Fiesta Diesel, new cambelt labour cost?

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Fri 13 Jul 2007 12:45
Fiesta Diesel, new cambelt labour cost? - clockerharvey
Hi,
I have a 5 year old Fiesta Diesel - old shape - which has over 115,000 miles on the clock, 40K of which I put on it since buying it 2 years ago. The engine is the Endura DI 1.8TD and I have realised that the belt which drives the camshaft from the chain-driven diesel pump will need replacing - probably actually overdue by now as I am sure the prevous owner did not have it done before 75K!!

I purchased the genuine Ford belt kit including a belt and tensioner along with a large sheet of instrructions however I am somewhat put off doing this job myself - as I usuallly do - as the enclosed Ford instruction sheet imply that I need about six special Ford tools to do the job. The Haynes fiesta manual lists this as a "5-spanner" rating and advices that the DIY mechanic needs an engine crane, trolley jack, camshaft locking tool, bearing puller and a Clavis guage - and more - just to do this job !!

I contacted the Ford dealer to see what their price would be and was quoted £300 labour (inc VAT) but was told it would be done within a day. I have always assumed that "main dealer labour" is priced out of the range of ordinary mortals and wage-slaves as myself so I thought my next move would be to try and get an independent garage to quote the job - labour only (as I have the belt).

I would be interested to know what price I would expect to pay for such a job and whether any of the garage chains may specialise in this type of job.

Thanks in advance...


Steve



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Fri 13 Jul 2007 15:33
Fiesta Diesel, new cambelt labour cost? - Galad
Sounds like you've been lucky if the original cambelt hasn't been replaced yet. It also sounds like an engine-out job to replace as with my diesel Mazda. Dealer charged me £300 too but I got the peace of mind of a job done properly and with a dealer guarantee to back it up.
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Fri 13 Jul 2007 22:14
Fiesta Diesel, new cambelt labour cost? - stuartl
A five spanner rating in a Haynes Manual makes £300 from a main dealer sound rather attractive to me I must say!

I am a fan of Haynes Manuals (I know I may get shot down in flames for saying this) as I have made a point of getting one for every car and van I have ever owned.

I changed the HG on my 1997 Mondeo and that was quite a job and was only deemed a 'four spanner' rating in the manual.

I'm very surprised the superb Jap engineering hasn't managed to find a way to change a cambelt on Galad's Mazda without removing the engine but I echo his view that £300 and a dealer backed warranty is a nice idea. Just make sure that if Ford's do it they dont try and wriggle out of guaranteeing the parts as they haven't supplied them as part of the 'job' even though as you say they are genuine Ford items
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Sat 14 Jul 2007 00:10
Fiesta Diesel, new cambelt labour cost? - scotmech

i44.photobucket.com/albums/f11/scotmech/Fiesta1.8t...g

According to Autodata this is the repair times ... It depends on the hourly rate what the charge for labour will be ...
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Sat 14 Jul 2007 00:52
Fiesta Diesel, new cambelt labour cost? - TurboD
Take your chance and if it goes, chuck yor car away.it is as simple as that.
That is how motors are made now.
Cars ares so cheap S/H it is just not worth repairing them.
Labour in Bitain is dearer than depreciaton.
Run it to destruction and buy another?
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