Cam belt change required?

Toady

Toady

Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Posts
789
Likes collected
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Location
Pembrokeshire
Funster No
57,780
MH
Hymer B704 PL
Exp
Since 2017
I own a Hymer B704 PL 2017 and it has nearly 17K on the clock.

The MH is now 6 years old and it has not had a cam belt change yet.

Fiat state cam belt change at 5 year or 100K miles (or maybe 100K Km)

I have joined Nationwide Flex Plus for the breakdown cover after being covered by Driver Guardian for the last year.

I personally don’t think it is necessary to have the cam belt changed yet due to the low mileage but a check of the T&Cs on breakdown cover changed my mind.

The MH is booked in with Adams Morley for a cam belt change before we catch the ferry in January.
 
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Toady said:
I own a Hymer B704 PL 2017 and it has nearly 17K on the clock.

The MH is now 6 years old and it has not had a cam belt change yet.

Fiat state cam belt change at 5 year or 100K miles (or maybe 100K Km)

I have joined Nationwide Flex Plus for the breakdown cover after being covered by Driver Guardian for the last year.

I personally don’t think it is necessary to have the cam belt changed yet due to the low mileage but a check of the T&Cs on breakdown cover changed my mind.

The MH is booked in with Adams Morley for a cam belt change before we catch the ferry in January.
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I would love to see a photo of the belt if you can get it after removed.
 
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The belt does age even if it's unused, hence the 5 year service interval.

You'd probably be ok. But you would have been taking a growing risk. It's not just the cost you've got to consider. If you wreck an engine in the middle of a holiday, you've lost the holiday too.
 
Upvote 0
Toady said:
I own a Hymer B704 PL 2017 and it has nearly 17K on the clock.

The MH is now 6 years old and it has not had a cam belt change yet.

Fiat state cam belt change at 5 year or 100K miles (or maybe 100K Km)

I have joined Nationwide Flex Plus for the breakdown cover after being covered by Driver Guardian for the last year.

I personally don’t think it is necessary to have the cam belt changed yet due to the low mileage but a check of the T&Cs on breakdown cover changed my mind.

The MH is booked in with Adams Morley for a cam belt change before we catch the ferry in January.
Click to expand...
Best to do it, I agree. Think it's 60k miles/100k km. Mine is.
 
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My VW manual states cambelt replacement at 60k or 4 years, it's now 4 years old and I tried to book it in with the service but was told the time requirement has now been removed and it's at 60k only. I was very pleased as it's about 1k to replace it and the recommended water pump as well.
 
Upvote 0
Toady said:
I own a Hymer B704 PL 2017 and it has nearly 17K on the clock.

The MH is now 6 years old and it has not had a cam belt change yet.

Fiat state cam belt change at 5 year or 100K miles (or maybe 100K Km)

I have joined Nationwide Flex Plus for the breakdown cover after being covered by Driver Guardian for the last year.

I personally don’t think it is necessary to have the cam belt changed yet due to the low mileage but a check of the T&Cs on breakdown cover changed my mind.

The MH is booked in with Adams Morley for a cam belt change before we catch the ferry in January.
Click to expand...
It's good you have decided to have belt change as most insurances will only pay out if vehicle service schedule has been followed.
I doubt if exceeding the time factor by a year, would be considered as being followed?
 
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Yep, I've had one let go on my old VW. Hideous cost to repair the engine. We were saving up to get the job done 🤐.
Very sensible to get it done given the vans age.
Mike

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Upvote 0
L' Hobo said:
It's good you have decided to have belt change as most insurances will only pay out if vehicle service schedule has been followed.
I doubt if exceeding the time factor by a year, would be considered as being followed?
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Isn't mechanical failure normally considered wear and tear, so won't be covered by insurance?
 
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Toady said:
The MH is now 6 years old and it has not had a cam belt change yet.

Fiat state cam belt change at 5 year or 100K miles (or maybe 100K Km)

I have joined Nationwide Flex Plus for the breakdown cover after being covered by Driver Guardian for the last year.
Click to expand...
Even without breakdown insurance the cost of the recovery to a garage could seem like small change if the cam belt breaks.
 
Upvote 0
Toady said:
I own a Hymer B704 PL 2017 and it has nearly 17K on the clock.

The MH is now 6 years old and it has not had a cam belt change yet.

Fiat state cam belt change at 5 year or 100K miles (or maybe 100K Km)

I have joined Nationwide Flex Plus for the breakdown cover after being covered by Driver Guardian for the last year.

I personally don’t think it is necessary to have the cam belt changed yet due to the low mileage but a check of the T&Cs on breakdown cover changed my mind.

The MH is booked in with Adams Morley for a cam belt change before we catch the ferry in January.
Click to expand...
We had ours changed this year 2018 van with 17,000 miles. What price for peace of mind? ;)
 
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Just had ours done. Dropped off on M9nday and picked up this morning. Cambelt, air con belts and water pump change. This is the invoice.

Screenshot_20231116_180601_Outlook.jpg

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Guigsy said:
The belt does age even if it's unused, hence the 5 year service interval.

You'd probably be ok. But you would have been taking a growing risk. It's not just the cost you've got to consider. If you wreck an engine in the middle of a holiday, you've lost the holiday too.
Click to expand...

Was thinking about this recently. Always believed in the 5 years or 6 years for a cambelt generally. It;s what both my cars and my motorhome require.

However chatting to a friend who has a VW Beetle (newer model - about 6 years old I think) and enquired about getting his done and he was told VW recently advised changes to their schedule 15 years or 180,000 miles!!! on the petrol engine. I assume this is just a VW golf engine of some kind.
Now if one manufacturer can do that are we all being taken for fools?
 
