Cam belt change?

Alshymer

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Hi
I have a 130 Fiat Ducato registered Sept 2017 but built late 2016 with 40,000 miles on it.
Is now the time to change the cam belt or should I leave it longer?
Any replies much appreciated.
Regards
Alshymer
 
My fiat was a 2015 build, registered jan 2016 now with 40,000 miles on it (snap). I had the belt and pump replaced in January past. The driving factor for me was that the cab and engine build date were an unknown factor before registration. We generally did 100 nights each year and about 9,000 miles each year until 2020 when we had about 20 nights and only about 1000 miles logged.

Davy
 
My fiat was a 2015 build, registered jan 2016 now with 40,000 miles on it (snap). I had the belt and pump replaced in January past. The driving factor for me was that the cab and engine build date were an unknown factor before registration. We generally did 100 nights each year and about 9,000 miles each year until 2020 when we had about 20 nights and only about 1000 miles logged.

Davy
Thanks for that. What was the cost?
 
The work was carried out by my local trusted family owned garage. The father is a motorhomer, so price is secondary to the quality of work done. They service our 3 cars and workvan also and do little extra bits at no cost, for instance each car when serviced gets a spray of underbody seal for free, or replacement bulbs fitted at no cost.

Anyway, the cost was £560 which included a timing belt kit. Timing belt, tensioner, idler wheel, pulley wheel, water pump, power steering belt, and air con belt. The work was on an A class, so access was more problematic. Bonnet had to be removed and whilst doing the work when underneath they discovered a tiny weep of discoloured pink fluid from a pipe which I believe comes from the oil cooler. They replaced the pipe at no charge a week later. The removed parts, belts and pump were all shown to me voluntarily.

The normal service was carried out at the same time. Oil, oil filter, diesel filter, air filter, brake fluid and engine coolant. I also had the headlights aligned, leisure battery tested, Alko rear axle lifted and greased with Shell Gadus grease. The service element added £280 to the bill.

Davy
 
Just has mine done quoted £1100 by fiat, tried a lot of small recommended independents, quite a few not interested, got one who I know is very good for £870 with mayor service and mot included.
 
Thanks for your replies. Having used a Bosch independent garage last time and 1500 miles later in Portugal there was a problem. I was very lucky but it still cost 800€.
I would only use Fiat this time and at least the job is guaranteed for 2 years.
 
We have a 2004 2.8 Fiat Burstner. We are now on our 4th cambelt. We had one fitted when we first bought it as we didn't know how long it had been on. It is supposed to be changed every 4 yrs or on the mileage, which ever comes first. I don't like spending the money but it is better to be safe than sorry and having to buy a new engine. The charge for our cambelt was , oil and filter, new pads on the back plus caliper , renew antifreeze and check front wheel bearings was £580.
I thought this was reasonable.
PJ
 
I did mine myself as its a inline donkey, removed front bumper and front panel rad and intercooler, fitting the belt took 10 mins but the strip/build took all day with having to disconnect wires/hoses etc .
 
Bonnet had to be removed and whilst doing the work when underneath they discovered a tiny weep of discoloured pink fluid from a pipe which I believe comes from the oil cooler
We have just had our timing belt changed at a local garage, and initial they were shock to find a suspect leaking waterpump on a 5 year old Ducato with 20000 on the clock, As it happened I had supplied a new water pump with the timing belt kit, When they removed the pump they found out it was leaking from the banjo on the above mentioned pipe. The copper washers were ill fitting. So this is looking a common thing and makes it worth checking.
 
Thanks for your replies. Having used a Bosch independent garage last time and 1500 miles later in Portugal there was a problem. I was very lucky but it still cost 800€.
I would only use Fiat this time and at least the job is guaranteed for 2 years.
At about twice the price Fiat should guarantee it! That way they can afford to fix twice. I assume you'll get an EU warranty for the work? It's a shame you were let down by a previous independent garage and so lost confidence in indies. There are a lot of good ones about.
 
We have just had our timing belt changed at a local garage, and initial they were shock to find a suspect leaking waterpump on a 5 year old Ducato with 20000 on the clock, As it happened I had supplied a new water pump with the timing belt kit, When they removed the pump they found out it was leaking from the banjo on the above mentioned pipe. The copper washers were ill fitting. So this is looking a common thing and makes it worth checking.
Always change the water pump when changing the cam belt - on any vehicle !!!!!!!!
 
We have just had our timing belt changed at a local garage, and initial they were shock to find a suspect leaking waterpump on a 5 year old Ducato with 20000 on the clock, As it happened I had supplied a new water pump with the timing belt kit, When they removed the pump they found out it was leaking from the banjo on the above mentioned pipe. The copper washers were ill fitting. So this is looking a common thing and makes it worth checking.
We had a clutch problem and whilst investigating that it was found that the water pump. fitted last year by an English independent in Spain was leaking. Due to incorrect fitting it was said. So yes there does seem to be a problem.
 
So £1000.00 is common but better safe that sorry. Ouch. In 4 years rubber expires, 15000 miles a year.
Just sell it and get a chain !
, I changed one a belt at a local independent 1997 and it snapped withing 3 months. Loose bolt left in timming case at. 4500 revs bang cost 6k
Other car had chain so never changed it . Brought with 17000 miles sold it 170000 miles done,15 years I had it and know that it's still running. On latest mot.
Belts or chains im into chains and let them rattle. ? Lol
 
Nooooooo, but 95% of all engines these days run belts, a pushrod engine with either a chain or gear drive is the best, old Toyota 1500 and 1600 hi ace springs to mind.
Ford and BMW have shown it's possible to design engines with chain and gear drives which are less reliable than belt!
 
The stupid ford engine has a crankshaft pully that when it fails and splits it's designed so the part which splits off goes in to the plastic camchain chest (which when sorting slackness is sacrificial) and acts as a hole saw leaving a nice oily trail on the road, this happened on my self build, it also happened again after being repaired, I am not aware of any fix although a proper welded pulley should have been sorted by now, my current van is the same age with the same engine.
 
We had a clutch problem and whilst investigating that it was found that the water pump. fitted last year by an English independent in Spain was leaking. Due to incorrect fitting it was said. So yes there does seem to be a problem.
When the indie did my cam belt, called to go and pick it up and they said wait 'til tomorrow, we have been supplied, and fitted, the wrong water pump kit and it is leaking, we will have to do it again! With the correct parts, fortunately they saw the problem.
Must be some similar kits which have been updated on certain years mine's 2011 2.3l
 

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