Technical ? HP Cambelt Age

[buttonsandzips]

My 07 100HP Cambelt is coming up to 5 years old. I've only driven it 3000 miles since the last change.

How important is it to get it replaced? Do they really degrade over time with such low mileage?

 

[varesecrazy]

My 07 100HP Cambelt is coming up to 5 years old. I've only driven it 3000 miles since the last change Do they really degrade over time with such low mileage?

What was changed?

In my experience it is the inactivity that can lead to rusty parts.. that fail unexpectedly.

Common in campers

 

[koalar]

owner manual says every 5 year regardless of mileage covered.

 

[varesecrazy]

owner manual says every 5 year regardless of mileage covered.

They appear to know that

Experience of the bigger sized fiat engine belt failures point to an element of luck..or misfortune..


Plent of vehicles that never sit idle can do 150k+ on the factory fit.

Many 2.0's failed between 50 and 70..
When the manual stated it was good to 72k


So..the big question:

New engine is going to run @£1000

Do you.

A. Get the belt kit changed

B.Swap the belt

C.Spend nothing.

Car may be worth the price of an engine..

Very much your call.

 

[jimboy]

Good advise given already. Those who ask this question, & it's been discussed before, should be aware that belts deteriorate with age. Look for signs of wear & cracking. Obviously this is the time to also change the relevant items like the water pump, bearing etc.

Aye! would say very important....

 

[buttonsandzips]

I'll get it done ?.

What would be a reasonable price for this work?

 

[varesecrazy]

I'll get it done ?.

What would be a reasonable price for this work?

Look back to when the 100hp was a current car..2012/15

In essence it is a job that takes:

X hours..2 / 2.5?

Parts ..£100 kit

Choose where you want it doing..

Labour per hour is going to be £40 to £100

Thats £150 difference already.

 

[koalar]

150-250 good independent
300-400 major chains and dealers

although this was for a Ford and quite a few years ago. But there shouldn't be much difference.


make sure whoever changes it. Its covered by a full warranty

 

[DaveMcT]

The 1746cc (basically same as Alfa 1.8TS) used in Punto Mk2 HGT is safe to just 40,000 on short journeys. Mine failed the week I bought the car - entirely my fault because it was well beyond expired by miles and age. It cost me a set of valves at £20 each, a set of head bolts (£100), gaskets, special tools, etc, etc and all the work with the new belt and water pump on top.

After the job was done I learned that main bearing shells can get creased by the impact causing crank failure in a very few miles. At least I was lucky on that score.

Renault say 40K for cars doing short and town journeys or 72K for those doing longer runs. Low speed causes much more impact strain on the belt. Mine failed at a traffic light when raising revs to pull away so there's a lot of truth in town use being hard on engines.

What a shame we can't have direct injected 2 strokes like Ford wanted to introduce 20 years ago.

 

[dac69er]

The 1746cc (basically same as Alfa 1.8TS) used in Punto Mk2 HGT is safe to just 40,000 on short journeys. Mine failed the week I bought the car - entirely my fault because it was well beyond expired by miles and age. It cost me a set of valves at £20 each, a set of head bolts (£100), gaskets, special tools, etc, etc and all the work with the new belt and water pump on top.

After the job was done I learned that main bearing shells can get creased by the impact causing crank failure in a very few miles. At least I was lucky on that score.

Renault say 40K for cars doing short and town journeys or 72K for those doing longer runs. Low speed causes much more impact strain on the belt. Mine failed at a traffic light when raising revs to pull away so there's a lot of truth in town use being hard on engines.

What a shame we can't have direct injected 2 strokes like Ford wanted to introduce 20 years ago.

or get a rotary engined car. no cambelt to worry about, just everything else!

 

[DaveMcT]

or get a rotary engined car. no cambelt to worry about, just everything else!

The Wankel rotaries are smooth but otherwise have too may compromises. They lose compression as the rotor tips go over the spark plug recesses and as they have to be recessed the spark plugs are less effective. Not to mention the poor energy conversion to power, high flame quenching and consequent heat loss. They need huge radiators and exhaust headers can glow orange.

The Rotax Etec 2 strokes (used in Skidoo snowmobile and Evinrude outboard engines) are extremely good on all emissions, very powerful, light weight and have good fuel consumption per bhp. They are modernised versions of what Ford was doing 20 years ago. But we still cant have them in road vehicles. I have no idea why.

The Liquid piston see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LiquidPiston shows promise but most details are 5 years old and nothing more has been heard. It has three combustion chambers around a semi triangular rotor chamber with a flat circular rotor. There is minimal quenching, no compression loss to the spark plug ports and combustion is fully complete before the chamber begins to expand into the power stroke.

 

[jimboy]

For what it's worth, every person I came across who owned a RX8 had trouble with them & most wanted to sell the car on.

 

[DaveMcT]

I agree. The wankel rotary is a very flawed design.

 

[dac69er]

For what it's worth, every person I came across who owned a RX8 had trouble with them & most wanted to sell the car on.

I've never had any trouble with my rx8. It survived a trackday without missing a beat too

That's not to say it isn't without it's many flaws, but alot of the problems are down to ignition issues or just general bad maintenance. Look after them and you should be able to achieve 100k miles without a rebuild.

I find them interesting as they are different.
My biggest bug bear is the extortionate tax.

 

[jimboy]

I've never had any trouble with my rx8. It survived a trackday without missing a beat too

That's not to say it isn't without it's many flaws, but alot of the problems are down to ignition issues or just general bad maintenance. Look after them and you should be able to achieve 100k miles without a rebuild.

I find them interesting as they are different.
My biggest bug bear is the extortionate tax.

Ah, ye see I never came across you We all have a story, I was just relating my findings...

 

[DaveMcT]

If you wonder why the fuel consumption is so bad just check out the exhaust on this.