Grand C4 Picasso, Some service info

[CitROeNALD]

Hello, a few things I wanted to check with people.

Just looking for my service schedule for my C4 Grand Spacetourer 2018 - 1.6 Blue HDI, I've seen similar for the same model/engine, but I thought I'd check with finally get around to confirming with my VIN: VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]

My main dealer made no mention of the auxiliary belt being due, even though they have been good at keeping to the schedule for all previous services on general items.

From what I have seen it should have been mentioned on the 6 year mark. My 7 year service is just coming up.

In addition, the belt on there currently is the GATES 6PK962 brand/spec belt.
It seems that that brand part is now either hideously expensive or not widely available (I think it has been discontinued essentially).

So my other questions are:

1) I can find the equivalent one made by Continental/Contitech, is this likely to be just as acceptable a replacement?

2)Furthermore, using my VIN, can anyone confirm if my car has two belt tensioners?

I can see the top tensioner, but I have read that the stop/start 1.6 blue HDI also has a bottom tensioner, but I can't see it looking down from the top.

I've seen a few videos replacing it and it looks easy enough, unless there is something I am missing.

Kind Regards.

[CitROeNALD]

Can any one pull the service info for the above?

I found this reference, but it is for the ehdi, so I don't know if it has a different schedule.
viewtopic.php?t=80582

Would it be normal for a garage to skip the replacement interval (in terms if time interval) for the auxiliary belt if it was well below mileage and looked in good condition?

[PaulC5]

Our 308 service schedule has aux belt replacement listed at 6 years. It looks ok to me and I mentioned replacing it at the dealer service, they said it would be checked when I booked it in and it has not been replaced so they must have not bothered or been happy with it, only on 19k miles though. They are always keen to get as much out of us but only if necessary so I am sure it does not need replacing.

[CitROeNALD]

Ah that's good to know.

I didn't realise service items like that were done on visual check and the interval was optional.

My car had done similar mileage to yours at the 6 year mark too.

I was putting at the same level of importance as the cam belt at 10 years, which I assume is not optional, is it?

[mickthemaverick]

The level of importance is really about the results of a breaking belt. A failed aux belt will only result in running on the battery or having no power steering or no aircon etc depending on which belt it is, whereas a broken cam belt can result in catastrophic damage to the engine and an exceptionally expensive repair. Make your own judgement on the importance of each belt's renewal needs!

[CitROeNALD]

Yeh, I kind of assumed that. But I have also read stories about the aux belt snapping causing a lot of other damage (modern cars morso maybe?), but they could be just anecdotal one-offs.

So, yeh, just wondering how pertinent that six year replacement was.

[merlin667]

I can give you some information from the past (from a Renault K4M engine): The aux belt failed, went through the plastic cover into the timing belt and the valves collided with the pistons.
16 new valves needed, luckily it was two or three months after the replacement of the camshaft dephaser and i could blame the garage and the had to rebuild it on their own costs.
Depending on the way the engine design it could be worse with broken camshafts or other parts inside the valve drive train.

But I've also heard about this topic from other cars / Engines.

[CitROeNALD]

I would assume therefore that if the aux/serpentine belt is being visually inspected as part of the general service, that this should be enough in determining if replacement is warranted.

So that 6 year replacement is actually an advisory pending inspection.

Whereas something like the Cam belt is 10 years or mileage, no questions.

[PaulC5]

On the timing belt, I do not wait for the full 10 years or miles and have it replaced sooner. Saves me getting close to 10 years and worrying it might fail with it not being easy to inspect. Also if somebody had fit a pattern part it might not have the same replacement interval as one from a dealer.