S40: Cam belt replacement frequency

[mikeodee]

Any comments on cam belt failures

[ilikewatch]

Originally Posted by mikeodee

Any comments on cam belt failures

Which engine?

[skyship007]

Originally Posted by mikeodee

Any comments on cam belt failures

I did some reasearch on how common cam belt failures are for V40's and unlike more modern Volvo engines, I could not find one example of genuine Volvo or German OEM spec parts failing within the normal service interval.

I would note that it's rare for a cam belt failure to be proceded by any type of symptom like a noisey tensioner AND if the aux belt fails it can move across and wipe out the cam belt.

How long a cam belt lasts depends more on the number of stop start cycles than total miles, BUT how long the tensioner lasts depends more on age, as the bearing can corrode.

I would stick to gen Volvo, Gates or Continental parts. The Gates kits that include the water pump seem to be good value. Conti only do the belts.

[canis]

Yeah, second that. Ours is a genuine Volvo one, it was on the car when we bought it. I did try to replace it last year, but for some reason the replacement was too long. Never got 'round to sending it back, had to put the old one back on, and through a combination of circumstance and necessity it is still on! By now it must have gone twice as far as it's supposed to and for twice as long. And yes, I realise I'm pushing my luck. But it's testament to how good they are.

[clarkey1984]

Mines just clicking over to 182,000 miles, and to my knowledge its never had a belt, there are bits and bobs in the service book which records stop in about '08 but no mention in there of it ever having one, im really taking the p*ss i know but it is on the to do list, so if it goes in the meantime then its nobodies stupid fault but my own.

[Phandy]

I gave in and changed the cambelt and aux belts at 150k a few weeks back. I rode my luck for a good year before deciding I needed to keep the car running another year.