Inspecting cam belt

[arran81]

I'm due to view a Mk1 Octy vrs next week, I've been told the cam belt was done recently but they've got no paper work to prove it.

I was wondering whether it was possible to just remove the upper black plastic cam cover to inspect it rather than having to remove the whole valve cover? I realise this won't tell me for definite when it was done but at least I'll have a vague idea of condition and that it's safe to drive back home?

Thanks

Edited 29 December, 2016 by arran81

[stuart vrs]

Ask them where it was fitted and a cost of it, things like these you'll remember as they cost a couple of hundred pounds.

[sepulchrave]

Also, you need to be in the Octavia forum, this is for Fabias.

[arran81]

Thanks guys...whoops, not sure how I managed to post in the Fabia section?!

[Damo]

Moved it to the Octy forum :thumbup:

[arran81]

Cheers Damo

[arran81]

Apparently the current owner has only had it 6 months and it was the previous owner who had done the cam belt which is why they don't have the paperwork. Sounds a bit fishy to me! Just want to be able to give it a quick inspection without it taking too much time, or tools as I'll be travelling into London by train to view it!

[Saints92]

You can inspect the belt, as you'll be able to tell by the boldness of the writing on it. Top covers fairly awkward to remove on these aswell, requires moving a few bits and bobs.

Problem is the belt isn't the only part that can fail in there. You'd also need to know if the idlers and water pump had been changed, and they aren't something you can inspect without removal.

If there's no paperwork then, personally, if I bought the car, I'd be replacing everything in there as soon as I could. It's not worth risking.

[Leeboy]

If all else is good with it, unknown or unproven history over the belt change is a genuine reason to knock the price down. Do also make sure when you inspect it that you properly check that the central locking system is operating correctly across all four doors and that on locking you get the little red led flashing on top of the driver's door. Likewise, if any of the following don't work upon opening the driver's door it can be a pain in the proverbial to sort out:

Fuel pump buzzes into action on opening the door if not already done so in the past few minutes

Open door symbol on dash pod, this should show for all doors and the boot, so worth checking each individually.

And open the door with lights on but key out of ignition and it should be beeping at you.

Other things to check are does it get up to temp (90) and stay there when driving?

Breather system, is it oily around the front of the engine above the oil filter and any hissing noise of escaping air?

Do also check the condition of the rear brake calipers and discs. If there is a lot of corrosion on the discs that doesn't dissappear through driving and use of the brakes then these may have ceased.

And finally, any history of the oil pick up in the sump has been changed and the car has been treated to regular oil changes?

There are other things that can be bad and check for accident damage and the like, but these and your question over the cam belt should tell you if you've got a good or abused example in front of you.

[arran81]

So are you saying I can just remove the black plastic cover to the left of the engine but I'll just have to move a few bits about?(I'll have limited tools and time to work with). I've never been under the bonnet of one of these so I'm not familiar with them, in the past I've had to remove the entire cam/valve cover to inspect the belt but obviously this wouldn't be very practical when just viewing the car!

I totally agree that the water pump etc will also need to have been replaced. I'd hope that if the belt had been done that they would have changed the pump at the same time (the pump should look fairly newish if it had been done recently)?

There's actually no paperwork at all which I'd usually walk away from but I reckon I could probably get it for £800ish with 119k on the clock. It was also only mot'd last month with just a few minor advisories. The body work and interior looks pretty good and if it drives ok and no blue smoke I may have found a bargain!

I'll definitely be giving it a full service myself and then I'll look to get the belt and pump done sometime fairly soon. I've read you can get these done for around £300, is this realistic?

[arran81]

Thanks Leeboy for the extra advise!

Do these have any issues with oil starvation?

My old Saab 9-3 had known issues and the first thing I did was to drop the sump!

I'm beginning to think perhaps I shouldn't be trying to be such a cheapskate and that I should just pay a little extra for one with history like I've always done!....but £800 is still quite tempting!?

[VrsMule]

I paid £600 for mine, was told there was a folder full of receipts inc cam belt cx etc that would be forwarded on, never was. But looking at it it's in execellent condition so you can see it's been looked after. And at the end of the day it's a £600 car. If it sh!ts itself it goes in the bin.

[octyal]

You could try and contact the previous owner as the name and address will be on the log book, so you may have some luck contacting them if local.

 

The belt cover can be removed easily without tools - I have circled it in yellow on the attached picture - only uses two simple spring clips

 

[arran81]

Thanks guys, this gives me a little more confidence. I had almost made my mind up that I was going to leave it but I think I'll go and view it anyway and take it from there...1h 40 on the train and £20 later isn't too bad for a chance of picking up a bargain!

[arran81]

Well I'm now on the train back home after viewing the Octy Vrs.

Chucking out loads of blue smoke upon revving!....didn't even bother with driving it! Wish they'd just told me when I asked about any problems so I didn't waste my time...but I guess you can't expect everyone to be so honest!

I'll just have to wait a little longer until I find a good example.