Belt Me

[RAJVK]

After reading all the goss about cambelts Im starting to worry about mine now.

Iv got 1.4 8v mpi with 65k on it now and still the standard belt on it. The belt is still in mint condition with no signs of any wear, tension is perfect and engine bay kept clean. Should I think about changing it, if so how much will it cost roughly, I think you have to get tensioner aswell. Oh and its an X reg

Cheers Chaps or Chapesses

[The The]

Its time for a change, 65 is enough for any cam belt. I had one snap on a Citroen Visa Gti at less than 40 which cost me a fortune so i am a bit paranoid now.

Ring around for quotes if you don't fancy having a go yourself.

[Mr Grumpy]

How can you say it hasn't got any signs of wear without taking it off and inspecting it?

I look okay from the back, but look at my front, I am all wrinkly and cracked:rofl:

[bryand]

I look okay from the back, but look at my front, I am all wrinkly and cracked:rofl:

Ah yes, but you're not at 60,000 yet!

[Armegatron]

Get it changed, cheaper than buggering up the whole engine. I would think the cost to be about

[P-A]

Are you saying that the belt has never been changed from new, on an X reg car? If so, then get it changed asap. It's not easy to tell if a belt is worn by looking at it. The cost of repairing/replacing the engine is far far higher than changing the belt (trust me I know having been there myself).

[mannyo]

the belt should have been changed at 4 years old regardless of mileage.

[Dmac1969]

Im confused by this , I am pretty sure the 1.4 8V engine hasnt got a cam belt , but instead uses an internal cam chain , is this not correct? The belt you can see in the engine bay is the alternator belt , or at least thats my understanding of it.

[P-A]

Yup you're right, forgot about that! The 1.4 8v does indeed use a chain rather than a belt. Which belt we you looking at Rajvk?!

[RAJVK]

Ah sh#t I ment the Aux drive belt :eek:

[P-A]

[Armegatron]

Im confused by this , I am pretty sure the 1.4 8V engine hasnt got a cam belt , but instead uses an internal cam chain , is this not correct? The belt you can see in the engine bay is the alternator belt , or at least thats my understanding of it.

Doh, you are exactly correct! *Note to self, read all the original post in further detail*

[ap0gee1978]

According to the manual for my wife's 1.4 8v, the aux belt needs to be CHECKED after 4 or 5 years and every year thereafter and/or CHECKED after so-and-so thousand miles and every 10,000 miles thereafter. Like has already been said, the belt only drives the alternator and the a/c compressor (if you have one), so if it were to slip or snap, it would be a pain, but not terminal AFAIK...

Also, IIRC, someone posted on here recently about how the cam chain's life on the MPI engine is realistically determined by how long you can stand it rattling as it starts to wear, rather than the prospect of it snapping.

Could be wrong on both counts, but Mrs Ap0gee's car is 5 years old, 48k, with full main dealer service history (incl. receipts), and there's no evidence of the aux belt being replaced...

[Dmac1969]

Mine is approaching its 7th birthday and still on its original aux drive belt , it still looks like new as far as I can see and the tension is fine.

[P-A]

The cam chain snapped on my previous Peugeot after only 4 years and 60,000 miles. The engine was destroyed and needless to say, I wasn't impressed.