Timing belt replacement advice?

nogiggity

So, I bought an 08 Ford Focus 1.6 TDCI about 4 months ago. At present , there is about 141,000 miles on it. According to the service history the belt was done at 50,000 and then again at 98,000 miles in 2011.
Ive done quite a bit of researching online as to the recommended duration between replacement intervals .From what I read most report that every 100,000 miles or every 10 years. However, my mechanic says in his opinion these should be shorter and it is due about every 50K-60K milles?
As it is a hefty cost , im looking for some other opinions before I commit to getting the belt done.

mgbgt1978

I'd be a lot more concerned with the oil changes on your car than the belt. Are they showing up in the service history ?
Most of the 1.6 tdci's that I know of have the belt done at 100k.

Atlantic Dawn

Given the age and miles the next timing belt will likey be the last one to go in to the car, no point in holding it off if you intend keeping it a few years.

mullingar

Opinions are just that, opinions.

Ford specify 10 years or 125k miles on that 1.6 engine. Volvos with the same engine specify 150k miles!

100k miles /8years is a reasonable time to change the belt, 50k is far too soon.

If it was the 1.8, 50k miles is reasonable as they eat belts

nogiggity

mullingar wrote: »

Opinions are just that, opinions.

Ford specify 10 years or 125k miles on that 1.6 engine. Volvos with the same engine specify 150k miles!

100k miles /8years is a reasonable time to change the belt, 50k is far too soon.

If it was the 1.8, 50k miles is reasonable as they eat belts

According to my mechanic Ford pulled back the interval recommendations by 4 years.He also said that every time a belt is replaced it does not age as long as it's last?The belt was changed at 50k then at 90k. The car is now 140k.
Your opinion?

mullingar

I've never heard of Ford reducing their 10 year belt to 4 years on the 1.6.

I checked Ford Etis, Ford still state that the interval is Every 125 000 miles/10 years.


How well do you trust your mechanic?

nogiggity

mullingar wrote: »

I've never heard of Ford reducing their 10 year belt to 4 years on the 1.6.

I checked Ford Etis, Ford still state that the interval is Every 125 000 miles/10 years.


How well do you trust your mechanic?

Well, he seems to have always been decent to me and done me a few favours free of charge.To be honest, I only paid about 2,000 for the car and am will be happy if it gets me through another few years. I o my do about 10k -15k per year on average...

Update. I got my father to ask his mechanic his advice and he said he suggests to replace at 50k as well. I'm not questioning your opinion . Just curious as to why this seems to be the standard suggested interval time among 2 different mechanics...

ittakestwo

My car was lying up for years. it's 2003 with 17.5k miles and the belt has not been replaced. Due to it's age should it be replaced or does only mileage count towards wear of the belt? The manual says every 60k miles and does not specify a time but I read time can wear the belt down even with low millage.

When I drive over a bump or speed bump I hear a creek. I thought it could be suspension but now I think this might be a sign that the belt is on last legs?

Toots

If it's been lying up, I'd change the belt. My husband had a car that wasn't driven for ages, then he started driving it again and the belt snapped on his way to work one morning. He kept meaning to book it in for the belt change but never got around to it, and it turned out to be a very costly mistake.

w211

This is the main reason to avoid the cars what not driven for long-long time. Timing chain are almost trouble free, but timing belt it can snap easily.

Stallingrad

[quote="w211;109358315". Timing chain are almost trouble free, but timing belt it can snap easily.[/quote]

Tell that to BMW and VW!

w211

Stallingrad wrote: »

Tell that to BMW and VW!

Compare the situation too!!! You can not store the car month/years if it have a belt but timing chain does not care anything about storing. Obviously you mean only the running condition/every day use, what are 100% different playground.

Toyotafanboi

Gas thread, if this was main dealers, there'd be a field day organised against this practice.

2x independents just making up their own intervals and passing them off to the customer.

