Common signs of timing belt for replacing it

[simone]

Hi all,

What are the most common signs that f.ex. a 1.6 petrol engine which I own, that means its time to replace the timing belt. I know there is an interval of 100k miles but it is possible that a belt can go wrong even at lower milage. What I am looking for are specific signs that points directly to the timing belt that needs to be replaced.

Thanks

[mrmetallica]

33 minutes ago, simone said:

Hi all,

What are the most common signs that f.ex. a 1.6 petrol engine which I own, that means its time to replace the timing belt. I know there is an interval of 100k miles but it is possible that a belt can go wrong even at lower milage. What I am looking for are specific signs that points directly to the timing belt that needs to be replaced.

Thanks

not sure if you can see it but check its not breaking up or perishing .dont really think there is a sign ,they just go

[GMX]

I always change the timing belt upon taking ownership of a car and then at 4-5 year intervals, it's fairly straightforward task.

Going on the mileage alone can be folly, purely because of the havoc and damage than can ensue when it snaps, quite often resulting in having to replace the engine

Timing belts can and do fail below their recommended service interval.

apart from checking it's not fraying or cracking, there aren't really any signs it's about to go

 

[mrmetallica]

1 minute ago, GMX said:

I always change the timing belt upon taking ownership of a car and then at 4-5 year intervals, it's fairly straightforward task.

Going on the mileage alone can be folly, purely because of the havoc and damage than can ensue when it snaps, quite often resulting in having to replace the engine

Timing belts can and do fail below their recommended service interval.

apart from checking it's not fraying or cracking, there aren't really any signs it's about to go

 

do you need special tools to do a belt ? would like to do mine but have never done one before .

[Dee_82]

I think you will need some locking pins but beyond that there probably isn't much more needed than you will already have in your tool box.  My mate and I did my 1.6 TDCI belt and water pump and it was a lot easier than I thought, dont get me wrong, there were LOTS of steps but nothing complicated, we even counted teeth just to be sure, its one of those jobs though that if you take short cuts, you might end up ruining your engine so it pays to take your time!

 

[mrmetallica]

1 minute ago, Dee_82 said:

I think you will need some locking pins but beyond that there probably isn't much more needed than you will already have in your tool box.  My mate and I did my 1.6 TDCI belt and water pump and it was a lot easier than I thought, dont get me wrong, there were LOTS of steps but nothing complicated, we even counted teeth just to be sure, its one of those jobs though that if you take short cuts, you might end up ruining your engine so it pays to take your time!

 

maybe i could pop over and you give me some pointers lol

[Dee_82]

haha, sorry, that's some trip to come an help, although @TomsFocus did offer to help with a clutch and DMF change at some point in the future ;) could make a wee weekend of fiddling with cars!

Here was my thread on the saga, no pics I'm afraid,

 

 

[simone]

will a compression test verify if the belt is loose or is at its life end? 

Dee_82, Is it an easy job to just to remove the belt cover to see if it needs to be replaced?

[ScaniaPBman]

Others will have their opinion on timing belts but here is my view...

1) The most common cause of early belt failure is not the belt itself, but failure of the tensioner bearing which then seizes and shreds a still servicable belt.

2) To check how much life is left in a timing belt you need to remove it first. Any visible damage at all condems it. Next bend the belt backwards so that the teeth are on the outside. Look very closely at the root of each tooth where it meets up with the inside of the belt. Any sign of a crack in the rubber of any tooth here is bad news and shows that the belt is at the end of it's useful life.

Of course now that you have gone to all this trouble to take the belt off for this examination you might just as well replace it.

For all the belt jobs I have done, I have cut a small hole in the plastic cover at the tensioner bearing so that I can probe with my mechanics stethoscope. I can then listen to the bearing and hear if it is noisy and likely to fail.

Hope this helps,

ScaniaPBman.

[simone]

Thanks ScaniaPBman for the tip I remember to make a whole in the cover for testing the tensioner.

But is it easy to access the belt by only removing the cover for inspecting the belt only? Any idea whether a compression test will help to diagnose whether its about to fail?

[stef123]

A compression test will not confirm the condition of the belt.

the 1.6 engine, (1.25 and 1.4 for that matter) are all very straight forward and simple to do. A timing locking kit is required though but can be purchased for about 10-15 quid. A flywheel locking tool too if you really want to go all out lol. 

[iantt]

stef have you done a timing belt on a 2.0 tdci (peugeot engine) ford yet?

[artscot79]

if in doubt change it the tensioners fail before the belts do theres no specific mileage some go at 3yrs 5/10 its a lottery fords 100k is the belt not the tensioner

[stef123]

5 hours ago, iantt said:

stef have you done a timing belt on a 2.0 tdci (peugeot engine) ford yet?

No Ian I haven't but I suspect your going to tell me something lol. 

[iantt]

i will let you find out if you ever do one. lol

[stef123]

2 hours ago, iantt said:

i will let you find out if you ever do one. lol

come on, you've got this far