cam belts...do they really go ping

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

Originally Posted by Paul Clark

I had a Montego Est (yes, sad but true). The belt snapped when I was doing about 30mph one day. The garage who collected it said that the engine will be 'knackered mate'. Got them to take it to my home. A mate put a new belt on, we fired it up & it was fine. I WAS VERY LUCKY to have been going so slowly I reckon.

My 480s belt was done on purchase 5 years ago. It has only covered 37k since. Should it be changed due to its age now (water pump was done 18 months ago due to a leak)?
cheers

Is the service change for the belt 72k miles? If so then yes, change the belt.
as the 72k miles is a 6th year service change and your due soon.
If lower, change it. If higher, change it soon.

Des. . .

[david_940]

440/460/480: - 1990: Replacement every 50,000 or 60 mths (whichever comes first).
1991 - Replacement every 60,000 or 72 mths (whichever comes first)

[Chris1Roll]

To echo everyone else on here, yes they do! and I change mine well before time to be on the safe side.
1) buy car
2) check history
3) if no evidence or your unsure of the garage that did it, do the cambelt.

Bizarrely I gave exactly the same sentiments on the S40 forum and got shot down......
http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=44196


@ Paul clark - a lot of older engines were of a non interference design, that is if the belt broke the pistons couldn't possibly hit the valves - the carbed 240's were like this, just drive it till it snapped and then whack a new one on.

[Capnslippers]

Originally Posted by PNuT

only a fool leaves his cambelt untill it snaps!

I should hold my hands up then - Clio 1.2 60k, just over the service interval, it didn't go 'ping' - it just snapped and the engine died. Shiney new engine installed after handing over 1500 notes.

On the plus side a friend lent me his weekend car, a Mazda MX-6, until mine was fixed. When i got my 1200cc clio back it did not hang around long after having driven around in a 2.5 V6!! I swapped it for a Saab 9-5 that had been 'tweeked' over at Abbott Racing (are we allowed to use the 'S' word on here?!)

[Volvo Dave]

We have just had to scrap our 440 due to the belt going. The car had 88k on the clock and due to the fact that all the bolts were on the cover(if you changed on you will know what i meen!) it would have sugested that the belt was origanal from new! Yesterday I changed the belt on my 460. It has just done 130k but fortunatly some of the bolts on the cover were missing! On inspection the belt was just starting to go although it had been replaced by a former owner. The moral of the story is when you get a 'new' car change the belt asap!

[Crispy-d]

Out of interest, why is it that we use belts instead of chains or gears? My brother's Landy V8 uses a dirty great chain that wouldn't break if you suspended the entire Landrover from it, and I believe my father's Rover 75 diesel runs a chain as well. Surely there would then be little concern for bashing in the valves. Is it simply because they're noisy, or a power drain?? Can't see it that way myself, but I suppose there must be some reason - anyone know?

[david_940]

NVH (Noise Vibration Harness), basically belts make for a quieter engine. I would imagine the other reason is pure economics, belts are cheaper for manufacturers to put on when new and create a source of revenue when we have them changed.

[Paul240480]

Good question Crispy! Got to be the cost as David_940 says.
However, even LADA put chains on the Niva 4x4, not sure about the the other models. Please don't strike me down for the mention of LADA here LOL.

I only know cos I knew someone with one..................

[dralphs]

Hi all

normally on any car i buy, i insist at its first service that the cambelt & tensioner/idler pulleys etc are changed. Even when bought from a dealer i have insisted that they do it before i take delivery.

However the one time i didn't was on a N Reg 44 diesel only done 60,000 and according to the history the belt had been changed at the last service so i didn't bother. One year and 10,000 later it snapped and it wasn't worth repairing even though rest of car was good, as could get another for same price as rebuilding the engine.

So now even if the history implies its been done if i can't verify it i get it done asap.

As to why manufacturers switched to belts, well if anyone has heard an old mini (or other A series engined car) with a worn cam-chain..............

dave

[Mark480]

I think changing the timing belt is an excellent opportunity to get your hands dirty! The Haynes is actually quite good for this task and it is massively satisfying! You can get a timing belt kit for under £80 which is probably what a Volvo garage would charge you per half hour in labour! Get it done!