Hi everyone.

I was wondering could someone give me some advice regarding the cambelt change interval on my car, its a skoda fabia 1.4 16v with the bxw engine. Looking around through different manuals and websites I have seen all sorts of contradictory information for the change intervals ranging from 4 years and 40000 miles to over 100000 miles and no time limit. It has been 34000 miles and 5 years since the cambelt, water pump, idlers and tensioners were last (allegedly) changed according to the service booklet. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I can't be 100% but I did notice something recently stated that Skoda amended their cam belt change interval to 40,000 miles. In reality, one cam belt might snap by then, another go on and do 240,000 miles! I would have thought if changed at that short interval, the water pump ought to have been fine for at least two belts but often, the advice is to change them during a belt change as the additional cost of parts is negligible, compared to labour and labour for both jobs is more or less identical. Many manufacturers used to say cam belts change at 100,000 miles, but Haynes and many mechanics advised halving that. I think the big issue is due to MOT tests getting tougher and engines (Particularly diesel) Get revved hard, to check emissions. A belt snapped during an MOT will not be accepted as damage by the tester but bad luck to you! 

I was also told, personally, cam belts on the average well driven cars should be fine but drive hard and give the vehicle a hard life and you will wear one out much, much quicker. 

Given the boy-racer nature of some vehicles, its hardly surprising manufacturers lower the expected life of any given belt, whilst modern vehicles should, theoretically, last longer and cover many more miles then cars of old!

I'd be sticking with 5 years, so now it is due, that is what I did for my daughter's Ibiza with that engine and that worked out okay.  The mileage might even be 60K, with the proviso that if 5 years comes up first then do it at 5 year point.

Thanks for all the advice, I have decided to go ahead and change the cambelt and water pump myself as the job doesn't look too complex and I have a haynes manual which shows me the process.