CAMBELT CHANGE

GRIFFIN · 2020-03-13 02:42:07

Having noticed how many of us have had snapped cambelts and since the crank broke on my Scudo last year, I decided that rather than have to call out the AA again, I would change the cambelt on my Dispatch which is coming up to 100,000 miles. In the past I had the cambelt changed on my Fiat Maria, only to have a tensioning pully break, a few thousand miles later, this did rather defeat the object of the exercise.

As hindsight is a wonderful thing, this time I decided to have a full timing belt kit as well as a water pump and alternator belt fitted. Not having time or inclination to do this at the minute I entrusted the job to a local garage and at the cost of £300 including parts, I don't think I was robbed. I also have the peace of mind to know that the job is done for another few years.

Tiree · 2020-03-13 15:41:26

This is a subject that is beginning to come back into focus for me.

Given that my last cambelt change was brought about by the previous one exploding taking various parts of my engine with it - and the fact that that was now 60k miles ago - I think I need to seriously start thinking about it again.

£300 to me sounds like money well spent for the peace of mind.

scotchjoe · 2020-03-13 16:20:34

I have a cambelt kit here ready for fitting.The van is 14 years old and on 70k with no history of a change in the bumph that came with it.Not using the van on the road yet but it will be insured and taxed on the 1st of April so needs done pronto.
Anybody DIY the belt change? I would rather do it myself,but lack of dexterity in my hands would make it very difficult if access is tight.
Seems that for every belt kit that is fitted correctly,another is left wrong.Hard to find an experienced conscientious mechanic these days.

tee_cee · 2020-03-13 17:47:50

scotchjoe wrote:

I have a cambelt kit here ready for fitting.The van is 14 years old and on 70k with no history of a change in the bumph that came with it.Not using the van on the road yet but it will be insured and taxed on the 1st of April so needs done pronto.
Anybody DIY the belt change? I would rather do it myself,but lack of dexterity in my hands would make it very difficult if access is tight.
Seems that for every belt kit that is fitted correctly,another is left wrong.Hard to find an experienced conscientious mechanic these days.

True. When I last had it done, in Omagh as it happens, it was just over £200. However they said they changed the alternator belt, and it broke 100 miles later - the mechanic indicated that it was an old belt. After that I was constantly wondering if the belt/followers/water pump had actually been changed or not.

kenbw2 · 2020-03-13 18:34:18

I had one fail on me before so I'm very paranoid about them. I think I got mine changed for a couple of hundred. I'm happy to do a lot of jobs myself, but cambelt is one of those things I want to know is done right.

I should probably think about it on this van actually...

dRoyd · 2020-03-13 22:18:07

I too have had a timing belt failure (VW T4). Bent valves and head re-skimmed isn’t cheap so I’ve just had mine done for just over £250 (Including water pump). Worth every penny for peace of mind!

Casper · 2020-03-13 23:07:24

Works van here. Im sure i am in the time and mileage limit but if it went bang hey ho, ill buy another van. Got the convoy to tick over till i find something. Having said that if i was using it as a little camper my attitude may be different but i added the van price between all customer visits and its now paid for and probably almost twice.

vaz2121 · 2020-03-14 01:06:35

Both the van and the 306 were done when bought them and both are getting due again .... Van has covered well under 30,000 but is pushing over 6 years..... this'll be the 3rd I'll have done on the 306 it was done when bought and last done about a month.....6 weeks after the Van ......... but in the 10/11 years of having it .............
A bit over 100,000 miles in total...........

The first 4/5yrs of having 306 it was averaging nearly 18,000mls a yr...(Partner did care in community with it before falling ill herself and having to give it up).....
(2014/15 or there about it went to Spain 3 times in 12 months)................

I've been lucky ...
Sort of....

Had a MK 4 Golf and I knew the Car for about 4 years before I bought it and cambelt was done at a VW specialist in Town about a year before I bought it.........
The guy hardly did 3,000 miles a yr with it.............(Sold Golf to me to buy an A2 Audi He's still got)
I had car for 4/5 yrs and it was my partners Daughters better half wanted it ..............
So he got it about 6 weeks after it was MOT'd........
But by this time it had acquired a cracked headlight lens
He was told it about lens price adjusted and that belt needed done in about the next 18 months time wise and had covered about 50,000mls so should be Ok there............
I'd not long done the 306 belt and he annouced a month or two later the belt broke on Golf.............
For all a VW Specialist had fitted previous kit .......... It was water pump that seized and took out belt

Just shows you Belt etc....
All appeared to be within spec (Time+miles)...

But Sh** Happens.....

