Technical 02 Stilo Abarth Cambelt change
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Technical 02 Stilo Abarth Cambelt change
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it is a 02? you are overdue! (by a few years actually) get it done ASUP, i'd advise you not to drive it either.. these engines are hard to come by..
the revised belt change schedule is 36,000 miles or 3 years for all stilo's
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I'm also due the cambelt on my 02 abarth with 35k on it, couple of quick questions...
roughly how much should I expect to pay?
should I really use a fiat garage, as I suspect the 2.4 is a bit of rascal to work on for mechanic who is unfamiliar with it?
Is there anything else recommended to be done at the same time i.e tensioners?
many thanks
roughly how much should I expect to pay?
should I really use a fiat garage, as I suspect the 2.4 is a bit of rascal to work on for mechanic who is unfamiliar with it?
Is there anything else recommended to be done at the same time i.e tensioners?
many thanks
2.4 engine is a pig to do a cambelt on as there is no space, some garages quote £1000+ to do this as they claim they have to remove the engine from the bay to do it.
However, garages with experience can do it by moving the engine to one side a bit, the going rate depends on which garae you pick. A full cambelt kit inc. tensioners, but excluding water pump will be in the £220-£300 mark, and with waterpump, add another £60-£100. Again, some are cheaper, some more expensive. Have a look online for garages that do a fixed price service.
I had mine changed at 6 years and 50k. The belt change intervals are shorter in UK than mainland Europe as they are prone to breaking more in UK due to a tendency for UK drivers to drive shorter distances, and do more stop start journeys. Also, lots of time spent in traffic doesn't help as the engine keeps spinning without adding to the mileage on the odo.
Here are prices from L and M international who have a good reputation among Alfa community.
Stilo 2.4
12,000 / 60 mile service£101.66
£117.30
with pollen filter
24,000 / 48 / 96 mile service£172.73
£188.36
with pollen filter
36,000 mile service£236.52
£252.16
with pollen filter
72,000 mile service ** £511.99
£527.62
with pollen filter
The 72k service is £527.62 for everything changed inc cambelt and tensioners, plus, oil, filters, plugs etc.
You should get everything done on and around the cambelt, that is all tensioners, and ideally the water pump too. Later designs use metal impellors which are less prone to failure (failure tends to mean the rotor seizes as the blades break up and the cambelt gets ripped to pieces.)
A cambelt failure on a 2,4 in a knackered engine, no two ways about it. Even if re-built they tend to suffer from bottom end failure soon afterwards due to the contact of piston on valves.
However, garages with experience can do it by moving the engine to one side a bit, the going rate depends on which garae you pick. A full cambelt kit inc. tensioners, but excluding water pump will be in the £220-£300 mark, and with waterpump, add another £60-£100. Again, some are cheaper, some more expensive. Have a look online for garages that do a fixed price service.
I had mine changed at 6 years and 50k. The belt change intervals are shorter in UK than mainland Europe as they are prone to breaking more in UK due to a tendency for UK drivers to drive shorter distances, and do more stop start journeys. Also, lots of time spent in traffic doesn't help as the engine keeps spinning without adding to the mileage on the odo.
Here are prices from L and M international who have a good reputation among Alfa community.
Stilo 2.4
12,000 / 60 mile service£101.66
£117.30
with pollen filter
24,000 / 48 / 96 mile service£172.73
£188.36
with pollen filter
36,000 mile service£236.52
£252.16
with pollen filter
72,000 mile service ** £511.99
£527.62
with pollen filter
The 72k service is £527.62 for everything changed inc cambelt and tensioners, plus, oil, filters, plugs etc.
You should get everything done on and around the cambelt, that is all tensioners, and ideally the water pump too. Later designs use metal impellors which are less prone to failure (failure tends to mean the rotor seizes as the blades break up and the cambelt gets ripped to pieces.)
A cambelt failure on a 2,4 in a knackered engine, no two ways about it. Even if re-built they tend to suffer from bottom end failure soon afterwards due to the contact of piston on valves.
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Thanks for the info andy, very helpful, much appreciated 
Why
i would deffo do the water pump, common sense really.
Why
Because the water pump is driven by the cambelt. So to change it you have to change/remove the cambelt.
The original FIAT water pump has a plastic impellor (the bit that moves water about in the engine) later on, FIAT realised that these plastic impellors had a tendency to break up, so they changed the deisgn to a much stronger metal impellor.
When the plastic impellor blades break up, at best, you need a new water pump, at worst the blades break up, gets jammed, seize the pump , strip the teeth off the cambelt bit by bit, and result in complete engine destruction as pistons batter valves.
So, generally, if you are at all unsure about the age and type of water pump fitted to your car, it is a good idea to get the water pump changed while the area is exposed while the cambelt is being changed.
Also, the later metal impellor water pumps are more sensitive to the hardness of the water in the system, so use soft water, either from a Brita style water filter, or de-ionised water from a petrol station. Hard water tends to fur the blades up like an old kettle, not vital, but reduces flow and efficiency.
Ta for that, really helps OMFG
Why was I not aware of this before my timing belt change
Is a 2004 1.4 likly to have one of these plastic type ones
Pretty sure the water pump on the 1.4 is driven by the AUX belt so far less of an issue if it ever does play up.Why was I not aware of this before my timing belt change
Is a 2004 1.4 likly to have one of these plastic type ones
not being funny but even if the water pump is metal and usually last over 100k, i would replace it what ever for the price of them.
1.2 and 1.4 use toothy belt to drive the pump..
I think its the 1.6 water pump thats driven by aux belt..:rumour:
HiThanks for the above info. Just attempting to change timing belt and other bits and pieces on my Nov '03 Abarth and have found I can't remove the mobile tensioner from the side, need another 12mm of extra space!
Have come to the conclusion that the engine needs to be supported on the drivers side and the engine mounting plate removed complete with the mobile tensioner on it, unless the engine can be lifted sufficently for the tensioner to clear the side member, which I doubt.
This may be why some say they need to take the engine out!
Does anyone know where I can get locking and other timing tools for the Abarth engine? The blocking tools I have, which are for the 2.4 20v, do not have the correct cam profile.
Best regards
FFF
Fairly sure I saw a set of locking tools on eBay recently...
Cheapest place is shop4parts, under engine components, timing tools £24.40 delivered with FF discount
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Oh well ive just bit the bullet and booked mine in at my local fiat dealer (stoneacre, hyde, gtr mcr) looking at £500 just for the cambelt, tensioners and water pump! It could have been worse i suppose, i guess thats the price of exclusivity.
Hi, to remove the automatic tensioner, undo the 3 bolts that hold the engine mount to body/frame (drivers side) , fit bottle jack or similar under engine block near crank pulley. There is thick casting there, jack engine up approx. 30mm. tensioner will slide off. There is no need to remove engine.
