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I've booked my 56 plate Renault trafic in for it's service and mot and my mechanic suggested on the phone that as it's 4 years since I bought it from him it's a good idea to change the cam belt at the same time. I have not got a clue about vehicle mechanical matters so would appreciate advice as to whether if this sounds correct. Thanks.
On the face of it, sounds reasonable.
Find out your engine code and then dig around for the recommended service interval for the cambelt to see if it matches up to your mileage/time since last changed.
Check the service book for intervals. 4 years sounds reasonable to me for a work van. Unless of course it’s the 2 litre, those aren’t belt driven so he’d be pulling your pants down - but iirc 2006 should be 1.9 belt driven.
Sounds reasonable and if you read any threads about failed cam belts you’ll soon see this is money well spent!
I've got a 15 plate T5 and was horrified to be notified by VW that the cam belt only has a 4 year service interval. I'm within mileage and was tempted to run it upto mileage and ignore the calendar life as 4 years is ridiculously short and a lot shorter than any other vehicle I've ever owned where I tend to hit the mileage limit first...but ultimately its a risk and I think they play on your fears given the consequences of failure.
I suspect if you ignore the calendar limit you'd get away with it (that was actually my mechanics advice...in his experience he's never known of a timing belt to fail before the mileage limitation....for a daily runner of course...different for a garage queen that only does a few hundred or thousand miles a year), but I chickened out and got him to replace the belt last week.
i've got the 2.0 vivaro so different engine but that suggests a new chain at 100k, i'm not sure of the time length but ive also found TVP (Trafic, vivaro, primastar) groups on facebook pretty useful for gathering information.
Intervals of 3 to 4 years are very common so that all sounds about right.
On my previous cars (VW and Seat) I was advised by different mechanics that according to the book cam belts should be replaced at either age limit or distance limit which ever is reached first. Doesn't matter if you don't clock up a lot of milage if the belt is past its best before date then it best to change it. If you are not doing the milage then up to you if you want to take the risk and change later but the book has time and distance limits.
48 months or whatever mileage the manufacturer thinks is average for 4 years is bog standard for rubber timing belts. The back of the belt can look fine but the teeth are ready to let go. Check your manual though might be different. Also if it is a zero clearance engine a belt a bit more often is cheap insurance against a new engine for more than the car I worth. There's a thread around from someone who sadly suffered that fate.
It sounds reasonable to me.
The cost to replace a cam belt round my way is circa £350 for a similar engine to that described by the OP (1.9 GM sourced block in an Alfa), but that's way cheaper than having to repair the aftermath of a broken belt. My own Alfa has covered a whopping 14,000 miles in four years but I'd rather not take the chance on a snapped belt.
My best mate designs diesel engines for a well known car manufacturer that may or may not rhyme with "Bored", 4 year belt change intervals are the norm.
Thanks all I understand a bit more about it now. He's done it today. mot, full service, belt and water pump for £460.
4 years is ridiculously short and a lot shorter than any other vehicle I’ve ever owned
Pre 2008 or so, VWs had PD engines where the injectors were individual high pressure pumps driven from the camshaft, and they had a really short service interval due to the extra load. However later models, like your van I'm sure, had a longer interval AFAIK. Your mechanic may be thinking of the old models. Should be easy to check though.
4 years is ridiculously short and a lot shorter than any other vehicle I’ve ever owned
Four years in stupidly low - since when did this become common practice? My Ford Focus is every 8-10 years or 60,000 miles or so. Four years is just scare tactics in my view. Each to their own though.
My Ford Focus is every 8-10 years or 60,000 miles or so.
A lot of the 2.0l and under Ford engines are non-interference. So a failed belt wont be catastrophic. Although they also had a bit of a reputation for the tensioners going.