The manufacturer set an interval, what grounds has your mechanic that he knows better than that, other than that he want's to sell a belt job.

w211

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Gas thread, if this was main dealers, there'd be a field day organised against this practice.

2x independents just making up their own intervals and passing them off to the customer.

The manufacturer set an interval, what grounds has your mechanic that he knows better than that, other than that he want's to sell a belt job.

Are you 100% sure? The manufacturer are interested to selling the new cars and they manipulate the numbers. Their recommended intervals are way too big on these days. Do not tell to me, you trust the life time parts BS. These days many cars have a "life time" gear box oil or any other parts. It does not mean you can drive forever. If any car have that type of "service interval" it means proceed the standard interval. I understand your vantage point too, you think the mechanics likes to screw you. It is not true. You get more trouble free years and kilometers if you do not trust the manufacturers mambo-jambo. 0.3-0.5 cents per kilometer, it is not big cost. Do your self and it cost 0.0x cents per kilometer.

Toyotafanboi

w211 wrote: »

Their recommended intervals are way too big on these days.

I was waiting for this line next. There is actually relatively little evidence to support this.

Should we just chop every interval in half? Should we just do a full rebuild every service? Where do we draw the line?

Follow the recommended intervals and all should be absolutely fine.

Obviously there are exceptions to everything but I can see no reason to half the belt interval on the PSA 1.6 TDCI for reasons like:

my mechanic says in his opinion these should be shorter

Aha, so the maintenance supplier says i must spend more on maintenance, more frequently, seems legit.

He also said that every time a belt is replaced it does not age as long as it's last

Please tell me how this works?

Dakotabigone

There was a lot to be said for an non interference engine.

ittakestwo

Toots wrote: »

If it's been lying up, I'd change the belt. My husband had a car that wasn't driven for ages, then he started driving it again and the belt snapped on his way to work one morning. He kept meaning to book it in for the belt change but never got around to it, and it turned out to be a very costly mistake.

Do you know how many miles in his belt was when it snapped?

w211

ittakestwo wrote: »

Do you know how many miles in his belt was when it snapped?

It can be even 0 miles if you do not drive for long time.

malinheader

Generally when I buy a car with over 70000 miles on the clock I always make a point of changing the timing belt. Unless it has already been done and stamped in the book by a main or reputable garage.

w211

malinheader wrote: »

Generally when I buy a car with over 70000 miles on the clock I always make a point of changing the timing belt. Unless it has already been done and stamped in the book by a main or reputable garage.

Finally a reasonable attitude!!!

TeaBagMania

time sure have changed, back in the 90's mazda was recommending timing belt intervals of 60K miles

the current ford recommended interval for me auto trans fluid & filter change is 150K miles, thats f*****g asinine

at that stage your vehicle will be long out of warranty and your trans will be toast. im sure ford will be right there to sell you a new one though.
those intervals are meant to sell vehicles plain and simple.

ill stick with the ol tried and true drop the pan and change the fluid & filter every 30K miles, never had a trans fail or give trouble with this method

so in short, screw the factory recommended intervals

Toyotafanboi

What's your basis for the 150k miles being "insane" though? What research have you done that this is too much?

Toots

ittakestwo wrote: »

Do you know how many miles in his belt was when it snapped?

Under 5k, and that was the main reason why he thought it would be ok to drive for a little bit without getting the belt done. I think he had it back on the road about 3 weeks when the belt went.

That was an engine replacement job, but because of the cost, we ended up replacing the car.

malinheader wrote: »

Generally when I buy a car with over 70000 miles on the clock I always make a point of changing the timing belt. Unless it has already been done and stamped in the book by a main or reputable garage.

I had the belt done on my new (2nd hand 2012) car even though there was plenty of time left on it until the recommended change mileage/years because when I ran a history check on the car, I could see that it had been sold to a dealer 6 months previously, which meant it could have been sitting on his lot for that whole time and barely moved, and I didn't want a repeat of what happened with my husband's car. I used that Timingbelts.ie place, and it was about €300 including the water pump. I know it was another added expense on top of just buying a car, but it was worth it for the peace of mind.