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VXman said:
Was thinking about this recently. Always believed in the 5 years or 6 years for a cambelt generally. It;s what both my cars and my motorhome require.

However chatting to a friend who has a VW Beetle (newer model - about 6 years old I think) and enquired about getting his done and he was told VW recently advised changes to their schedule 15 years or 180,000 miles!!! on the petrol engine. I assume this is just a VW golf engine of some kind.
Now if one manufacturer can do that are we all being taken for fools?
Click to expand...
I don't know about 180,000 miles (I think this maybe a misprint 🙂but there's a great difference between an 'interference' engine (that's when, if there's a broken timing belt or chain, the pistons hit the valves,) and a non-interference engine which causes a lot less damage.

I stand to be corrected but I think the Ducato has the interference engine? 🤔
 
Upvote 1
L' Hobo said:
I don't know about 180,000 miles (I think this maybe a misprint 🙂but there's a great difference between an 'interference' engine (that's when, if there's a broken timing belt or chain, the pistons hit the valves,) and a non-interference engine which causes a lot less damage.

I stand to be corrected but I think the Ducato has the interference engine? 🤔
Click to expand...
I would agree with that. Valves interfere with the pistons at a rapid rate. Skip the engine.
 
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L' Hobo said:
I don't know about 180,000 miles (I think this maybe a misprint 🙂but there's a great difference between an 'interference' engine (that's when, if there's a broken timing belt or chain, the pistons hit the valves,) and a non-interference engine which causes a lot less damage.

I stand to be corrected but I think the Ducato has the interference engine? 🤔
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No - I was talking to him about cambelt changes as I know he had never had one done so he went to the VW dealer and this is what they told him. Even if it wasn't 180000 miles he definitely said it was 15 years.

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Guigsy said:
The belt does age even if it's unused, hence the 5 year service interval.
Click to expand...
when I first moved here & bought a new car the belt change amount was 50% of the UK amount in the Ford handbook.
When I queried this at the dealer I was informed that it was not only age of belt or mileage/kilometres but also temperature. Vehicles sold in countries ,like spain, with far higher temps the belt was required to be changed at 120k kms rather than 120k miles , as in the UK
Guigsy said:
Isn't mechanical failure normally considered wear and tear, so won't be covered by insurance?
Click to expand...
Years back I was amazed when a friend claimed,& got, a new engine off his pick up insurance for grenading the engine driving through water??
 
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Toady said:
I own a Hymer B704 PL 2017 and it has nearly 17K on the clock.

The MH is now 6 years old and it has not had a cam belt change yet.

Fiat state cam belt change at 5 year or 100K miles (or maybe 100K Km)

I have joined Nationwide Flex Plus for the breakdown cover after being covered by Driver Guardian for the last year.

I personally don’t think it is necessary to have the cam belt changed yet due to the low mileage but a check of the T&Cs on breakdown cover changed my mind.

The MH is booked in with Adams Morley for a cam belt change before we catch the ferry in January.
Click to expand...
If it’s out of warranty then Adams Morey is the expensive option in terms of labour costs. I’ll be using them whilst the new van is under warranty but don’t think I’d use them otherwise.
 
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OH had a cam belt fail on her Fiat Punto some years ago. Fortunately the engine was on ticker at traffic lights so it didn't trash the engine. Had the Moho one changed about 20 months ago. I don't tosh and turn at night thinking about it.
 
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VXman said:
However chatting to a friend who has a VW Beetle (newer model - about 6 years old I think) and enquired about getting his done and he was told VW recently advised changes to their schedule 15 years or 180,000 miles!!! on the petrol engine. I assume this is just a VW golf engine of some kind.
Now if one manufacturer can do that are we all being taken for fools?
Click to expand...
Just because one engine has a longer period does not mean it would be safe on others. Engines vary considerably. If the belt goes through several tight turns the belt ages sooner than one that only has gentle bends in it. Low mileage probably means long periods when the engine sits with the belt bent back on itself in the same position for weeks at a time. Most of us probably spend over £1,000 a year or more on fuel for our engines and regular maintenance is just another inescapable expense of running a vehicle. It is not just the cost of wrecking an engine it is the inconvenience of having it wrecked during a holiday.

As for recovery companies expecting us to keep to maintenance schedules why not. Why should those that pay for regular maintenance pay higher recovery fees to cover those who are cutting corners. If others gamble on not following the maintenance schedule that is their decision and their risk.

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Upvote 0
Another quick question.

Would you insist on the water pump being replaced whilst the cam belt is being replaced?
 
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Toady said:
Another quick question.

Would you insist on the water pump being replaced whilst the cam belt is being replaced?
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When all the gubbins is removed for the cam belt change, it's the same gubbins that has to be removed to change the water pump. All the belts and water pump come as a kit. Working on the theory whilst you are there you might as well change it.

A bit like if you remove a gearbox for a certain reason, you might as well change the clutch and pressure plate whilst it is out.
 
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Moho booked in next week for service, MoT ..... and cambelt change. For the third time! Just coming up to 150k miles so it's due mileage wise.

It likely doesn't need it as the van is used pretty well all the year round and we do an average of 10k a year. But the cost if it does go is horrific, not to mention the hassle if it goes somewhere "inconvenient" which with my luck it would!

I treat it as a form of insurance, you hope you never need it.
 
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I just had the one changed on my 25 year old iveco. It had one done in 2017 and only done 2000 miles since then , but its an interference engine and would be far more expensive to repair should it snap. It cost me £540 to have it changed which I grudge. But its always safer to do it . Unless you get a dodgy garage of course as I have had issues with belts going after they'd been changed. So you don't always get the peace of mind you hope for
 
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