Technical when to change the cam belt?

[sumplug]

I think there is a few more factors why it might have snapped before 50k. Auxiliary belts can snap and take out the cambelt. There used to be a problem with the cambelt cover that caused it to reduce the life of the cambelt. Also i presume the belt that is used aswell, could be a major factor in how long it lasts. Bear in mind rog is doing most of the work on coupes that get their belts changed and he knows the condition and factors that into his judgement for 50k. Just my 2 little penny's worth.

Ross

ok.but let me put this to you.you have two cars.both brand new.one car runs up and down the motorway and does 12000 miles per year.the other car,runs mainly around town.it accelerates,slows,accelerates.stops cools down.you get the drift.it does 9000 miles per year.which car as the most wear? and which car has put more strain on the belts? yes the lower mileage car.so when the first car has done 48000 miles,its due for a cambelt according to the 50k recommodation.the other car has done 36k.its belt has more wear then the first car.do you change the belt?

 

[Hellcat]

ok.but let me put this to you.you have two cars.both brand new.one car runs up and down the motorway and does 12000 miles per year.the other car,runs mainly around town.it accelerates,slows,accelerates.stops cools down.you get the drift.it does 9000 miles per year.which car as the most wear? and which car has put more strain on the belts? yes the lower mileage car.so when the first car has done 48000 miles,its due for a cambelt according to the 50k recommodation.the other car has done 36k.its belt has more wear then the first car.do you change the belt?

No you change the driver

 

[sumplug]

No you change the driver

no matter who drives,the fact is the car gets driven in traffic and built up areas.it has to speed up and slow down to meet road conditions.think about the clutch.how many gear changes are done around town and how many on the motorway? motorway cars wear their components at a slow rate.the cars run at optimum speed and temp.town cars wear much quicker.steering being used,brakes,suspension,gearbox and clutch.and the engine is getting boiled in traffic[oil killer],and the components are spinning fast and slow with stress going on them each time they spin up.as i said before,its how the car's mileage has been done to determine belt changing.not whats on the clock.

 

[sammiboo]

anyone else feel like :crying:

Like i said Andy, people dont have to agree with you not matter hoe much you play the same record. You think one thing some people do not agree with you. ah well!

 

[Hellcat]

I meant change the driver to someone who does some longer distance journeys..

Both sides of the arguement have been posted well. Suggest we leave it as that and people can use their own judgement, the comments here and the opinion of whoever is doing the work.

My only final contribution would be to have the belt checked occasionally for any obvious signs of wear. I had a dodgy tensioner which was nibbling away at the cambelt so it probably wouldn't have made 36k never mind 50!

 

[sumplug]

anyone else feel like :crying:

Like i said Andy, people dont have to agree with you not matter hoe much you play the same record. You think one thing some people do not agree with you. ah well!

the same record as you call it shows that owners are having engine rebuilds before time.why? this fact you have avoided to acknowledge is costing owners dearly.it seems its YOU WHO DOES NOT WANT TO BE WRONG! ah well!!

 

[ringy]

the same record as you call it shows that owners are having engine rebuilds before time.why? this fact you have avoided to acknowledge is costing owners dearly.it seems its YOU WHO DOES NOT WANT TO BE WRONG! ah well!!

Surely car manufacturers don't put a finger in the wind and guess the frequency of change (mileage/age)?

I'm not a techy but i would guess you will always have a small minority of failures prior to the 72k and by halving the cambelt service interval to 36k you are going to significantly reduce the risk. However i would imagine the vast majority of belts will be fine at the original frequency.

If you stick to fiats service schedule it doesn't make you a neglectful owner, just more prepared to accept risk.

Anyway a failures a good excuse for a 2.4 conversion.

 

[dave]

manufacturers tell fibbs to sell cars, they then revise things later

 

[sumplug]

manufacturers tell fibbs to sell cars, they then revise things later

and they dont honour warranties or guarantees either.this chaps car whose engine has been built at 47k and was told at 40k not to worry about it tried to claim on his warranty[he has extended warranty]. they have said its a wear and tear item and proberly not belt related!!! so the owner takes heed of fiat and now has a rebuild cost of a £1000. he is taking legal action.this happened to GM.thats why they revised the cambelt schedule from 80k to 40k.a big difference.ive always maintained cars by servicing at half manufactorers recommodations.oil changes especially.3-5000 miles max.oil always comes out of the sump nice and clean.that means the internals are good.money well spent.

 

[_LJW_]

I had my cambelt changed at 22,000 miles/5 years! That's coupe paranoia for you

 

[h2ypr]

Opposite side of the coin in true also. Better not drive a fiat mate if ur going to second guess them all the time. I hear what u are saying regarding cambelt failures but 72-50 is big enough difference without reducing to 36. Bear in mind a weekend car might only cover that 9000 miles in one year whereas the daily might cover the 12k. But the rubber is still aging. Which also makes the difference. So thats why its 50k or 4/5 years. What do u actually own anyways? Cause see if it aint a coupe, then why the hell are u commenting? You should be ending with a post that says ...."blah blah blah... ignore at ur own risk"

Ross

 

[ringy]

eace:

 

[sumplug]

Opposite side of the coin in true also. Better not drive a fiat mate if ur going to second guess them all the time. I hear what u are saying regarding cambelt failures but 72-50 is big enough difference without reducing to 36. Bear in mind a weekend car might only cover that 9000 miles in one year whereas the daily might cover the 12k. But the rubber is still aging. Which also makes the difference. So thats why its 50k or 4/5 years. What do u actually own anyways? Cause see if it aint a coupe, then why the hell are u commenting? You should be ending with a post that says ...."blah blah blah... ignore at ur own risk"

Ross

i would read the posts first before posting.its not mileage,its the type of use.upper rev limit driving decreases the bel life.there is a formula to work out your belt life on SPORTING FIAT CLUB SITE.its a very good formula.ive owned 2 coupes.the last one had a receipt which showed an engine rebuild at 37k costing £2100.luckily that was before i bought it.

 

[sammiboo]

 

[h2ypr]

i would read the posts first before posting.its not mileage,its the type of use.upper rev limit driving decreases the bel life.there is a formula to work out your belt life on SPORTING FIAT CLUB SITE.its a very good formula.ive owned 2 coupes.the last one had a receipt which showed an engine rebuild at 37k costing £2100.luckily that was before i bought it.

So the age has nothing to do with it? here was me thinkin rubber perishes....

Ross

 

[sumplug]

So the age has nothing to do with it? here was me thinkin rubber perishes....

Ross

i said its the type of use ross.so this does include perished rubber

 

[sumplug]

suits you.

 

[Gouki]

Yes this is all good advice. I'd personally change the cambelt every three years/36,000 miles. My aux belt snapped at 38K miles and took the cambelt with it, I then had to have a new engine fitted which was far from cheap.

 

[dave]

why didnt you change the aux belt at 36k as well

 

[pinin__prestatyn]

why didnt you change the aux belt at 36k as well

Just maybe, he didn't replace aux belt or cambelt at 36K, and that's why one of them snapped :idea: