Ford Focus: where in owner's manual does it tell me when to replace the timing belt?

missile

DocQuincy wrote: »

Definitely.

Did he change it within the recommended window or was it because he left it?

I don't know

forgotmyname

Richard53 wrote: »

As Tarambor said above regarding interference and non-interference engines. How to find out which type yours is? Good luck! As far as I can gather, there is no central resource which holds this information. Google it, go round the owners' club forums, ask in your local dealership. You would have thought that finding this out about a relatively common sports car like an MX-5 would have been easy, but it took me ages and I never got a 100% cast-iron answer. Forum members said "yeah, think it's non-interference" but no one could be absolutely sure.


There is no way of telling 100% without taking the CH off and measuring things, and it's not something that the manufacturers think we plebs have any right to know about.

There are resources that give the data on whether an engine is an interference one or not. Probably subscription data these days, but it used to be available in books which detailed the time required to swap the belt and listed any special tools required etc.

DocQuincy

I have this booked in now but not for a couple of weeks. Out of interest, does anyone know what the mileage limit is for a timing belt for a 2013 Ford Focus diesel? Is it 60k?

The car will be about 6 years 2 months old by then but the mechanic said not to worry. I presume when the manufacturers put a shelf life on a part they factor in the most people won't get it done to the exact day (I hope so!).

System

Tarambor wrote: »

Why? For petrols it is 10 years/100,000 miles and for diesels it is 10 years/125,000 miles. They have no history of premature failure and Ford have had those cambelt intervals since at least the MK1 Mondeo in 2003.


Correct. If it is a non-interference engine then the cambelt going just results in you coming to a stop and it not running until it is replaced. If it isn't a non-interference then the cambelt going usually results in the valves smashing into the top of the piston on one or more cylinders.

Not for all manufacturers, my car is 5 years or 75K miles and this seems to pretty average for timing belts. Timing chains on the other hand do have a longer lifespan normally 100000 - 150000miles

Carrot007

Simonr66 wrote: »

Not for all manufacturers, my car is 5 years or 75K miles and this seems to pretty average for timing belts. Timing chains on the other hand do have a longer lifespan normally 100000 - 150000miles

Which Ford Focus do you have with such a stange change span?


Or did you not read the answer in context?

System

Carrot007 wrote: »

Which Ford Focus do you have with such a stange change span?


Or did you not read the answer in context?

My bad, missed the reference to the Ford Mondeo