Specifically, on a 2000 1.8 16v Mondeo? I'm looking for one one of these as my next car, and as the belt is due up for changing at 5 years, i'm guessing there won't be many that have had it done.
Why so often though? My 1.25 16v Fiesta needed it done every 100,000 miles or 10 years (Not that I'd leave it that long you understand!) But still...I thought bigger engines were supposed be less strained?
Anyway, I'm rambling - has anyone done this? Is it best left to pro's?
|
anyone who can read a Haynes manual and can follow instructions and check and recheck can do it.. imo.
madf
|
Doh :o(
I loathe Haynes manuals with a passion. They never have a picture of what you actually need too see, and assume step 1 will always proceed smoothly to step 2.
Well, I'll have a look at my Fiesta Haynes, and see how difficult it looks.
|
I thought all Ford ones now were 10 years/100,000 miles apart from a few diesels or some obscure model.
Bear in mind I've got a track record for being wrong.
--
Adam
|
Anyone who can understand a Haynes manual shouldn't need one!
Remove a (see chapter 3d iii)
Remove b & c (see chapter 6 a)
Remove d (see chapter 2h iv)
So you go to chapter 3d iii ... and what does it say?
Remove a (see chapter 5a i)
Then I always give up, these manuals were redone by a computer in the early 1990s and haven't been much use since.
|
:-D Exactly!!
How do you mean redone by computer?
|
|
|
I have done maybe a couple of hundred timing belts in my time (that's over a couple of decades). They vary from dead easy to almost impossible (i.e. without removing the engine a special tools!).
Personally, I would say if you're asking the question then you're not confident enough to do it. Remember - get it wrong and you may well wreck the engine. Also remember that it is often necessary to change idler or tensior pulleys at the same time.
As to the original query - well, if its a 'new' Mondeo then I think they all have chains (the 1.8, 2.0, 2.5 and 2.0 Diesel are all chain-cam IIRC)??
|
The 1.8 engine in the previous body Mondeo has got a belt - my father had it changed (for his Mondeo) at his local garage (non-franchised, known the owner for years....) for £160 - as Aprila rightly says, the cost of getting it wrong can be horrendous.
Newer Mondeos (Duratec) do indeed have chain cams.
|
|
Sorry, meant to add - they are a five year / 50,000 mile service item
|
I'm pretty sure the belts are meant to be changed a 100,000 miles. Not sure now about the 10 years - it could be 5 thinking about it.
--
Adam
|
|
|
|
|
|
Specifically, on a 2000 1.8 16v Mondeo? I'm looking for one one of these as my next car, and as the belt is due up for changing at 5 years, i'm guessing there won't be many that have had it done. Why so often though? My 1.25 16v Fiesta needed it done every 100,000 miles or 10 years (Not that I'd leave it that long you understand!) But still...I thought bigger engines were supposed be less strained?
This was covered in the last couple of weeks.
Ford say 100K on the petrol engines.
|
"Personally, I would say if you're asking the question then you're not confident enough to do it."
I agree with Aprilia there. If you are an experienced DIYer, and have tackled all kinds of jobs successfully, then a new one like doing a timing belt should be pretty straitforward. After years of experience all jobs become relatively easy, because you have build up an understanding of the principles, already have a 6th sense about likely snags in any situation, and above all know when to stop and make cautious investigations or re-read the book.
The best thing, short of just taking it to a garage of course, would be to get an experienced friend to help and instruct. But make sure he knows what he is doing first!
And no matter how experienced or confident you are, I would always advise winding the engine round very slowly by hand afterwards with the plugs removed.
|
"And no matter how experienced or confident you are, I would always advise winding the engine round very slowly by hand afterwards with the plugs removed"
Yes: I agree. As I did my first one last week (106 diesel, I did exactly that. And then put in all the various timing pins to check the timing was correct (which it was). Better take another 10 minutes at the end to check.. or spend several hours/days redoing the work/repairing the damage.
I also agree that if you are not mechanically experienced you should NOT attempt it: sod's law says something will always go wrong (in my case an overtightened bolt in the most inaccessible place possible:-)
madf
|
|
just for information, Mondeo timing belts are either 80k if its a silver coloured rocker cover, if it has a black plastic R/c its 100k or ten years.
|
if you got a black top on engine then ford guarantee 100k or 10 years if its the silver top then 5years up to 80k but i have heard of the odd one going at around the 70k mark . i would recommend 80k /8years for black top and 60k for the silver top and change the tensioner as well as this is a known problem ...cheers...keo.
|
i would recommend 80k /8years for black top and 60k for the silver top
Why? If Ford guarantee the belt for 100k then let them treat you to a new engine if it goes snap!
--------------
Mike Farrow
|
|
|
|
I agree with Aprilia there. If you are an experienced DIYer, and have tackled all kinds of jobs successfully, then a new one like doing a timing belt should be pretty straitforward.
I know exactly what you mean, if you haven't done anything before or lack any of the tools then don't go there. Here's a quick test to see if you should undergo the change yourself:
- if you read the Haynes manual and think 'what the hell if he going on about' or 'what's one of them then?' then don't do it. There was a thread on here many moons ago where a chap got a "mate" to change a cambelt after the old one snapped on his clio and didn't line the pulleys up! Ended in bending every single valve by push starting.
- if you read the Haynes manual and think "why's he asked me to remove that to undo that when I can do the same job by just undoing this" or "I don't know how he thinks I'll be able to do that without doing this first" then I'd say you know your engine well enough and do it yourself.
With anything DIY it's best to start yourself off with simple things and then work your way up until you understand enough of how the car's bolted together to be able to do more complicated stuff.
I don't like the state of new Haynes manuals either, they have too many columns of one page and the pictures aren't big enough, plus they seem to be made from recycled toilet paper. I recently helped a mate change the oil and filter on his Fiesta. Upon opening the bonnet he took the dipstick out and laid it to one side. Why? Because the Haynes manual says so. Why does it say that? Heaven knows, just makes the dipstick dusty if you ask me.
--------------
Mike Farrow
|
|
|
|
|
