Cam belt, not been changed for at least 4 years...

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I

Ian Rawlings

Guest
Hello all, I recently had a cam belt scare with another car
(thankfully didn't turn out the expensive way) which put the cam-belt
fear into me. I checked with the dealer who I bought my truck from
and who has done all the servicing, and they have no record of having
ever changed the cam belt in my 300TDi Defender. ISTR that the cam
belt must be changed every 60,000 miles or once every two years,
making mine about 2 years overdue.

Does anyone know the risks of running the truck in this state? I
could do with attending Old Sodbury next weekend to get some new doors
but the cam belt change isn't booked in until the Monday after. I'm
not driving the truck at the moment until it's fixed but this trip
(about an hour and a half each way) is one I'd like to be able to
make.

I know what'll happen if the belt goes, but is the "once every 2
years" thing just a precaution or is there something that gives with
time? Does anyone have any informed info on this?

Cheers!

--
For every expert, there is an equal but opposite expert
 
From what I understand about cam belts, the most stress is placed on them
during stop and starting procedures.

Depending on engine type they tend to stop in one or sometimes one of two
positions.

Logic would dictate that more stress is placed on a cambelt in an engine
that is stopped and started mulitple times a day rather than one which is
started and driven 200 miles each trip.

You may only drive 5 miles a day but start and stop the engine 10
times....you get the idea.

Of course I could be completely wrong!

Alan M


 
> >
> >I know what'll happen if the belt goes, but is the "once every 2
> >years" thing just a precaution or is there something that gives with
> >time? Does anyone have any informed info on this?


Mine did 70,000 miles on a 200Tdi which I thought was the reccommended
change interval. Then I realised that Landrover say every 35,000 if used
offroad or in heavy conditions or something like that. Anyway, heart in
mouth I had it changed immediately and it looked brand new when it came
out - no perceptable wear at all.

However, that doesn't mean that it wasn't about to fail at any moment - it
may have been. The vehicle is now some 14 years old and has 200k+ on the
clock so I'm prepared to risk going to 50,000 on this belt, but on a newer
vehicle I'd change it at 35k which would be just over yearly for me. For 150
quid it's just not worth worrying that it's gonna let go.

'Course, the 300 chewed belts up, but yours has the conversion kit of
course, otherwise it wouldn't have got this far!!

TonyB


 
On 2005-03-27, MVP <mr.nice@*nospam*softhome.net> wrote:

> I don't think you'll get a clear answer on this one. the renewal at 2
> years/60,000 mikes will certainly have a safety margin but do you want
> to bet that it's a 100% safety margin?

No, that's why it's off the road right now. However just because I
now know it's way past due doesn't make it any more likely to shred
the belt, so I was hoping that someone might be able to tell me how
dangerous it is to drive it with a belt that's aged rather than near
the limit.

Of course it's also almost at the 60,000 changeover point too, so
something about burning candles at both ends springs to mind... It's
about 5,000 miles short of 60,000 miles past the last change.

> If the place you bought it from has also done all the servicing why
> have they not replaced the cam belt as and when it was due?

Something to do with them being muppets I think. They've called me
over once or twice to point to something on the truck and tell me that
it's been fitted badly, only to be told that they fitted it. The last
time this happened it was the swan-neck on the steering drop-arm which
was close to coming off. I also did my own 6,000 mile service last
weekend and decided to drain and replace all the oils, the gearbox
drain plug had a very thick coating of iron filings, and once they
were removed and new oil put in, it's now changing gear better than
it's ever done so I'm wondering if they ever changed the gearbox oil
either.

I'll be going through the service history (which they've never
recorded anywhere other than their computers) with a fine-toothed comb
to see what else they've missed.

--
For every expert, there is an equal but opposite expert
 
On 2005-03-27, Ian Rawlings <[email protected]> wrote:

> ISTR that the cam belt must be changed every 60,000 miles or once
> every two years, making mine about 2 years overdue.

Well, that's what the dealer told me when I spoke to them...

Landrover Defender service manual says every 72000 miles or once every
*6* years, or three if it spends all its time in tropical climates or
sandy environments..

So is it 6 or 2? Anyone back up either? If it's 6 then great, I've
got another year and a half left. If it's 6 then the service guy at
the dealer is.... confused...

Bloody dealers, I wish I had a set of ramps and about six times the
spare time I have now!

--
For every expert, there is an equal but opposite expert
 
On or around Sun, 27 Mar 2005 19:20:06 +0100, Ian Rawlings
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>Hello all, I recently had a cam belt scare with another car

the book says 72000, or 36000....

personally, I'd go with 36000 meself. Not sure if the time limit is much to
the point. The only one I know with a time recommendation is the 1.8 ford,
on which it's recommended you do it every year so that it's always under
guarantee...

