How do I know when to change timing belt?

singlemindedly

Hello, mechanic-savvy moneysavers. I have been reading about how to keep a car in good maintenance shape, and one thing I read got me worried: that if you fail to replace your timing belt and it breaks, that can kill the entire engine and total the car or at least be ridiculously expensive.

I have been given a car for free, by a stranger (don't ask - I prayed for it and God provided), back in May. It has been very well maintained and all service records are with it, and it's had all major services etc. but it says nothing detailed about timing belt replacement or not. I got it at about 80,000 miles and it's now 96,000 and I have read that the timing belt should be replaced at 75k.

So I don't know whether that's been done or not. Can I ask the mechanic at my next service to check, I mean, is it obvious to see whether it's old or new? Or should I replace it anyway? (money is very tight, though!)

Would really appreciate your advice, many thanks!

davetrousers

What car is it?

You generally go on the manufacturer's recommended interval in the hand book. If you can see no record of it being done in the service book then get it done sooner rather than later.

TBH I doubt that God did provide the car.

singlemindedly

It's a 1996 Nissan Almera.

$nake_eye$

I have just replaced mine, at 66k (its a VW Golf) they are not cheap (mine was £120, but would have been more if I had it done at a VW garage) but then again, if it goes, you could be looking at £700..

HTH

LandyAndy

Ask your local Nissan dealer when its due for replacement and what they would charge. If it has been done by a Nissan dealer they should have records of it in their central record of all vehicles. All dealers should be able to access all records - or call the dealer used for servicing (if you have the invoices.

Did you get invoices with it for the work done over the years?

Unless it has just been done you can't tell when it was last done.

For peace of mind get it done soon and then stick to the Nissan recommended intervals. It may, however, cost you a few hundred pounds - not because the part is expensive, but because on many cars there is quite a lot of dismantling required to do it.

arrowsmith

singlemindedly wrote: »

It's a 1996 Nissan Almera.

singlemindedly I think you may be in luck, many Nissan's of this age have timing chains rather than belts which don't ever need replacing.
Which engine is it? just to make sure.

Crabman

The Almera (95-00) has a timing chain as opposed to a timing belt. We've got the same car (slightly later model) so I'll dig out my Haynes manual and let you know what it says.

singlemindedly

Oh wow, thank you so much - so, a timing chain doesn't need replacing, then?

It's a 1996 Nissan Almera 1.4. I don't have the manual, what I have is the service book that has the services done recorded in it...

Thank you again!!

Inactive

singlemindedly wrote: »

Oh wow, thank you so much - so, a timing chain doesn't need replacing, then?

It's a 1996 Nissan Almera 1.4. I don't have the manual, what I have is the service book that has the services done recorded in it...

Thank you again!!

Not if it has a timing chain, my Nissan Primera has a timing chain, one of the reasons I purchased it in the first place.

Crabman

Be warned the removal, inspection and subsequent refitting of the timing chain spans 4 pages in the Haynes manual so it's probably going to be expensive to inspect & even more to replace (as the sprockets will also need replacing).

Replacement isn't necessary unless you're hearing rattles from the engine (details from Honest John).

singlemindedly

Oh, what relief - thank you ever so much, Crabman!