General That Cambelt Thing

[johnson550]

Hi thought Id let you know about the proverbial b*****k Ive dropped thanks to this forum if only Ide have thought about looking on here first or somebody had told me or the garage bloke had known. Bought my 2001 1.9 ELX weekend in January this year and thought the first thing to get done the cambelt went to my local garage he did it charged £70 so I thought champion thats that done and cheap. But that dosent seem to be it if I have to go back and have a new tensioner and probably water pump fitted. Ah well if at first you dont succeed I will have to pay again.

Bill

 

[Hellcat]

If you have to go back for a new tensioner the likelyhood is that you will also need 8 new valves... If it fails blam the belt goes slack, the cam is out of sync with the crank and the savings are out the window..

£240 for a full change with tensioner & water pump. You'd just about get 8 valves for £240 and that doesn't include the new tensioner, gasket, stretch bolts, belt and the labour in opening the head, and replacing all the above components

 

[JOFF]

On this subject.
Im due to change my cam belt on 2.0l 20v. Its gonna cost an arm and a leg, i know!
As im not that clued up with cars, is there anything else that is worthwhile doing while the cam belt is done, to save time and money?

 

[bulldog5046]

On this subject.
Im due to change my cam belt on 2.0l 20v. Its gonna cost an arm and a leg, i know!
As im not that clued up with cars, is there anything else that is worthwhile doing while the cam belt is done, to save time and money?

just make sure they change the cambelt, water pump and bother tensioners!

motomech in birmingham are highly rated here, they charge £400 for it all and can do it in a morning

 

[Hellcat]

Possibly worth having aux belt tensioners and belt changing too.. Not sure if thats similar on the 20v as on the JTD.

 

[potty]

what does the water pump need changed and what are tensioners? and why doed it cost £400

 

[bulldog5046]

Possibly worth having aux belt tensioners and belt changing too.. Not sure if thats similar on the 20v as on the JTD.

maybe but i'm not too worried if they snap i can changed them in an hour no problems lol! just the frigging cambelt thats a monster!

 

[JOFF]

Cheers Dude. Ill prob go to birmingham if i cant find a garage that will do the job, closer to manchester.

 

[hmallett]

what does the water pump need changed and what are tensioners? and why doed it cost £400

It's not a neccesity to change the water pump, but it's driven by the same belts, so it makes sense to change it at the same time. The same goes for the tensioners. The tensioners are basically the bits that hold the belts in place. The problem with not changing all this is that if a tensioner goes, or the water pump pulley goes, or the aux belt goes, more often than not (on the 20V at least), the aux belt will get trapped in the cam belt, and end up wrecking both, plus your valaves. Given the cost of repairing this, many people feel happier getting it all done at the same time, even if it does cost more initially.
H