Does my car have a timing chain or belt?

[RDC12399]

Just curious if anyone knows the correct answer to this as there seems to be conflicted opinions online.

I have a 2015 Astra J automatic 1.6 petrol. Do I have a timing chain or a timing belt? If it is a timing belt is it one of the “wet” belts that seem to be causing havoc in cars?

[bearman68]

Astra 1.6 petrol has a belt with intervals of 100k miles or 72 months.
Conventional dry belt as far as I can see.

[RDC12399]

Ok thanks. Seems like it’s due to be changed then, which is annoying because I recently got my car serviced and they said it never has to be changed in it’s life time which led me to believe it was a chain.

It’s 9 years old and 83k on the clock. Never been changed as far as I’m aware..

[Bobupndown]

It's probably absolutely fine and will last the same distance again, or else it might not!
For peace of mind I'd be having it changed.

[Mr Tidy]

It's well past 72 months so I'd get a new one fitted for peace of mind.

That's one of the things I like about BMWs, they use chains!

[Spitfire2]

Mr Tidy said:

That's one of the things I like about BMWs, they use chains!

Indeed. No BMWs have a reputation for timing chains failing. Oh.... wait.

[OldGermanHeaps]

Change it. Have had belts fail earler than their rated life. It isnt fun.
Belts are cheap, bent valves and cracked guides arent.

[Maxdecel]

Spitfire2 said:

Mr Tidy said:

That's one of the things I like about BMWs, they use chains!

Indeed. No BMWs have a reputation for timing chains failing. Oh.... wait.

Well it is hard to define the failure after the plastic tensioners have become a jigsaw puzzle.

[RDC12399]

OldGermanHeaps said:

Change it. Have had belts fail earler than their rated life. It isnt fun.
Belts are cheap, bent valves and cracked guides arent.

Yeah will look at getting it changed. Just looked on my service report and I didn’t see they recommended to get the timing belt changed, with a quote for £150. Seems really cheap to me, this is from Halfords.

Mobile mechanic I use has quoted me £205 for supply and fit of a new timing belt kit which seems reasonable. Just makes me wonder why Halfords are only asking for £150… should I avoid them?

[TwinKam]

RDC12399 said:

OldGermanHeaps said:

Change it. Have had belts fail earler than their rated life. It isnt fun.
Belts are cheap, bent valves and cracked guides arent.

Yeah will look at getting it changed. Just looked on my service report and I didn’t see they recommended to get the timing belt changed, with a quote for £150. Seems really cheap to me, this is from Halfords.

Mobile mechanic I use has quoted me £205 for supply and fit of a new timing belt kit which seems reasonable. Just makes me wonder why Halfords are only asking for £150… should I avoid them?

It is one of the easiest, quickest timing belts to do, hence the low cost, but the doesn't mean that the young children at Halfrauds couldn't still make a hash of it. Why not stick with the chap you know?

[bearman68]

£150 is too cheap in my eyes. Belt, pump, tensioners and guides will be £120 or more retail, then the coolant has to e replaced, and it bleed through.
Can't do that for £30.
Even £200 is looking like a bargain.

[TwinKam]

bearman68 said:

£150 is too cheap in my eyes. Belt, pump, tensioners and guides will be £120 or more retail, then the coolant has to e replaced, and it bleed through.
Can't do that for £30.
Even £200 is looking like a bargain.

The water pump is not timing belt driven and unlike the equivalent Ford Zetec isn't inside the belt cover, so apart from removing the aux belt you don't touch it.
As I said above, it's one of, if not the, quickest and easiest of belt jobs, less than an hour.