The old cambelt question again!
My 1999 1.8 Focus is nearing 40k miles/4 years which is about when I would change the cambelt on previous cars. However, I'm getting a big difference in opinion about when this should be done:
Haynes Manual: 40k, 4 years (and change tensioner/pulleys)
Local Mechanics: 100k, 10 years
Ford dealer 'A': 60k, 5 Years
Ford dealer 'B': 100k, 10 years
I know its better to err on the side of caution but I would interested if anyone had a more accurate view! I'm already convinced that the 100k,10 years is unrealistic.
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Quite disgraceful that you can not get accurate information from a ford dealer. In any event it is most likely to be around the 60,000 mile mark. However you should note that belts suffer wear and tear due to age and therefore in my opinion as the car is 4 years old the belt should be changed along with the ancillary components. If your engine is similar to the 1.8 zetec fitted to Mondeo's then, if I am correct Ford has designed the belt to last up to 80,000 miles. But it is always better to change earlier rather then pay for an engine rebuild should the belt break.
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Snakey:
What does your handbook say? I have a 1999 Mondeo and a similar(ish) question! I have decided to change belt, tensioner, guide and water pump at 70k and 4 years.
Link below is to my question.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=15...9
Andy
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If I am deciphering my handbook correctly, then it says the interval is 60k, 5 Years.
I don't mind changing the belt/pulleys/tensioner etc, but its an expensive job to do too frequently! (I do 20k miles a year)
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If I am deciphering my handbook correctly, then it says the interval is 60k, 5 Years.
Yes, the Mondeo one would not be on my nominations list for a Plain English Campaign award! I think mine says 80k and 4 years for my particular car, but its hard to be sure. If you read HJ's car-by-car breakdown, he says something like "some fleets reckon only 60k miles for Focus cambelts" Have a look and see what you make of it.
I don't mind changing the belt/pulleys/tensioner etc, but its an expensive job to do too frequently! (I do 20k miles a year)
So do I , usually more. Tha's why I can't afford to have the car off the road with an expensive engine failure! I am viewing the cost as a good investment and insurance against a rebuild bill for the next 3 years!
hth
Andy
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60K/5 yrs is where I would change the belt.
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I know what you mean about the manual! My engine (a 1.8 Zetec) is referred to as a Zetec-S, Zetec-SE, or plain Zetec merrily throughout all of Fords documentation. However, when regarding cambelt changes this suddenly becomes important!
I'll probably bite the bullet and do the lot at 40k as I believe you can get the kit for around £90 with the tensioner etc.
The question is, how cautious do you want to be, some people will change the water pump at the same time!
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I'm having the water pump chamged as well for 2 reasons.
1 - I had the water pump on my Polo fail an irritating few thousand miles after I had the cambelt and tensioners changed by VW at the recommended interval. This left me stranded on the
A14 with no coolant and an uncomfortable 3 hour tow from home.
2 - Because Andrew Moorey advised that it only adds a few minutes to the job and I can get the part cheaply.
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My Focus handbook stated 100K or 10 years. The dealer also confirmed this. I also remember reading that the S and SE were the same engine, but had differenet names in throughout the EU, so for example an S in the UK was an SE in Belgium.
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davey:
Any ideas where the Zetec E, which appears to be the engine fitted to my Mundano, fits into the crazy scheme?
Andy
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Davey:
I'm not having a go, but following on from a helpful comment on my Mondeo cambelt thread ... Do you think Ford would cough for a new engine/rebuild if the belt or one of its associated parts failed at 90k or 9 years? I don't!
I think 5 years or 80k is more than enough.
Andy
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Whatever it is getting it in writing from Ford Customer Services. Get the engine code/number and write to them. If it fails before their recommended date then at least you have some comeback. Else you will get the 'we never said that' excuse.
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Snakey, I think your 1.8 is based on the same lump as my 2.0, the Ford service interval is 100,000 or 10 years for mine too. I bought mine as a high miles ex-company car with aound 90,000 on it. There was no way I was going to risk 100,000 though, I had it done straight away, with tensioners as well (I think the water pump is driven by the auxilliary belt on these unlike Vauxhalls where it is cambelt driven. I may be wrong though!).
The Ford belts seem much better i.e. wider and thicker than the Vauxhall belts (which seem to go at 5 years or 40,000 miles if you leave the originals on) but really it's up to you if you risk it.
If you're a fleet manager you can stick to the schedule, but I'd rather not.
Chris
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Andy S,
Re your comment on water pumps, I've just checked a Focus forum and they do mention that some pumps have failed at around 40,000 so it may be worth changing it when Snakey decides to do the belt. Mine is still nice and quiet at 102,000 miles.
Chris
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Yes, I can just imagine Ford coughing up the £100s to rebuild or replace a knackered engine. Like any other car manufacturer their attitude will simply be 'out of warranty? tough luck'
I think I'll opt for a change of belt and pulleys etc at 40k miles and then I know its good for another 40k. Then at 80k I'll do the same again and probably change the water pump at the time.
Its like insurance really, all that money 'just in case'!
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Has anyone changed the Focus timing belt and tensioners themselves? I have always done my own engine repairs and changed timing belts on other cars (VW's). The Haynes manual makes the Focus sound a bit tricky. Is it as hard as it sounds?
Pete Mansell
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Probably, yeah!
Access is a little tight I guess plus the use of specialised tooling to time the engine is another obstacle to get in the way of DIYers
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I always used to do my own cambelt changes but this time it will be a local garage. I gather you need a specific length bolt and some camshaft locking tools to do this on the Zetec engines.
If I remember correctly, you even have to loosen the camshaft sprockets to change the belt which seems a bit over the top!
I'm not sure why none of the Zetec engines simply have markers on the crankshaft pulley and camshafts to allow you to ascertain TDC, but I suspect it is deliberate to make DIY difficult.
Incidentally, the easiest cambelt change I ever did was on a 2.0 Omega. Loads of room and longitudinally mounted engine - Half an hour job at the most!
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