agent garage, they also do Peugeot and Suzuki so you don't get a dedicated team, mainly to book a service and MOT. I asked the guy at the service desk if I should change the timing belt and after much clicking on his computer and making a telephone call told me it was a chain and didn't need doing.

OK and lovely except the time it took and the hesitant nature of the response made me think I'd ask here for REAL WORLD ADVICE!

The timing belt on the 1.3 MJ is meant to last the life of the engine. They can go mind you, but it's not a common thing.

I think you mean "The timing CHAIN on the 1.3 MJ is meant to last the life of the engine."
It is a chain and as such I wouldn't do anything with it unless it starts making bad noises. As a rule when chains go it's far more usually the tensioner system that has failed than the chain itself though even that is relatively rare compared to a belt failure.

:yeahthat:

Its a chain so doesn't need touching, just make sure regular oil changes are adherd to

Thanks to all. I didn't think timing chains existed anymore, thought they were all rubber belts that needed changing every 70000 or 5 years type of thing.

Actually I'm trying to buy a another Panda for a friends daughter, are petrol cars different? You can tell my mechanical knowledge is way up there with Noah can't you! lol

Panda2007 said:

Thanks to all. I didn't think timing chains existed anymore, thought they were all rubber belts that needed changing every 70000 or 5 years type of thing.

Actually I'm trying to buy a another Panda for a friends daughter, are petrol cars different? You can tell my mechanical knowledge is way up there with Noah can't you! lol

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Sorry, I should have made it clearer in my post, I knew it was a chain but stupidly said belt because you'd already said belt.

As MEP says, just make sure it gets the right oil and regular changes of said oil as they can affect the lubrication of the chain.

Panda2007 said:

Thanks to all. I didn't think timing chains existed anymore, thought they were all rubber belts that needed changing every 70000 or 5 years type of thing.

Actually I'm trying to buy a another Panda for a friends daughter, are petrol cars different? You can tell my mechanical knowledge is way up there with Noah can't you! lol

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The petrol is belt, but the great thing is its a none interferance engine, so if it does snap, it just has to be retimed up, and away you go again with no engine damage

Thank you for that last msg and for all the others before, there must be a thanking button somewhere but I did not find it. John

Smiley face in the bottom right hand corner of every post

306maxi said:

Smiley face in the bottom right hand corner of every post

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There's an old saying that, "there's none so blind as those that will not see", and no doubt this applies to me, but in the bottom right hand corner of each post all I can find is the quote button! John

Panda2007 said:

There's an old saying that, "there's none so blind as those that will not see", and no doubt this applies to me, but in the bottom right hand corner of each post all I can find is the quote button! John

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Oh, they've just appeared, how quaint!

Erm... I've decided that as it's a chain (as opposed to a belt) and will bugger the engine if it does go, I'm going to get mine changed around 70K miles...

That'll be his Christmas pressie this year...

Most Easterly Pandas said:

:yeahthat:

Its a chain so doesn't need touching, just make sure regular oil changes are adherd to

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is the chain running in the oil? i thought some one said it was a dry chain running on the out side

These engines are designed to go t 250K without great maintenance intervention so if the car has had regular oil changes it should be fine as far as the chain goes 97k on mine however the EGR valves can be troublesome as can water pumps & may leak.

dave said:

is the chain running in the oil? i thought some one said it was a dry chain running on the out side

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News to me, but I'm not 100% sure. Just assumed that most were internal like our Yaris'

Chain can't be run "dry" - wouldn't last 5000 miles - make sure on oil changes, which is an essential factor in running with a diesel anyway; check that tensioner is OK every couple of years initially and more often after 80k miles.

I must be the unfortunate one. Timing chain gone at 97000 miles and regular oil changes every 10,000 miles. I can't vouch for the first 66,000 miles mind, but since I have had it it has been looked after fine. Trying to work out where to go with it, whether it is worth repairing.

I suspect the tensioner failed first as this allows the chain to thrash and causes failure - in the old days it was the bicycle-chain-type joining link that parted company - I assume it still is. Has it made a mess of the pistons and/or valves and cylinder head? If so it's an expensive repair job. Alternatively, this engine is used in umpteen Fiats and several Vauxhalls so I'd assume they're not uncommon from low-mileage write-offs.

I'm not sure yet. I'll get my mechanic to look at it tomorrow now I'm feeling slightly more positive. I was only going about 3mph, so hoping the damage is not too great.

WPWilts said:

I must be the unfortunate one. Timing chain gone at 97000 miles and regular oil changes every 10,000 miles. I can't vouch for the first 66,000 miles mind, but since I have had it it has been looked after fine. Trying to work out where to go with it, whether it is worth repairing.

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It would be one thing that would put me off a car with a timing chain. If you'd had it from new and did regular oil changes then it might still have done that of course, but I think people generally don't change oil regularly enough or with the right grade oil....... This heightens the chance of an engine going pop like this....