cambelts

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Sat 12 May 2001 08:33
cambelts - Mark
A salesman trying to persuade me to by a '93 Fiat Tipo 1.4 assured me that
the cambelt would be inspected as part of the pre-delivery service.
Apart from checking its tension how much useful information can be
gained just by looking at it?
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Sat 12 May 2001 09:38
Re: cambelts - Guy Lacey
As far as I'm aware you can see how the material is degrading and the state of the teeth - i.e. any missing or any suspect ones. I think VW don't specify a cam-belt change interval on some of their motas - simply an "inspection interval"
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Sat 12 May 2001 14:05
Cambelt inspection concerns again. - D J Woollard
Mark,
Have a look at the post dated 5/5/01 "VW cambelt cost" and my following thread "Timing belt inspection concerns" dated 10/5/01, as well as all the other replies of course.
Is your selling dealer willing to put in writing he will pay the engine rebuild cost if the belt breaks after he has deemed it OK, I doubt it.
The trade time to change this belt is just one hour and a belt at a tenner. Get him to do it as part of the deal if there is no proof of previous changes, if he refuses and you are very keen on the car get it done afterwards for the small cost involved.
Is he selling/including an extended warranty with the vehicle? If so look at the terms and conditions regarding the timing belt failure damage. This may require actual proof of a change at the correct interval not just an inspection. Many smaller dealers don't point this out until after the belt has snapped and it becomes your problem because the warranty wording has their side tied up in a watertight fashion!
Regards,
David
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Mon 14 May 2001 08:32
Re: cambelts - Ian Cook
Inspection will only reveal obvious signs of oil contamination or tooth wear, but the vital part of any belt is NOT the outside black rubber bit - it's the core tensile members. You can't see these when you inspect the belt (if you can, then you're definitely on borrowed time).

These tensile members will have very low "elongation at break", so trying to test the belt by stretching it doesn't work either. Basically, the tensile members will break when they are ready - and that is time/use dependent. If the dealer is offering to inspect the belt, tell him not to bother - haggle for a discount and get it changed by a reputable garage.

Ian
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Mon 14 May 2001 09:01
Re: cambelts - Mark
Thanks, that's what I thought.
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