Safe Engines if Cambelt Breaks

Hintza

toyota WTi engines are chain cam.

DobbyR

Be careful with Vauxhall Astras and Vectras (and possibly other models as well) as they are belt driven. Ignore the manual and get it inspected at every yearly service and definitely change it at 50,000 miles even if it looks OK.

arrowsmith

Most Japanese cars are chain cam, Micra's have been since the 1993 MkII

blue_haddock

iolanthe07 wrote:

Best thing to do is to make sure your next car has a chain cam -plenty do, mainly Japanese, I think.

Have a word with Nissan Almera and Nissan Navara owners - who says a chain cam engine is safer than a cam belt one

moonrakerz

Ford cam belts have a good reputation - unlike V******l.

rosscobley

moonrakerz wrote:

Ford cam belts have a good reputation - unlike V******l.

Dont be too sure on that I have a mate with a focus and the Pulley went at 67,000 also my brothers 1.25 fiesta broke a pulley at 63,000. ford say that its 100k for belt and pulley change. As for vauxhall be very carefull with them have the belt and pulleys done at about 50k or 5 years as they are a common problem. Also the 2.2 vauxhall engine that is a chain has a problem with the oil jet that gets blocked and snaps the chain.

I spoke to toyota the other day about the belt and pulleys on there D4D engine and they say that they only ever change the belt and never do the pulleys unless there notice a problem. I dont like the idea of that myself but if that what they way it must be right.

I dont think it really matters if you have a belt or a chain as long as they are serviced on time they should all be ok and if you do breakone then you are unlucky.

With regards to safe engine i would say a lot of the 8 valve engines are safe. I have a copy of Autodata and if i know the model of car it will tell you on there if its a safe engine

steveeeee

Matt_Nixon wrote: »

Most new'ish Mazdas have cam chains, wifes MX5 Mk3 has and the Mazda 3 I'm looking to buy also has a chain.

I've been driving a Mazda 6 for just over a year and had no idea it had a chain and not a belt! I hope you enjoy your 3 - from what I've heard/read, they're excellent.

One car I know is safe was my previous car - a 1997 mk1 Fiat Punto 55sx (1.1L 8-valve petrol engine). The cam belt snapped while I was driving back from the cinema one night, and I had all kinds of mental images of the kind of damage that the engine might've sustained. The guy at the garage told me the engine was a "freewheeling" design and had suffered no damage at all. New belt and tensioner and I was away the next day!