Firstly - Any Idea why the cost for this differs for a car with or without aircon. I presume the aircon isn't driven from the cambelt.
but mainly how often should it be replaced - the car only has around 35000 miles on it (owned from new) and the belt and waterpump were changed at 6 years old. The official schedule says every 120000 km/72000 miles but I've also been told it should be done every 6 years in which case it's overdue.
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>> Firstly - Any Idea why the cost for this differs for a car with or
>> without aircon. I presume the aircon isn't driven from the cambelt.
I would assume the aircon option adds extra labour time to get it its belt and tensioners out the way, and back on again after.
>> it should be done every 6 years in which case it's overdue.
Time as well as miles causes deterioration in belts, so it sounds sensible to me.
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The internet says 5 years / 120,000 km, reducing to 4 years in harsh conditions.
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I would say replace on time rather than mileage. Cars with ac just need extra parts removed for access. Fortunately this engine is a non interference type , so if the belt breaks, there’s no engine damage
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>> I would say replace on time rather than mileage......
I wouldn't...
......Time as well as miles causes deterioration in belts, so it sounds sensible to me.
....Well, it doesn't to me. A modern good quality belt (crumbly DAYCO early BsIO excepted) should last at least 20yrs, if not indefinitely. The sturdy aramid cambelt in our old Mk1 1.6 Focus lasted over 20yrs and 160,000 miles, as did the poly-v belt. I would wager that more damage has been done to these Zetec engines (and many others) by cack handed unnecessary belt changes than if they had been left alone. The Focus belts were designed to last the life of the engine, driving nothing but camshafts and a tension pulley with the back of the belt, so wouldn't strip the teeth if it seized, like a seized driven water pump would. Ford cautiously advised change at 10yrs or 100,000 miles, but most mechanics will admit that they mostly still looked almost as good as new. Even the ancient fan/alternator belt in my 1980 TR7 is still original and intact after a 45yr working life (as is the 40yr old spare I have needlessly carried!)
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PS I am just an amateur DIY mechanic who has serviced my and our family cars for over 50yrs with no vested interest in promoting servicing work on cars. I think if any poster advises such work they should declare if they have a professional interest in generating such work.
PPS It is of course the small crankshaft pulley which actually strips the teeth when the belt is restricted.
Last edited by: John F on Fri 29 Aug 25 at 11:38
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Isn't it the tensioner or water pump that normally fails rather than the belt itself?
Last edited by: Robin O'Reliant on Fri 29 Aug 25 at 16:01
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My VW mechanic told me that VW now fit belts for life.
Obviously you would renew the belt if you were changing a
water pump or a tensioner.
I can also understand people who change them for peace of mind.
My car is a 12 year old Polo with 40000 miles on the clock.
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>> My car is a 12 year old Polo with 40000 miles on the clock.
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Barely run in.
My Polo is 17 years old with 110k under it's Chinese ditch finders.
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Have you changed the cam belt ?
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>> Have you changed the cam belt ?
>>
When we bought it in 2019 the service book showed a recent belt change at 59,000 miles. We had it replaced earlier this year on our sixth anniversary of ownership.
Last edited by: Robin O'Reliant on Fri 29 Aug 25 at 20:07
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>> >> I would say replace on time rather than mileage......
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>> I wouldn't...
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>> ......Time as well as miles causes deterioration in belts, so it sounds sensible to me.
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>> ....Well, it doesn't to me. A modern good quality belt (crumbly DAYCO early BsIO excepted)
>> should last at least 20yrs, if not indefinitely.
Well i can show you many a renault that has trashed an engine becuase the cam belt is over 6 years old.
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Mrs BJ's 06 Panda 1.2 has always had 5 years listed.
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duplicate?
Last edited by: BigJohn on Fri 26 Sep 25 at 23:15
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Timing belt and water pump change on one of these won’t be much more than £250 or so from an indi. I’d get it done for peace of mind, if you plan on keeping the wee car.
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They are apparently fairly reliable cars. I drew the short straw with mine as it was the biggest pile of poo I've ever been stuck with, cost me a fortune.
I got rid of it through a dealer in February and checking the DVLA website today it is on SORN, which doesn't sound too healthy.
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Our 2006 1.2 Eleganza has generally been pretty good but :-
it did have a gearbox bearing whine a few years ago - rebuilt for about £600 inc a new clutch(all components inside bell housing) by a fab local manual gearbox specialist. A few years later the external clutch slave cylinder also failed - yes should have had that replaced with the previous work!
It needs a new battery about every 8 years but this always shows up with a strange power steering fault first - just a new battery is required.
Rust can kill these if not looked after. Sills (especially near rear wheel arch), rear beam axle especially spring cups, inside rear wings (no liner!) especially around fuel filler pipe. Awful rust trap inside front wings where brake pipes pass into the engine bay. Mud collects each side inside a small "alcove" that eventually will rot (can be terminal as it's so hard to repair - brake pipes removed, engine out etc). The 1.2 petrol sump can rust.
Engine at 60k miles is sweet (no oil burnt ) , best climate control performance ever and still on the original exhaust.
Last edited by: BigJohn on Fri 3 Oct 25 at 22:17
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>>
>>
>> it did have a gearbox bearing whine a few years ago - rebuilt for about
>> £600 inc a new clutch(all components inside bell housing) by a fab local manual gearbox
>> specialist. A few years later the external clutch slave cylinder also failed - yes should
>> have had that replaced with the previous work!
>>
>>
>> Engine at 60k miles is sweet (no oil burnt ) , best climate control performance
>> ever and still on the original exhaust.
>>
>>
>>
Mine needed a new (Second hand) box after I'd had it a year. In addition to sounding seriously sick an oil leak turned out to be a crack in the gearbox case. It also drank engine oil thanks to either a worn bore or shot rings on No three cylinder which needed the plug cleaned every 3k or so.
Last edited by: Robin O'Reliant on Sat 4 Oct 25 at 12:01
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>> It also drank engine oil thanks to either a worn bore or shot
>> rings on No three cylinder which needed the plug cleaned every 3k or so.
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Which engine and how many miles had it done?
I remember having a mkII Cortina way back when that was on its last legs and always oiled the plug on cylinder no 1. I cheated a bit for a while and tried a shorter plug on that cylinder - kind of worked but at the end of the day it was cream crackered. Tin worm was the final killer though.
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>>
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>> Which engine and how many miles had it done?
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>>
63k when I bought the car and eighty something when I got shot of it. It was the 1.2 engine.
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FIAT Panda - 11 1.2 Timing Belt Replacement intervals - Zero
