OT. Bits falling off cars...........

Mike H · Post by **Mike H** » Thu May 28, 2009 5:01 pm

Dave the bass wrote:Do scenarios like this REALLY happen to anyone other than us?

Yes...

Aren't I glad I don't have a cambelt *smug*

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Thu May 28, 2009 7:27 pm

The handbooks and manuals often say 70K between cam belt changes, particularly with slightly older models. The rule of thumb based on general opinion is every 36K is a good change mileage for the belt.

A few years back whilst on holiday in France, my Renault 19 belt bust at a casual 30mph. It had only done about 40K since the previous change with a factory part. It cost me over £750 to be fixed and loss of car for a week to a garage 70 miles away because we were staying in a country region. Thank goodness for the RAC Euro cover that provided a free hire car and good breakdown service, but because of the area, we did have to cover alot of miles to get it all sorted. Phil's advise is solid wisdom.

Ali Tait · Post by **Ali Tait** » Thu May 28, 2009 7:31 pm

Agreed.Mine went despite being changed at the recommended interval in my Alfa Romeo.Cost me over a grand.

On the up side,that was the only thing that ever went wrong with it in 220,000 miles.Not bad.

Dave the bass · Post by **Dave the bass** » Fri May 29, 2009 8:30 am

Thanks fellas, just dropped it off at the Garage. Asked for the timing belt to be done too.

Kerrrrching!

DTB

pre65 · Post by **pre65** » Fri May 29, 2009 9:38 am

Dave-the trade price of a timing belt kit would be about £70 for a Gates one,which is very good quality and what most garages would use.This would contain two belts and new tensioners.

As far as i know your car has two belts,one for the cam,and one for the injection pump.

If they have to remove the cam belt to get the water pump changed then the extra labour to fit the kit should be small (ish

).

Dave the bass · Post by **Dave the bass** » Fri May 29, 2009 9:50 am

That sounds about right Phil, you're good at this... have you ever considered a career in the automotive industry?

I think there's 3 belts inc. timing belt. One drives the fuel injector pump and an other drives the power steering and alternator IIRC.

I think the bill for changing the Cam belt last time was £160 ish. It was about 4-5 years ago.

DTB

pre65 · Post by **pre65** » Fri May 29, 2009 10:13 am

Dave the bass wrote:That sounds about right Phil, you're good at this... have you ever considered a career in the automotive industry?

DTB

Nah ! I'm looking for a senior computer teaching post so I can impart all my computer knowledge to those who know less than me !

Should be a small class.

Dave the bass · Post by **Dave the bass** » Fri May 29, 2009 10:17 am

"Silver Surfer"

DTB

Mike H · Post by **Mike H** » Sat May 30, 2009 3:50 pm

Dave the bass wrote:an other drives the power steering and alternator IIRC.

Water pump as well? That would be more a like a fan belt type of thing wouldn't it?

Long time ago had an early '80's BMW, that had a timing belt. The word for those was change every 20K, supposed to go for 26K-ish but you didn't dare if you were sensible. It didn't fail safe, the valves would go through your pistons. A 'new' second hand car would be cheaper.

Another weird thing at 65K precisely, or thereabouts, the carbs would stop working properly. Some inside info from the local dealer mechanics revealed that the carb body goes porous, so lets air in where it shouldn't be. The standard most economical fix was get a Weber kit. Both mine ended up with Webers on.

floppybootstomp · Post by **floppybootstomp** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 8:36 pm

When I owned my luvverly luvverly 1984 Mercedes 280SE South African import jobbie, the front n/s spring snapped clean in half.

I had noticed it bottoming out but only asking mr garage man confirmed my suspicions.

Doncha just love speed humps?

Damn, I miss that car, RIP October '08, £3K of repairs needed (gearbox alone was £1K8), scarcity of spares and 15 mpg meant bye bye bye

Me and DTB came home from seeing the Magic Band do a John Peel Session at Maida Vale (a few months before Peelie's death) in that car.

I digress, however, now, what was this thread all about?

Mike H · Post by **Mike H** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:24 pm

No you're alright I think

Yeah speed humps et al, me dad used to hate them, his ol' Marina was forever getting knackered shock absorber front n/s. Them and pot holes. So come MOT time it's usually FAIL, but the way they used to say it was like as though it's his fault, and he's like "look I didn't design the bloody thing, so dunno why you're getting on at me about it for, you're the agent for Leyland so you sort it." Was a weird design tho like a swinging arm type thing with a damper in the pivot very like those things for self closing doors.

Me ol' Bee-Em 320 auto was 16mpg, or 14 in the Winter (takes longer for the auto choke to go off). Bu-ut, get it onto a decent bit of motorway and when it reached the magic number of 4000 rpm it would take off like a scalded cat and return 25mpg!

But to keep that up needed 95mph minimum. That's what you get with "designed for autobahns"

pre65 · Post by **pre65** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:36 pm

Mike H wrote:." Was a weird design tho like a swinging arm type thing with a damper in the pivot very like those things for self closing doors.

The arm of the lever type damper (shock absorber) was in fact the top wishbone for the front suspension, and was a common fitment on various models of the old BMC empire and later ron BLMH.

Mike H · Post by **Mike H** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:05 pm

Didn't we know it!

audio-talk

OT. Bits falling off cars...........

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