Cam Belt

[Bazile]

Ford Focus - 1.6 Zetec - Petrol - 2010 registered

62100 - miles

When should the cam belt be changed ?

[Baldric]

What does it say in the handbook?

[Buenchico]

100,000 miles
http://www.mytimingbelt.com/Results.aspx?ModelId=220

[gingejbee]

Handbooks don't usually mention such things....the Service Schedule book MIGHT. If it's anything like mine, however, there is no information on what is performed at any of the services...the service people at the dealer are told by the manufacturer AT THE TIME OF SERVICING what is to be done on any particular car (depending on age and mileage covered). You don't even get a stamp in the book....just a computer print-out!

[SlackAlice]

http://www.mytimingbelt.com/Results.aspx?ModelId=221

Does this help? Mind you, I think I would change earlier than those figures,

[emeritus]

Or 8 years

[ummmm]

My cam belt snapped while I was driving and caused 3k worth of damage to the engine.

Luckily my car had only done 18,000 miles so Vauxhall covered it.

[gingejbee]

Mine is changed at 150,000 miles, believe it or not (long-life belt and an unusual, not to say novel, design).

[Bazile]

Someone was saying to me that what the manufacturer mileage is only with respect to the belt only and does not take into account the tensioners .

So are the tensioners likely to go before the belt itself ?

[TWR]

It's difficult to say regards the Adjusters Bazile, but with cam belts, do not be the one the say's, " I should have" get is done and be on the safe side irrespective of what the garage or people say, also get the Fan belt changed at the same time, then you know that are of the Engine has been sorted, make sure you get the job Guaranteed.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

Change it as soon as Baz...or at the very least, change it the day before it snaps.

[TonyV]

Baz tensioners will be ok but from memory cam belts are good for 50K miles

[stocksman]

I always change mine before the recommended mileage. My opinion is that the figure given by manufacturers does not allow for different driving styles, storage conditions etc. If they say 60,000 miles I would go for 50,000 and so on. Why push it to save money if the possible damage can be saved by losing a bit of mileage?

[derekpara]

Having owned several Ford cars I agree with those recommending an earlier change than the manufacturer advises.

Cam belts uisually come as part of a kit, I think, with tensioners included and I would change yours asap, and if you are are 'belt and braces' person have the water pump changed at the same time. TWR's advice about the fan belt is sensible, too.

[Baldric]

///You don't even get a stamp in the book....just a computer print-out!///

You may be happy to settle for that, we wouldn't be and always have the book stamped.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

Baldric...my last 2 cars did'nt have any books to stamp..we were told that its all on line now, direct from the dealership..they consider a service book is easily forged.

[paddywak]

I don'tknow if it's a motabilty but my last four cars have always had the hand book stamped.

[malagabob]

I would do it well before any recommended mileage. I would do it now. Plus have the water pump changed at the same time.