--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
"For millions of years, mankind lived just like the animals. Then
something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination -
we learned to talk." Pink Floyd (1994)
 
Ian Rawlings wrote:
>
> So is it 6 or 2? Anyone back up either? If it's 6 then great, I've
> got another year and a half left. If it's 6 then the service guy at
> the dealer is.... confused...

A quick perusal of the (non-LR specific) literature at work doesn't give
specific times for any vehicle, but there's a general overview page that
makes noises about 5 - 6 years being a good interval on low mileage
vehicles.


--
EMB
 
In message <[email protected]>, Ian Rawlings
<[email protected]> writes
>Hello all, I recently had a cam belt scare with another car
>(thankfully didn't turn out the expensive way) which put the cam-belt
>fear into me. I checked with the dealer who I bought my truck from
>and who has done all the servicing, and they have no record of having
>ever changed the cam belt in my 300TDi Defender. ISTR that the cam
>belt must be changed every 60,000 miles or once every two years,
>making mine about 2 years overdue.


Don't worry about it Ian

The correct interval Is 72,000 miles or 6 years

Once the mod is fitted, weather done at the factory or not, you should
have no probs. It you regularly dip your timing cover under water then
you may want to do it more often and change the idlers as well.


--
Marc Draper
 
On 2005-03-27, Austin Shackles <[email protected]> wrote:

> the book says 72000, or 36000....

36000 is only for tropical or extremely dusty running conditions, with
such conditions being the normal environment for the truck. In
Britain I don't think either really apply. It's certainly better to
do it sooner rather than later though!

--
For every expert, there is an equal but opposite expert
 
On 2005-03-27, EMB <[email protected]> wrote:

> A quick perusal of the (non-LR specific) literature at work doesn't give
> specific times for any vehicle, but there's a general overview page that
> makes noises about 5 - 6 years being a good interval on low mileage
> vehicles.

OK, that's mine then, only does about 6,000 miles a year these days.
I'm not panicing any more.

--
For every expert, there is an equal but opposite expert
 
On or around Mon, 28 Mar 2005 09:40:22 +0100, Ian Rawlings
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>On 2005-03-27, Austin Shackles <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> the book says 72000, or 36000....
>
>36000 is only for tropical or extremely dusty running conditions, with
>such conditions being the normal environment for the truck. In
>Britain I don't think either really apply. It's certainly better to
>do it sooner rather than later though!

It doesn't cost much, though bearing in mind the other costs of doing 36K
miles, and the cost of putting it right when/if it breaks are apt to be big.

Some 300 TDis have issues with belts getting eaten, too; so worth looking ta
it sooner rather than later.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
"Remember that to change your mind and follow him who sets you right
is to be none the less free than you were before."
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180), from Meditations, VIII.16
 
On or around Mon, 28 Mar 2005 09:23:55 +0100, Marc Draper
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>In message <[email protected]>, Ian Rawlings
><[email protected]> writes
>>Hello all, I recently had a cam belt scare with another car
>>(thankfully didn't turn out the expensive way) which put the cam-belt
>>fear into me. I checked with the dealer who I bought my truck from
>>and who has done all the servicing, and they have no record of having
>>ever changed the cam belt in my 300TDi Defender. ISTR that the cam
>>belt must be changed every 60,000 miles or once every two years,
>>making mine about 2 years overdue.
>
>
>Don't worry about it Ian
>
>The correct interval Is 72,000 miles or 6 years
>
>Once the mod is fitted, weather done at the factory or not, you should
>have no probs. It you regularly dip your timing cover under water then
>you may want to do it more often and change the idlers as well.

If the belt's never been changed it might not have been modded, though, if
it's one that needs it. Worth getting it done for peace of mind, I'd have
thought.


--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
"Remember that to change your mind and follow him who sets you right
is to be none the less free than you were before."
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180), from Meditations, VIII.16
 
On 2005-03-28, Austin Shackles <[email protected]> wrote:

> It doesn't cost much, though bearing in mind the other costs of
> doing 36K miles, and the cost of putting it right when/if it breaks
> are apt to be big.

Indeed, I'll be getting mine done at the next service, which will make
it about 10,000 miles or one year early.

> Some 300 TDis have issues with belts getting eaten, too; so worth
> looking ta it sooner rather than later.

Mine's been converted already, I had them correct it, change the belt
and put it all down on the receipt when I bought the truck.

--
For every expert, there is an equal but opposite expert
 
Ian Rawlings wrote:

> Mine's been converted already, I had them correct it, change the belt
> and put it all down on the receipt when I bought the truck.

I'm a very sensitive person .... must you keep calling it a truck?



 
On 2005-03-28, Dougal <DougalAThiskennel.free-online.co.uk> wrote:

> I'm a very sensitive person .... must you keep calling it a truck?

OK, how about boneshaker!

--
For every expert, there is an equal but opposite expert
 
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