JohnBoy26

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Gas thread, if this was main dealers, there'd be a field day organised against this practice.

2x independents just making up their own intervals and passing them off to the customer.

The manufacturer set an interval, what grounds has your mechanic that he knows better than that, other than that he want's to sell a belt job.

Well to be fair ford didn't get the interval right on the 1.8tdci with the wet belt which is why so many of them have bitten the dust.

In the case of the 1.8tdci i'd take a good mechanic's advice who has experience with the flaws of these engines over a manufacturers interval.

malinheader

These are only recommendations. Better to go with what you feel happy with yourself. Same with the oil you get now that is supposed to do longer intervals between changes. I still buy high quality oil and change every 10000kms. Some people say it's a waste but its whatever your happy with or the way you were taught to do a thing. As I say it's all to do with what you yourself is happy with.

TeaBagMania

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

What's your basis for the 150k miles being "insane" though? What research have you done that this is too much?

Life experience is my research.

When your trans fluid begins to turn brown after 30K miles of moderate use, you're on borrowed time.
The hour of my time and $50-100 (depending on vehicle) it costs to change the fluid is cheap insurance and a hell of a lot less than a new or rebuilt trans.

by all means run your auto trans to 150K on the factory fluid and get back to us with your results

Toyotafanboi

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Well to be fair ford didn't get the interval right on the 1.8tdci with the wet belt which is why so many of them have bitten the dust.

In the case of the 1.8tdci i'd take a good mechanic's advice who has experience with the flaws of these engines over a manufacturers interval.

OP's isn't the 1.8 engine though?

JohnBoy26

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

OP's isn't the 1.8 engine though?

I know the point is the manufacturers intervals aren't always right and shouldn't automatically be held in higher regard to a mechanics opinion.

Toyotafanboi

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

I know the point is the manufacturers intervals aren't always right and shouldn't automatically be held in higher regard to a mechanics opinion.

In fairness, they get it right a lot more often than they get it wrong. I agree that you can't buy a good mechanics experience and opinions but I think he is wrong on this one.

What other examples are there of this? If it wasn't for that particular engine, would there even be an exception to the rule? I don't think the mechanic was right in cutting all Ford belt intervals by 50% because one particular Ford model was know to give issues, although I'm sure it suits his business to do so.

TeaBagMania

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Ah, so nothing scientific then? Do you see many of those boxes having critical failures before (or even after) 150k miles and if so, how many are related to oil degradation?

i couldn't care less about scientific. i go with what "I" know works.
If ford recommended trans fluid changes every 10K miles id still run it to 30K before i changed it (depending on color of fluid)

trans failure rate? i don't keep track and don't really care. (see first sentence)

TeaBagMania

malinheader wrote: »

These are only recommendations. Better to go with what you feel happy with yourself. Same with the oil you get now that is supposed to do longer intervals between changes. I still buy high quality oil and change every 10000kms. Some people say it's a waste but its whatever your happy with or the way you were taught to do a thing. As I say it's all to do with what you yourself is happy with.

agreed, this will blow TFB's mind... i still change my oil every 3K miles and use old dino oil

Toyotafanboi

TeaBagMania wrote: »

agreed, this will blow TFB's mind... i still change my oil every 3K miles and use old dino oil

There's no harm in preventative maintenance, specially from a DIY point of view, particularly as it's a labour of love for some, a bit like OCD detailing and things like that.

I like to change things when they are due or slightly before, personally I think the law of diminishing returns applies to doing stuff too often as an insurance policy against things that are unlikely to happen in the first place. Particularly when you weight up the costs of more regular maintenance and what you can save financially against things that are unlikely to give bother anyway.

That being said, I wouldn't neglect my car or advise anyone to neglect theirs but I still question the OP's mechanics reasoning.