Cam belt replacement intervals

[Grrrrrrr!]

Brought the mondog home, and while checking things under the bonnet, noticed the camblet was last done at 103, now reading 204.

I've always thought that 100,000kms was it for cambelt life, anything over that was a bit of a gamble.. Imagine my surprise when I check the ford online service schedule generator thing for the mondog and this line pops up

Camshaft drive belt Every 100 000 miles/10 years - Renew (with auto-tensioner) (LTS 21 304 9) L
Camshaft drive belt, tensioner and idlers Every 80 000 miles/5 years - Renew (without auto-tensioner)

100,000miles Could have another 60,000kms to go on the mondog before the next owner has to do the belt.. (once i sus out whether i have manual tensioner or auto..), either way I have at least another 30,000kms before I go spending any money.

How many people have actually let a cambelt go way past 100kms (or its service interval), and when did it finally go pop?

[Lloyd]

Hiaces were about the only ones that have a rated 150,000km cambelt interval that I've seen. And to be honest.... I don't know if I'd trust anything much past 100k regardless of what the manufacturer says.

A lot of euro stuff has 60k intervals, and some well over 100k like yours. Personally, I'd rather get it done and know its done.

Oh, and if you're doing it yourself then be careful if you want to do cam/crank seals as some of them have no keyways.

[Grrrrrrr!]

I've just read the manual for the mondog engine, not only does it have no keyways, it (apparently) has no timing marks either for the cams. You need a ford SST (or a bit a of 5mm flat steel) to slide into grooves machined in the other end of the cams (ie, off with the rocker cover.) and a bolt in thru the side of the block somewhere to lock the crank in the right postion while you fit the belt then re-tighten the cam pulley center bolt. Sounds like a right arse of a job, so i've decided to drive it till it breaks, or i sell the car since its a non-interference engine.

[Lloyd]

Correct on the timing. If it doesn't need seals then just throw a belt/tensioners at it if you decide to go down that path.

[strx7]

most jap stuff early 2000's on is cambelt every 150K

[Lloyd]

Like what?

And out of curiosity... are the aftermarket cambelt manufacturers (who likely supply OEM stuff anyway) saying to do such big intervals on the aftermarket belts?

[solitaire]

our '98 ae111 corolla sedan 4afe was 150k's

[Quint]

I've just read the manual for the mondog engine, not only does it have no keyways, it (apparently) has no timing marks either for the cams. You need a ford SST (or a bit a of 5mm flat steel) to slide into grooves machined in the other end of the cams (ie, off with the rocker cover.) and a bolt in thru the side of the block somewhere to lock the crank in the right postion while you fit the belt then re-tighten the cam pulley center bolt. Sounds like a right arse of a job, so i've decided to drive it till it breaks, or i sell the car since its a non-interference engine.

Just mark them yourself before you take it apart?

[strx7]

Like what?

And out of curiosity... are the aftermarket cambelt manufacturers (who likely supply OEM stuff anyway) saying to do such big intervals on the aftermarket belts?

Alot of toyotas, all the 2003+ legacys

if you actually have a read of a Gates cambelt box they say they have a 250-300,000km warranty on them..........

[MAC_HATER]

guy i used to work with had an old 1989 honda accord - it had the cambelt changed at 100,000km - and never since

last time i saw him he said it had 255,000km on it and he hadnt changed the cambelt - he likes to tempt fate

that said my brother had a cambelt fitted and it lasted 50,000km before flying to bits - maybe a bad one or was fitted badly? either way the 100,000km interval is more of a recommendation rather than you get dragged away to have your fingernails pulled for leaving it 102,000km etc

[Mr Ree]

*takes back cambelt kit*

[AE86less]

I think it's pretty much luck of the draw, my old work Hiace snapped it's cambelt at 60k, while I've driven cars with more than 150 on them. I suppose it's just how much you trust it! Also, my wagon snapped a 40km cambelt cause the old owner hadn't spent $8 or whatever on a tensioner

Could always take the cover off and at least give it a visual inspection?

[Girvs]

if you actually have a read of a Gates cambelt box they say they have a 250-300,000km warranty on them..........

Which is only any good if he tensioner doesn't go.... Which I have experienced, admittedly that was on a shitbaru.

[Grrrrrrr!]

Just for shits and giggles I asked a Fraud dealer for pricing on cambelt kit + water pump for the mondog..

$330+GST for the water pump, cambelt was $130+, tensioners etc another $180ish.. Half the value of the car

Or the timing belt kits for ~$150NZ landed from an ebay trader and a GMB water pump for ~$80 locally sourced. At least TGP prices for these sort of items are sane.

Makes you wonder if half the reason some cars get such a bad rep is that the stealerships price spare parts at a level no one will bother maintaining them. Or maybe they are just crap cars.

[Dell'Orto]

Like what?

And out of curiosity... are the aftermarket cambelt manufacturers (who likely supply OEM stuff anyway) saying to do such big intervals on the aftermarket belts?

Alot of toyotas, all the 2003+ legacys

if you actually have a read of a Gates cambelt box they say they have a 250-300,000km warranty on them..........

They generally say the warranty is OE spec...so 60 - 150k's. You'd be mad/jewish not to do tensioners and idlers while you've got the belt off!

[1I1]

Like what?

And out of curiosity... are the aftermarket cambelt manufacturers (who likely supply OEM stuff anyway) saying to do such big intervals on the aftermarket belts?

Alot of toyotas,

Yup, 200ish onwards - Camry, Hilux, Hiace etc all 150k

[strx7]

in all honesty, the majority of all cambelt failures are caused by either
a) something seizing (water pump, oil pump, tensioner, idler etc) or
b) Oil seal failure causing the belt to degrade.

I would be interested to know just how many km are actually required for a cambelt to die from genuine cambelt worn out-ness, i would imagine it is ALOT of running.

[sergei]

Stock toyota cambelt on my (at the time) stock AE101 silver top started to deteriorate badly after 120k (this is first cambelt) . Once the belt has been taken off, there was visual cracks in the base of the teeth, and small cracks all over the other side of the belt. The belt also stretched where it was hitting the belt cover (in between cams) and rattling badly.

[strx7]

how OLD was the belt though? do you think the wear was from the belt getting old and brittle or from having done 120k's?

[sergei]

how OLD was the belt though? do you think the wear was from the belt getting old and brittle or from having done 120k's?

10 year old, it is combination of age and 120k.