Timing Belt?

[JTaylor2005]

Alright guys.

What sort of ball park figure would I be looking at to get a timing belt done on these cars? People say do water pump as well yeah?

Thanks

[Toms306]

£300 parts and labour. Yes do the full kit inc water pump and tensioners.

[MrBigMac]

i paid £130 ish for pats, did the job my self first cam belt i ever did too, not a bad job

[JTaylor2005]

Nuts haha.
See the guy that sold it to me said "I don't remember having the timing belt done" but there is a receipt for it being done. I think anyway haha.

How many miles is it you have to change it?

[Toms306]

Its a HDi, not a GTi6...you don't have to change it, the crank pulley will snap it long before age does.

Pretty sure the interval is 10 years or 100k on them, I've never seen a 'bad' one though, even on 170k lol. If you've got a receipt I wouldn't bother having it done again really. Up to you of course though.

You can half my estimate by doing it yourself, I did one of mine.

[Iceman299]

Prob cheaper to just leave it until it snaps and drop another engine in lol

[Toms306]

Prob cheaper to just leave it until it snaps and drop another engine in lol

Easier too unless you have tiny hands...

[JTaylor2005]

Found the receipt. It was on 39k miles on the 23/11/2007
It had a timing belt done and has 7 year gaurentee writen in pen next to it haha. The bill came to £509 with a service as well haha :O

So it was done 40k miles 34k miles ago and 8 years ago.

[Toms306]

Bill sounds about right, service would cost about £200. Prices haven't really changed much for garage bills.

Personally I wouldn't worry about changing it on that mileage/age. It is obviously up to you though. Could always pop the covers off (most difficult part lol!) and see what the belt looks like if it'll put your mind at ease.

[Iceman299]

Non interference engines ftw

[MrBigMac]

^^^ 2nd that

[Toms306]

Yep, lets sacrifice efficiency because a belt might snap occasionally...

[Iceman299]

Yep, lets sacrifice efficiency because a belt might snap occasionally...

The celica is non interference and 168bhp from a 2ltr n/a, does decent mpg the same as any other 2ltr

Although the efficiency thing did cross my mind tbh

[JTaylor2005]

I suppose if you don't need a high compression ratio engine then that's fine having non interference but there is probably a fair chance most diesels are interference what with them needing twice as much compression.

[Frosty]

Worth popping the top cover off to see how the belt is looking IMO

[Iceman299]

I suppose if you don't need a high compression ratio engine then that's fine having non interference but there is probably a fair chance most diesels are interference what with them needing twice as much compression.

Yeah i highly doubt any diesel would be non interference!

[shervo]

Personally I'd change it for peace of mind. Not an expensive or hard job if you're doing it yourself. Then again I always change the belt on every new car I have haha

[306rhys]

theres a good guide on 306.net

http://www.theywhoshallnotbenamed/index....hdicambelt

[Jonny81191]

Wow, when did people get so f*cking lazy? Sure, if you couldn't afford it you've got a while before it becomes a major concern, but like hell is it cheaper and easier to replace the engine when it inevitably snaps

Change it. £300 is about right, get a couple of quotes locally and then you know you've not been ripped off.

[Toms306]

I've changed a HDi cambelt and a HDi engine... I'd MUCH rather swap the whole engine! Should be able to pick up an engine cheap or free, I've never been able to sell them, just end up breaking them for the rods to go in XUDs (which apparently no longer chuck rods lol).

[Jonny81191]

I've changed a HDi cambelt and a HDi engine...  I'd MUCH rather swap the whole engine!  Should be able to pick up an engine cheap or free, I've never been able to sell them, just end up breaking them for the rods to go in XUDs (which apparently no longer chuck rods lol).

That's because you're failing. 8v HDi cambelts really aren't difficult, also did you factor in the added cost of replacing parts and fluids etc..? Plus the fact that you don't get service history or proof of mileage with second hand engines, so you'll potentially have more issues down the line when you invariably buy a lemon.

[Toms306]

I always fail...you cant fail swapping an engine though, can easily fail swapping a cambelt! It's the access and 'feel' for tension that I struggled with tbh, engine out it'd be much easier but still without a proper tensioner it's only an educated guess.

Depends where the engine came from... I bought a whole crashed HDi cheap with full service history and obviously known mileage. Couldn't sell the engine so bought another HDi with a snapped cambelt to fit the engine to... It's the engine in the moonstone that you boosted that Toseland now owns so wasn't a shitter...

Don't need to replace much either, you'd most likely change coolant, aux belt and give it a full service with a cambelt change anyway.


Of course it's not for everyone, in the same way a paint sprayer would repair a dented wing and I'd just swap one from a scrap yard. Depends on various factors obviously. Still, I don't remember seeing a HDi snap a belt through age in all the time I've been playing with them, its always the crank pulley collapsing that does it.

[Magenta Sunset]

Question
Why does the pulley collapse?

[Jonny81191]

It doesn't. Unless you ignore the loud and very obvious warning signs that go on for at least a couple of weeks (often several months) before it dies.

The rubber buffer breaks down, causing the metal outer part to come free.

[Toms306]

Most people are oblivious to noises or problems on their cars tbh... Always amazes me how much is wrong with cars people sell as 'still driven daily'...

You can't leave a knocking pulley...

[pugbug]

A bit of mad advice here...! Changing a cambelt on a hdi is pretty easy...! Rubber deteriorates after 5 years, if it's a good engine might as well get it changed, if stuck ask a member here to do it for you, quite a few people work on their own cars!

[Poodle]

No that's just Tom lol. Every 5 years is a tad excessive, 10 years or 100,000 miles is just fine. That said, i service a 52 picasso on 170something thousand miles that's never had it done, so they're clearly not that delicate.

[pug306driver]

change an engine rather than change a cam belt? what you gunna do when there are no engines left?

[Toms306]

Lol, I wonder that about XUD blocks....they'll run out eventually with the amount of rods that go through them. The chassis' will have rusted away before the engines run out though.

I think my 'advice' was taken a bit too literally if I'm honest, yes I'd rather swap an engine than a belt one these, quicker, safer and cheaper for me...that's my opinion, not fact. The fact was that I've never seen a 306 HDi snap a belt through age so wouldn't bother changing one that's been changed fairly recently... I changed a 90k one and wished I hadn't because it was still perfect, rollers didn't even need changing though I obviously did the whole kit anyway. Was a lot of hassle and expense to go to for something that looked as it'd come off the production line. The HDi's don't put much force through the belt (as standard at least) and don't forget it's sealed in the covers as well, not like an aux belt or tyres that go through water and salt and all sorts of crap on a daily basis.

[beulah]

Had mine done, belt, tensioners, antifreeze  and water pump all for £293. Second belt, first was done at 70k. Now at £146k.


Just find a decent garage if you can't do it yourself and you won't have to worry....