How do you tell if you need a new cambelt?

Jshodgson · Unread post by **Jshodgson** » 20 Apr 2006, 10:11

Is there anyway of telling if you need a new cambelt? My car came with no service records so I don't know if it has been done.

Also how much will it cost for me to have someone replace it?

Thanks, James

citroenbx · Unread post by **citroenbx** » 20 Apr 2006, 10:17

If you dont have any history then change it anyway....Not worth taking the risk.
Going rate seems to be £150 to £200 i myself am a DIY mechanic and thanks to the forum have changed 3 belts recently..If you have some tools you may want to take some advice and have a go yourself

mezuk04 · Unread post by **mezuk04** » 20 Apr 2006, 10:34

Get the waterpump done at the same time!

Jshodgson · Unread post by **Jshodgson** » 20 Apr 2006, 10:36

Thanks for the advice, any idea how much it will cost? Is there anything else I should ask them to change?

mezuk04 · Unread post by **mezuk04** » 20 Apr 2006, 10:42

Im sure mine (belt & pump) was about £160

fastandfurryous · Unread post by **fastandfurryous** » 20 Apr 2006, 11:55

Jshodgson wrote:Is there anyway of telling if you need a new cambelt?

Yes.

When the cambelt snaps, smashes all the valves to pieces and snaps the camshaft, then you needed a new cambelt the day beforehand.

Hence, change it anyway. What's £150 to guarantee it? It's either that, or a written-off engine.

BW · Unread post by BW » 21 Apr 2006, 23:58

I am interested in the suggestion that the water pump should be changed at the same time. I had'nt heard of doing that before.
Do these pumps often give problems, and are they expensive or difficult to change?
I ask because I have fluctuating temperatures on my Xantia, and despite changing coolant and thermostat these persist. Just wondered if it could possibly be a pump problem.

AndersDK · Unread post by **AndersDK** » 22 Apr 2006, 00:56

BW wrote:I am interested in the suggestion that the water pump should be changed at the same time. I had'nt heard of doing that before.
Do these pumps often give problems, and are they expensive or difficult to change?
I ask because I have fluctuating temperatures on my Xantia, and despite changing coolant and thermostat these persist. Just wondered if it could possibly be a pump problem.

As a rule of thumb - you replace the cambelt at some 60-80 Kmiles intervals. Every 2.nd cambelt change you replace idler & tensioner rollers - & the waterpump.
This is not because these components are un-reliable - but because this is the average expected lifetime for these components. As the waterpump and rollers are all driven by the canbelt, a failing component will cause a failing cambelt.

They MAY (and do in fact mostly) outlast a 3.rd cambelt.
But do you want to gamble - the MAY option of lasting - with your engine ?

Also the cost of a later detected bad waterpump replacement (before it ruined the cambelt) is exactly the same as replacing the cambelt - because you have to remove the cambelt again anyway ...

Its the same scheme when you replace a clutch : you are doing huge work removing the gearbox to access the clutch. Now you only replace the friction plate. 2 months later the release bearing is shot and you have to remove the gearbox again. Now 4 months later the driven plate finger springs are all gone - and off the gearbox goes again ...
Now the year after the oil seal behind the flywheel (carrying the clutch) fails and contaminates your (almost) new clutch with oil - and then ...

It goes on forever if you dont put your service money right ...

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 22 Apr 2006, 12:40

When I bought my last XM the cam belt had just been changed, but 5k later the water pump started leaking, so also fitted new belt, 5k later the head gasket went, another belt. three belts in 10k, is this a record?

Having suffered the effects of a broken belt on my wifes BX TZD, which I wrongly assumed had been replaced, it broke at about 120k the original belt! It cost me about £300 and several days work doing it myself and I had a secondhand camshaft in stock! so theres a moral there somwhere.

Anyone want a couple of XM cambelts, only 5000 miles, honest gov...

BonceChops · Unread post by **BonceChops** » 22 Apr 2006, 20:33

Peter.N. wrote:It cost me about £300 and several days work doing it myself and I had a secondhand camshaft in stock! so theres a moral there somwhere.

Is it - Always keep £300 and a second hand camshaft in your tool box

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How do you tell if you need a new cambelt?

How do you tell if you need a new cambelt?

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