What is the longest youve left a cam belt?

[itfben]

could a 9 year old Leon with 100K on the clock still be running its original cam belt?

Whats the longest you've left yours before changing (age or/& mileage)


UPDATE:

The reason i started this thread was because i was looking at buying a car in this situation but i bought a differnt Leon now so i no longer need info from this thread, the info from his thread has been great and i thank all that have contributed, hopefully this should help other people that were in my situation.

Thanks again.

 

[Mr Cellotape]

If you do not know when the cam belt was put in, then change it.

 

[Faisal]

mine was changed at 70k something miles. and at that, it was freyed so was a very lucky and close call for me. so thats like 7 years.

 

[daboy3000]

42k, 4years. I take no chances!!

 

[lukecupra2001]

mine was on 80k when had mine done but wasnt in bad nick, was possibly not original but who cares.
better to be safe than sorry, but if your a gambling type just leave it aslong as possible and take chance of it going bang
upto you.

 

[itfben]

I havent actually bought the car yet, the guy at garage told me they have full service history for the car but there is nothing to actually say is has been changed, but he says it probally has ben done. my thought is at almost 100K and 9 years old it must have been change, surely i woulda snapped by now if it hadnt, so they still say it wont need changing til 120K (i go "hummmmmm riiiight" at this) the car does have a 1month warrenty, so my best guess is if i change it within that month warrenty period of buying the car it then thats my best bet.

any thoughts/advice guys?

 

[Steely]

35k and 6 years, previous owner,

Im not a fan of 20 valves getting cozy with pistons

 

[itfben]

justa thought... can cambelts be checked?

 

[itfben]

35k and 6 years, previous owner,

Im not a fan of 20 valves getting cozy with pistons

lol what does "Im not a fan of 20 valves getting cozy with pistons" mean?

 

[Steely]

lol what does "Im not a fan of 20 valves getting cozy with pistons" mean?

If your cambelt snaps, the timing between the pistons and valves are out of sync, so pistons hit valves and its an engine rebuild situation,

preventative maintainance

 

[itfben]

If your cambelt snaps, the timing between the pistons and valves are out of sync, so pistons hit valves and its an engine rebuild situation,

preventative maintainance

but surely that isnt justy on 20 valve's?

 

[BoomhaueR]

justa thought... can cambelts be checked?

Yes they can. I would get it inspected, but it's up to you if you want to change it.

I changed mine at 50k miles as soon as I bought the car, as there was nothing in the service history that said it'd been changed. Better to be safe than sorry!

 

[Steely]

but surely that isnt justy on 20 valve's?

No just talking from my point of view, i own a 20vt it can happen on all interference engines,

http://www.tomdwyer.com/your_car_matters/wrapper.php?page=timing_belt

 

[itfben]

No just talking from my point of view, i own a 20vt it can happen on all interference engines,

http://www.tomdwyer.com/your_car_matters/wrapper.php?page=timing_belt

ok, its just it is a 1.8 20V no turbo

 

[itfben]

No just talking from my point of view, i own a 20vt it can happen on all interference engines,

http://www.tomdwyer.com/your_car_matters/wrapper.php?page=timing_belt

Just had a look at that link Steely, good bit of info, are there many free-running engine cars out there?

 

[Slimy]

Just had a look at that link Steely, good bit of info, are there many free-running engine cars out there?

My old Astra had a 'free-running' engine, which I found to my good fortune. It's usually the smaller engines that are ok. If you go to www.honestjohn.co.uk, and read the faults, it usually says what happens if the cambelt schedule isn't followed. This is what they say about the Leon;

1.8 20v engines can snap their timing belts at 70,000 - 80,000 miles and the extensive damage this causes is not repairable. The car will need a replacement engine. 1.8 20v timing belt drives waterpump and belts are difficult to replace on transverse engines. All engines need new timing belts, tensioners, pulleys and 20VTs also need waterpumps every 4 years or 60,000 miles whichever comes first.

 

[itfben]

My old Astra had a 'free-running' engine, which I found to my good fortune. It's usually the smaller engines that are ok. If you go to www.honestjohn.co.uk, and read the faults, it usually says what happens if the cambelt schedule isn't followed. This is what they say about the Leon;

thanks for the info! sounds like it would have gone ping by now then if it hadnt been changed.

Still... what would you rekon should be knocked off so i can get it done?

 

[Viking]

Originally the 1.8 20V engines had a 120k mile change interval or summat daft. They've since revised it I believe.

If you're wrangling a deal to get the cambelt done when you buy it you wanna be looking at £300 or so as a deal maker. It might be more or less than that to have it done but ball park. Just for info, I'd be wary of a garage saying they'll do the cambelt themselves before they sell it to you. Another member is looking like he's got to have his redone as the place he bought his car might've done the actual cambelt but haven't done the rollers and tensioner. If they do it before they sell it to you then you've got minimal comeback in the future as you didn't pay for it. If you pay for the job to be done then you get a warranty yourself, not through another party.

 

[itfben]

Originally the 1.8 20V engines had a 120k mile change interval or summat daft. They've since revised it I believe.

If you're wrangling a deal to get the cambelt done when you buy it you wanna be looking at £300 or so as a deal maker. It might be more or less than that to have it done but ball park. Just for info, I'd be wary of a garage saying they'll do the cambelt themselves before they sell it to you. Another member is looking like he's got to have his redone as the place he bought his car might've done the actual cambelt but haven't done the rollers and tensioner. If they do it before they sell it to you then you've got minimal comeback in the future as you didn't pay for it. If you pay for the job to be done then you get a warranty yourself, not through another party.

yeah i was thinking that - they might do a half arsed job.

 

[turbin]

4yrs or 60k miles whatever comes first.