I'm currently trying to work out whether its worth changing the cambelt on my 1998 38K Miles 1.25 Fiesta Zetec. Generally in the past I've worked on the 4 years/40K rule, but various Ford dealers are adamant that 10 years/100K is the interval.
Is it just me or is that a huge gap? And it seems a little strange that the 1.4 Zetec has an official interval of 5 years/80K - which my car falls into on the age range anyway.
I know its safer to err on the side of caution but I'm also not in a hurry to spend 100 quid or more on a job that genuinely doesnt need doing for another 3 years or so! (this car only does 8k miles a year)
My Focus is just about to hit 40k, unfortunately Ford are very clear on that one, 4 years/40K! So thats another 140 quid!
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Exercise caution and change the belt now. You won\'t regret it, I\'ll tell you.
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I guess you're right!
It all comes down to whether you believe Ford can make a belt (and tensioners etc) that could last 10 years or 100K! I think that one answers itself.
Its the longest interval I've ever seen over the many cars I've had (for belts anyway, but even chains need some attention around then)
Besides, I plan to keep the car for a year or so longer. It won't be worth much with bent valves etc!
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Who knows, the fact that the cambelt has been changed may ADD a small amount of value to your car come p/x or private sale time :-)
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I'm vary wary of manufacturer recommended intervals since the belt in my Dad's 309 SRi went at 41K taking most of the valves with it at the same time.
This 11 yr old car had a Full Peugeot Service History at the time, so naturally I questioned when the timing belt should have been changed.
Apparently, for that model year Peugeot specified no cambelt change during the life of the car! The next model year specified regular changes at 40K/4 years.
I contacted Peugeot UK, who justified this saying that the original cam belt on my Dad's model year (87) was of a different material to the later model years (88 on).
Yeah right! More like they realised that this cam belt for life policy didn't work so they made a subtle change to the service requirements without sending out appropriate service bullitens!
Ironically, any backstreet garage would have pressed for a cambelt change asap. If the belt had had another 500 miles left in it. I would have almost certainly got it done when I bought the car from him!
H
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I have no knowledge of this belt or maker's engines.
BUT.
I am up in the north, working on hydraulics. Nortones knows a lot more. Sherlock Holmes, probably.
So, Cytec, in Bradford, supplies carbon fibre to these belts.
Service life suggests that they really will last 200 thousand miles, so 100 k miles suggested.
Cytec industries or something. Look for yourselves.
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I suppose any modern cambelt will last way beyond the manufacturers recommendations, in theory at least.
I could imagine the Fiesta cambelt managing 100k, but this belt is now five years old and age takes its toll as much as mileage.
Ironically, the only camblet I've had fail on me was on my old 1986 Polo 1.3, and the cambelt on there was only about 3 months old, so the failure was a bit of a disappointment to say the least!
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I'm not sure where they're going with the 100K thing, my 1.25 had a recommended interval of 80K IIRC. Just like my current 1.4 Duratec.
Blue
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Replace the belt, even if its only for piece of mind.
Pastyman
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hmm don't just replace the belt. Eaxamine very carefully all rollers and tensioners for ANY signs of roughness by spinning by hand also any signs of sideplay (shiny surface on one side on not t'other). If they fail, new belt is not worth tuppence and you will end up MUCH poorer.
Persoanlly I think any belt> 5 years old in a hot and cold oily environment is likely to fail at any moment and certainly after 7 years it's just risking too much.
No matter how well designed if you subject anything to periodic stretching , rotation, sideplay, heat and cold the teeth will start to wear.. It's amazing how much better engines run after a new belt is fitted as engine timing is restored to amnufacturer's settings.. Worth the cost in fuel consumption alone.
See other thread on Audi A4 tdi expenses on bent valves:-(
madf
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I'm convinced! I'm getting it done next week.
I normally change timing belts myself but with this Fiesta you need a few extra tools to do it properly and its not worth buying them/renting them as the garage has quoted 70 quid to fit one,plus 30 for the belt.
Which doesn't seem to bad for a modern(ie transverse!) engine.
My old Omega had many(many,many) faults, but changing the timing belt took me only 1/2 hour - the benefit of a longitudinally mounted 4 cylinder engine!
Next its my 1.8 Focus. Which looks even trickier for the cambelt change as you apparently have to almost remove the camshaft sprockets.
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