29-October-2002, 11:37
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Safe Sane Consensual
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: West Sussex, UK
Posts: 14,236
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The Great Cambelt Swindle
After consideration of the following article I have decided not to replace my cambelt after 45000 and gamble on it lasting until I have to sell (or scrap ) the car in about six months time.
Here's the reasoning............
From “Driving” - The Sunday Times – October 27th 2002
‘How to Survive Your Local Garage’ by SPANNER
Timing belts, also known as cam belts. A classic. They’re often well hidden so it’s very difficult for a driver to spot if the thing has been changed. And it is a crucial part. Failure to change a belt that consequently snaps can destroy your engine because the valves can make contact with the pistons.
Manufacturers recommend the belt is changed every 40,000 to 60,000 miles since its teeth will wear down.
On a standard eight-valve engine, it is relatively easy to get to and check, though very often mechanics will still leave it and charge you for work that isn’t done. They just take the cover off, look at the belt then put the cover back on and take your money. That’s because the belts usually last for at least 100,000 miles, so they’re happy to take the risk.
But on 16-valve Japanese cars such as a Toyota Celica it’s a different story. On these motors they can be very difficult to access and change – so much so that I haven’t seen a new one fitted in a decade. The mechanic just charges more for his time.
As a rule, the tighter your engine fits the engine bay, the more difficult the work is to carry out, and so the higher the chance that the mechanic will miss things or charge you for work that’s not been done.
The bizarre thing is that on BMWs, the belt is like a bike chain, so is very strong: on a well-treated car, it will probably never need changing. But most manufacturers still make the out of rubber so they are perishable.
On a regular eight-valve engine like a Golf’s, expect to be charged at least £100 (and a main dealer could more than treble that.) On a five-year-old Celica,it would be about £170 for the labour and about £35 for the part, but on something like a Subaru Impreza, I’d recommend you take it to the dealer – the work is that complicated.
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