Finally getting cambelt done 2 years overdue

atrixblue.-MFR-.

i had mark 1 mondeo 1.8 16v, the timing belt slipped on the Motor way coming home from the hospital just after my wife gave birth to our twins, i continued on with it hitting a few things.

by the time i got home, it threw the piston through the block, metal shards peirced just about everything it could including the rad air con rad, fan housing and bottom of the bumper the headlamp housings, imbedded in the firewall padding in the bonnet and cause dents in it oil spilled out everywhere and it gave out in my street (wich was my aim if it goes it goes i just want it ti gt me home.

took out the engine and the hole was massive where the piston came through with its conrod, crank collapsed in a huge mess. so it slipped just a little more than few teeth on the pully! lol the pistons mush have been smashing just about everything and more.

palmasdelmar

Out of curiosity. What is vectra's cambelt interval? Just got 150k and still on first one. Am I risking a lot? I thought that diesel can run to 200k.
Thank you

Ultrasonic

palmasdelmar wrote: »

Out of curiosity. What is vectra's cambelt interval? Just got 150k and still on first one. Am I risking a lot? I thought that diesel can run to 200k.
Thank you

Check your vehicle handbook/service book.

(For others to guide you you'll need to give us vehicle age and engine.)

[Deleted User]

TrickyWicky wrote: »

only a couple of mm thick and not very wide yet it manages to turn an entire engine for thousands of miles!

It doesn't turn the entire engine.

It turns the camshaft, hence why it's called a cam belt, rather than an engine belt.

[Deleted User]

scotsman4th wrote: »

Only ever had one belt fail, it was the wifes car so technically none for me.

I had a Montego which suffered a cam belt failure.

I bought a belt for about £15, and fitted it myself.

It ran for another 2 years +, before I scrapped it for chassis corrosion.

OddballJamie

palmasdelmar wrote: »

Out of curiosity. What is vectra's cambelt interval? Just got 150k and still on first one. Am I risking a lot? I thought that diesel can run to 200k.
Thank you

Depends on the year as Vauxhall went through a phase of recommending 4 years. I contacted the head office about my Astra as dealers have told me 4 years and 10 years, the HO confirmed 6 years.

londonTiger

Are car makers just giving a very tight timing belt schedule just to cover their backs, like they know from testing that a cambelt is good for 100K, but they'll recommend 40K just to be safe and prevent any lawsuits if a few slip through the average threshold and snap.

I'm still interesting in knowing why the mk4 golf 1.6 2002 requires the first cambelty change at 60K and then subsequent changes at 40K despite the cambelt parts being OEM and the same build and spec as the factory ones.

palmasdelmar

OddballJamie wrote: »

Depends on the year as Vauxhall went through a phase of recommending 4 years. I contacted the head office about my Astra as dealers have told me 4 years and 10 years, the HO confirmed 6 years.

First registration of my vectra was april 2007. I'll have a look in my handbook tomorrow.

Weird_Nev

londonTiger wrote: »

Are car makers just giving a very tight timing belt schedule just to cover their backs, like they know from testing that a cambelt is good for 100K, but they'll recommend 40K just to be safe and prevent any lawsuits if a few slip through the average threshold and snap.

I'm still interesting in knowing why the mk4 golf 1.6 2002 requires the first cambelty change at 60K and then subsequent changes at 40K despite the cambelt parts being OEM and the same build and spec as the factory ones.

See my earlier post about mean time before failure. They work out how many engines will fail at a given cambelt life, under harsh operating conditions, then decide what they're happy with in terms of recommended replacement.

Re the factory cambelt: In a factory, they control the construction in minute detail, in a clean environment, with known good parts subject to tight quality control. The belt may be the same, but there are rollers, tensioners, guides and possibly variable valve timing actuators to consider too. they may or may not be specified to be changed with the belt.

They may know that 95% of tensioners will be serviceable at 100,000 miles, but only 75% at 120,000 miles, so that's why they recommend that the second belt is done at 100,000 miles to ensure that tensioners are at least inspected at that age.

motorguy

scotsman4th wrote: »

Only ever had one belt fail, it was the wifes car so technically none for me. Saved thousands over the years by not doing them.
Her "new" car is a 1999 Passat diesel with no history and a mileometer reading of 150k (although checking the MOT history it's probably more like 215k).
It'll get changed, but only when I get round to tackling it myself.

Cambelt on a passat is not a fun job as its a front out job to get out from memory, so i can understand any reluctance you have to doing it.

I've had belts changed for as little as £40 (Vectra 1.8i) so to me its a no brainer to get it done if you're planning on keeping the car. Also, if you do plan on selling the car before it reaches the point of being scrap then its probably the first thing any prospective buyers will ask, and they will factor in the cost of getting it done to any offer they make.

I had a lovely wee 2003 Berlingo Van 1.4 petrol. Was a bit mileagy at 130K miles, but running to perfection and superb bodywork. Looked like £3000 worth, but was probably only worth £500 as everybody wants a diesel. Was due to drop it up to my mechanics last year to get the belt done when i was on holiday and a service. Ended up working to 11:00 the night i was due to go so thought sod it i'll get it done when i get back. The day i got back i'd a 80 mile return trip to do and you've guessed it, belt snapped on the way back wrecking the engine. Couldnt get an engine for it at the time, nor someone who would fit it for a fixed price, so ended up selling it for scrap.

Cost of fitting a belt "saved" before i went on holiday = £50. Loss of the van probably cost me the guts of £1,000 as i lost £300 on the van and it cost me £600 to buy another.

Not doing the belt is a false economy IMHO.