Cam belts - do they always break?

[V8mate]

Motoring Russian roulette or just scare-mongering?

My daily driver's service schedule calls for a cambelt change at 80,000 miles. Today I passed the 81,000 mile mark. Will the cambelt definitely break at some point? Or are some cars/owners just unlucky and there's plenty of evidence of these belts pretty much living as long as the car does?

Just how dangerous a game am I playing with my engine?

[Condieboy]

Good luck with the top end rebuild when it does snap.

Yes it happens.

[slippery]

How dangerous a game you are playing really depends on whether you are driving a car that causes engine damage when the cambelt snaps or not. Most do, some don't.

[10 Pence Short]

Many cam belts can go well before the scheduled replace, too. Especially some French ones.

[TheD]

Reminds me of the film the Deerhunter. You just dont know if it's going to go before or after you sell it on. I've seen many cars just scrapped because of an engine rebuild cost.

[Condieboy]

10 Pence Short said:

Many cam belts can go well before the scheduled replace, too. Especially some French ones.

My GTi6 per chance?

Edited by Condieboy on Sunday 8th November 13:10

[Big_Dog]

Condieboy said:

10 Pence Short said:

Many cam belts can go well before the scheduled replace, too. Especially some French ones.

My GTi6 per chance?

Edited by Condieboy on Sunday 8th November 13:10

My boys Clio, took all the exhaust valves with it.

[segg250]

If it helps i took my a4tdi 5k over cambelt service and it didnt immediately explode in a ball of fire.

[simonej]

Mine went at 55,000 on a Ford Zetec engine (think it was supposed to be 80k). Rebuild was 950 pounds. I think you'd be foolish to leave it unless the car is worth peanuts.

[slippery]

V8MATE, what car is it we are talking about here?

[V8mate]

A French one

Citroen C5 - 2.0i 16V (2005- facelift)

[catman]

The cost of replacing the belt compared to the potential cost of the damage if you don't, make it a no-brainer IMHO.

Tim

[V8mate]

catman said:

The cost of replacing the belt compared to the potential cost of the damage if you don't, make it a no-brainer IMHO.

Tim

Depends on the odds though

[muckymotor]

My father in law had a company mondeo and the cam belt snapped at 37 miles, no zeros are missing from the mileage.

[petrolsniffer]

que thread next week titled 'my cambelt snapped'

[bigdods]

On my Omega the interval was 80k miles but after a lot of early failures they quietly changed it to 40k. Make sure you get the pulleys changed and not just the belt, on the omega it usually a pulley that siezes causing the failure. I'm sure its the same on other makes.

[segg250]

V8mate said:

A French one

Citroen C5 - 2.0i 16V (2005- facelift)

In that case i wouldnt even start it again. Put it on a lowloader and get it replaced.

[Engineer1]

catman said:

The cost of replacing the belt compared to the potential cost of the damage if you don't, make it a no-brainer IMHO.

Tim

The cost of replacing the belt may be a good percentage of the cost of the car.

[jeff m]

V8mate said:

Motoring Russian roulette or just scare-mongering?

My daily driver's service schedule calls for a cambelt change at 80,000 miles. Today I passed the 81,000 mile mark. Will the cambelt definitely break at some point? Or are some cars/owners just unlucky and there's plenty of evidence of these belts pretty much living as long as the car does?

Just how dangerous a game am I playing with my engine?

Get it done before 100,000, make sure the replacement is OEM or better.
I didn't check your profile for the car but if it is a diesel the damage can be collossal. Definately not limited to a couple of bent valves

It's not going to break at 82,000 (famous last words) but it is rubber and will eventually deteriate.

[stuckmojo]

slippery said:

How dangerous a game you are playing really depends on whether you are driving a car that causes engine damage when the cambelt snaps or not. Most do, some don't.

the FIAT "fire" engines were good for that reason. No damage if cambelt snapped