please help about car!!

anewman

kenb2 wrote: »

Cambelts are fitted to most cars these days, except the quality makes which use chains.

Belts are mostly used because they make the engine run smoother, but I think part of the reason now is the money it makes for dealers in changing the belts or dealing with the aftermath of one snapping. An engine with a chain driven cam doesn't necessarily make it any better quality. You just need to keep on top of changing the belt which costs money.

kenb2

NONSENSE!

"Belts are mostly used because they make the engine run smoother, but I think part of the reason now is the money it makes for dealers in changing the belts or dealing with the aftermath of one snapping. An engine with a chain driven cam doesn't necessarily make it any better quality. You just need to keep on top of changing the belt which costs money."

Cambelts are used for the manufacturers reasons of cost cutting in production

Mercedes use chains, are you telling me they run rough?

anewman

Read here for cam belt vs. chain - the idea of belts is they are supposed to have numerous advantages over chains http://www.valvoline.com/carcare/articleviewer.asp?pg=pht20020901bd&cccid=4&scccid=5

There are many more advantages to a belt-drive system than ease of use. A belt drive can increase power over a timing chain through less frictional loss, more precise timing, smoother valvetrain motion and eliminating windage caused by the timing chain and gears running in oil. A belt drive also isolates the crankshaft's torsional vibrations from the camshaft better than a chain (and certainly better than gear drives, which can amplify crank harmonics). Think of it as a second harmonic damper for the rotating assembly.

I would say that car manufacturers on the whole *should* go back to chains, but I think most are after the subsequent work a belt requires to maintain as it makes them money. It's certainly not a cost cutting at point of manufacture issue as the chains and sprockets are actually *cheaper* than belts.

My old Skoda 1.3 has a chain driven cam. Only benefit for me is I don't need to get it replaced every-so-often. Although I think getting a new chain fitted would quieten up my engine.

jeannieblue

Oh Kayleigh.

£200 to put it all right? Including parts. Sorry lovey but that sounds far too cheap to me. Something isn't right.

This year - alone - have had loads of people come to us for quotes, find we are too dear... and go off because of a mate of a mate etc. and end up coming back to us - but we have to turn alot away because we are so busy, cheap is not always best, it can be false economy.

Do you not have anyone you can turn to who can come with you to these people? Someone who knows at least a bit about cars? You could end up giving the go ahead and then be told, well it needs this and it needs that etc....

Also, not one to nag...

But when you get back on the road, a new driver, slow down a bit! Its not clever to drive fast :heart2: