Changing a timing belt

C_Breeze

I bought a car with 74k miles on it.

The last owner assured me the T/B had been changed but there was no receipt so all I have is his word.

Are there any signs if a T/B has been changed Or Needs to be changed (like when the fan belt whistles)

Can you actually see the TB from the engine bay?

Would it have lasted this long if it hadnt been changed?

Should I cahnge it anyway as a precaution? .. the car is really mint and i dont want the engine to go arseways on it and pulversie the cylinders

thanks

Anan1

I'd start by asking the owner when the belt was changed, and by whom. If it was a garage, then you should be able to contact them and verify that it was done. If the owner tells you that it was done by a friend, or as a nixer or some such then i'd advise you to assume that it hasn't been changed and get the work done ASAP.

kaizersoze123

there is usually a tip ex mark put on it somewhere to show its been changed

ImaBM-man

What sort of car is it?? Most timing belts are changed around the 60k mark. When i got mine done the mechanic wrote with tippex on the engine when it was done, have a look for something like that. But if is hasnt been done do change it,very important!!

Stephen

Yeah, mine has the mileage when it was changed marked on it in what looks like Tipp ex. That said, some cowboy could just write "T/B 59000 mi" and say its done

JHMEG

Car make & model?

Some cars require the rocker cover to be removed to get at the timing belt. You can look for signs of this (slight rounding of the edges on the nuts).

Quite often non-franchised garages/mechanics will install non-oem belts, the most common make of which is Gates. If your's has a Gates belt then you can be sure it has been changed. But you will need to remove some sort of cover to see it.

C_Breeze

Hey thanks for the replies.

Its a Civic VTiS. He told me it was done as a nixer by an independent mechanic, and said of "course it was done, no way would i have let it go past 60k without replacing the cam belt"

Seemed a very honest & decent bloke but i juat want to be sure.

There are no tipex marks on the engine hence my questions.

So u cant actually see the TB from the engine bay? ..just to see the general condition whethere it is carked or worn? ...and are there no signs that it needs to be chahged? (like a fan belt squeel or anythin)

layke

I'll be speaking to my mechanic today (It's new clutch month) and i'll ask a price for you

DublinDilbert

Stephen wrote:

Yeah, mine has the mileage when it was changed marked on it in what looks like Tipp ex. That said, some cowboy could just write "T/B 59000 mi" and say its done

Seconded... most independent mechanics will write the millage at which the belt was changed on the timing belt cover with tip-ex / paint.... so its there for everyone to see...

From what i've seen, most dealers will not do this... i guess their thinking is that the person will always have the dealer service history for the car, and it will be clearly shown there... maybe some dealers do write it on, but i've never seen it...

quarryman

C_Breeze wrote:

Hey thanks for the replies.

Its a Civic VTiS. He told me it was done as a nixer by an independent mechanic, and said of "course it was done, no way would i have let it go past 60k without replacing the cam belt"

Seemed a very honest & decent bloke but i juat want to be sure.

There are no tipex marks on the engine hence my questions.

So u cant actually see the TB from the engine bay? ..just to see the general condition whethere it is carked or worn? ...and are there no signs that it needs to be chahged? (like a fan belt squeel or anythin)

apparently its very difficult to tell by looking at the belt. it will be around 250 to 400 to get it done. If you leave it and it goes you're talking a couple of grand. If it was me I'd get it done. You'll always be a little bit worried driving it if you don't.

Peace of mind more than anything else.

JHMEG

This is the 5-door on adverts.ie?