Tiree · 2020-03-16 15:13:13

dRoyd wrote:

Bent valves and head re-skimmed isn’t cheap

Yep that's where I ended up - and of course the engines need to come out of these vans [at least the HDI does] - think I paid just over £700 for the work which I reckon was pretty decent - but I was without the van for three months!

steve the grease · 2020-03-20 16:14:17

Depending on whose advice you read if the milage isn't done , then the belt should be changed on a time basis. Some books say 5 years , some say 10 but 14 years is really pushing it, however low the milage. Please get it done , it could go any day. The cover bolts are a right little Ba!"£$%^^d to reach ,once the engine is supported and the cover is off , it's not too bad a job.

scotchjoe · 2020-03-20 16:49:22

Thanks for that Steve.I will do the belt kit next week if the weather is favourable(no garage). There does seem to be plenty of room to work at the water pump,belt ect. Self isolating anyway,so will take my time as I pass my time.
I already bought a Berlingo/Partner Haynes manual that covers the DW8B for torque settings when working on the engine,so good to go.
Having problems getting the correct auxiliary belt for a 1.9D DW8B (no air con) on the bay.Conflicting results when searching.
Anybody changed there's recently and remember the length?

Last edited by scotchjoe (2020-03-20 16:51:02)

vaz2121 · 2020-03-20 17:30:26

scotchjoe wrote:

Thanks for that Steve.I will do the belt kit next week if the weather is favourable(no garage). There does seem to be plenty of room to work at the water pump,belt ect. Self isolating anyway,so will take my time as I pass my time.
I already bought a Berlingo/Partner Haynes manual that covers the DW8B for torque settings when working on the engine,so good to go.
Having problems getting the correct auxiliary belt for a 1.9D DW8B (no air con) on the bay.Conflicting results when searching.
Anybody changed there's recently and remember the length?

I just threw a {Fanbelt} auxiliary drive belt off my van the other day coming over Rannoch Moor and had to be recovered........... {No aircon}
As luck would have it I bought one last year for our trip to see partners father in Spain that never happened and was under the bunk...........

I'm a little embarrassed at getting belt and not fitting it before it let go and as I wasn't for lying in a puddle, it was Snowing, No tools with me and I'd renew'd breakdown cover for my partner in January, When she's heading down motorway to visit her Daughter = Lazyness prevailed

Anyway 6pk1440 IIRC......... the one I had was a Gates belt and 1438mm long=6pk1438.........

Currently on Carparts4less probably a Dayco belt and using their dicount code again IIRC under £11.00 delivered to your door as I was concidering getting another for under the bunk.......

I'm sure you know procedure put reg in to identify vehicle and search drive belt etc

Check price of cambelt kit also............ It might be advantageous

Last edited by vaz2121 (2020-03-20 17:42:26)

scotchjoe · 2020-03-20 18:11:09

Thank you for that Vaz.
Already have a gates cam belt kit here,bought in January.
Belt ordered from carparts4less,cheers.

Last edited by scotchjoe (2020-03-20 18:37:36)

scotchjoe · 2020-04-17 12:56:01

Doing a bit of a work on the van,thought I would post a picture of the 14 year old 70k timing belt that I removed a few weeks ago.New discs and pads next

vaz2121 · 2020-04-17 21:33:29

scotchjoe wrote:

Doing a bit of a work on the van,thought I would post a picture of the 14 year old 70k https://dispatchexpertscudo.org.uk/foru … jpegtiming belt that I removed a few weeks ago.New discs and pads next

That doesn't look particularly clever but to be fair you can't see the cords yet through the cracks........
Bound to have a mile in it yet tongue .........
Not that I 'd fancy finding out .............

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#1 2020-03-13 02:42:07

CAMBELT CHANGE

#2 2020-03-13 15:41:26

Re: CAMBELT CHANGE

#3 2020-03-13 16:20:34

Re: CAMBELT CHANGE

#4 2020-03-13 17:47:50

Re: CAMBELT CHANGE

#5 2020-03-13 18:34:18

Re: CAMBELT CHANGE

#6 2020-03-13 22:18:07

Re: CAMBELT CHANGE

#7 2020-03-13 23:07:24

Re: CAMBELT CHANGE

#8 2020-03-14 01:06:35

Re: CAMBELT CHANGE

#9 2020-03-16 15:13:13

Re: CAMBELT CHANGE

#10 2020-03-20 16:14:17

Re: CAMBELT CHANGE

#11 2020-03-20 16:49:22

Re: CAMBELT CHANGE

#12 2020-03-20 17:30:26

Re: CAMBELT CHANGE

#13 2020-03-20 18:11:09

Re: CAMBELT CHANGE

#14 2020-04-17 12:56:01

Re: CAMBELT CHANGE

#15 2020-04-17 21:33:29

Re: CAMBELT CHANGE

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