low mileage high age should I think about replacing the timing belt?

[gloves]

Hi, my 2009 1.8 Zetec only has 32,000 miles but its 11 years old. I really don't want to put any more money in the thing after buying 3 new tyres but should I maybe think about changing the belt next year or am I good for awhile do you think?

[TomsFocus]

Petrol or diesel?  The 1.8 petrol has a chain rather than a belt.  The 1.8 diesel has 2 belts and I would recommend doing them asap at that age.

[gloves]

1 minute ago, TomsFocus said:

Petrol or diesel?  The 1.8 petrol has a chain rather than a belt.  The 1.8 diesel has 2 belts and I would recommend doing them asap at that age.

It's a petrol

[TomsFocus]

2 minutes ago, gloves said:

It's a petrol

Good choice - no timing belt to worry about!  There is no interval for the timing chain, it should last the life of the vehicle.  

Personally I'd have a visual check of the aux belt (the one that runs alternator etc) and replace that if it's cracked or perished. 

[gloves]

Just now, TomsFocus said:

Good choice - no timing belt to worry about!  There is no interval for the timing chain, it should last the life of the vehicle.  

Personally I'd have a visual check of the aux belt (the one that runs alternator etc) and replace that if it's cracked or perished. 

so that's probably the belt I've seen, it looked a bit dirty. I'll have to inspect it a bit further. 

Many thanks, sorry I know bugger all about cars 😞 

[TomsFocus]

1 minute ago, gloves said:

so that's probably the belt I've seen, it looked a bit dirty. I'll have to inspect it a bit further. 

Many thanks, sorry I know bugger all about cars 😞 

No worries, that's what the forum's here for!

For future reference, the timing belt is almost always covered so you'd never see it.  The auxiliary belt (aka drivebelt, accessory belt, alternator belt, fan belt) is the one you can see that runs the alternator and air con pump.  They only cost about £20 and are super easy to change so very different to a timing belt.

[ScaniaPBman]

18 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

For future reference, the timing belt is almost always covered so you'd never see it. 

The timing belt is covered and hidden for a good reason.

If it is exposed, then in sub zero conditions with blowing powdered snow the small flakes of snow will build up on the toothed side of the belt to the extent that the belt is lifted off the toothed pulleys and either breaks or comes off.

Thankfully it's not much of a problem here in the UK.

ScaniaPBman.

[Luke4efc]

7 minutes ago, ScaniaPBman said:

If it is exposed, then in sub zero conditions with blowing powdered snow the small flakes of snow will build up on the toothed side of the belt to the extent that the belt is lifted off the toothed pulleys and either breaks or comes off.

Nice theory, but it's not really the reason why they have covers lol.

The cover is simply there to stop road debris getting caught in the belt.

[Botus]

a number of factors put stress on the cam drive of any engine (belt or chain)

bad design, tensioning or material (not an issue on the ford)
age, UV & other factors makes material degrade (its called nature)
contamination adds up with age (fluids, like antifreeze, pas, engine oil, dirt, debris, road filth)
wild cam shaft lobes (not an issue on these)
lots of short jorneys with lots of starter motor abuse (cams are exceptionally hard to rotate from off and very easy once running - so a taxi gets 200 k and your gran get 30k)
Start Stop (a new feature together with a weaker overall design for the cam drive - designed to sell cars and help fiddle the manu's co2 targets - has nothing to do with the environment and makes it dangerous in cut and thrust driving conditions - can and should be permanently turned of with FORscan)

 

the fun element - of course people should change cam belts - 600 quid and the car has another 100k and that's the problem - a good belt is £20.  But you need a kit with the tensioner and pulley's, plus the PAS and alternator stretch belt, then you should do the water pump because it will let go 10 mins after doing a one time only belt swap.  Whilst the system is empty you need to do the thermostat coz its easy then and a night mare any other time... whilst doing the job you disturb the design to fail PAS pipes and that's another £110