Cambelt advice

[Cup_Phil]

Right,

I've found the invoice for the last cam-belt my Clio had - it was while Sir_Dave had it at 62,353 in July 2008
The car has now done a little over 117k - so it's done around 55k but is 4.5 years old

I believe the interval is 5 years or 72k - so it's not due on the mileage but it is coming up to being needed from an age point of view

The dephaser makes no noises at all

The issue is that my girlfriends in Uni at the moment and I'm the only one earning for the next 6 months so I can't really afford the cambelt+dephaser this year, but I REALLY want to put the car back on the road for a few track days over summer.

Looking at the MOT from last February it was at 114k so I've only done 3,300 miles in it over the last year

Do you guys reckon considering how rarely it gets used that I'll be ok ignoring it till it comes off the road in October for winter - as I was gonna chuck cams in it over winter anyway

 

[Russ_16v]

It's so hard to say mate.

Imo how skint are you - ie if it breaks and bends valves will you be able to afford to repair it, fit the cams and the new belt?
Sorry if I sound blunt as I don't mean to be, if you can afford to get another engine then don't worry and chance it, but it's a risky chance if you wanna keep you're engine intact!

 

[Lawro]

It's a bit of a lottery where the belts are concerned.. It's so common for them to fail on the clio as you well know. Has the Aux belt been replaced since the last belt change in 2008?

 

[Cup_Phil]

Well the cost of fitting a new cambelt and dephaser is about the same as buying a 2nd hand engine.
For the next 6 months I'm so skint I can't afford either - but if it broke it would just end up back in the garage as I have a Passat TDi for my daily drive.

I don't know if the aux belt has been done - there's no receipts for it, I could fit an aux belt in 5minutes though

 

[Nick172Cup]

Just run it until it breaks. I sold a fully serviced engine for £350, after the service cost £600 odd quid.

Guess it depends on how good your engine is. My Cup engines strong so want to look after it, if its average or a lemon. Run it until death.

 

[Cup_Phil]

It's very strong mate - that's why I'm a bit protective of it lol

117k but Dave did like 3 premium oil changes a year on it, it makes good power and pulls like a train.
I realise it won't last forever but I'd be a bit gutted if the cambelt snapped and I had to play "engine lottery" to see if I could get another lol

 

[Lawro]

Well the cost of fitting a new cambelt and dephaser is about the same as buying a 2nd hand engine.
For the next 6 months I'm so skint I can't afford either - but if it broke it would just end up back in the garage as I have a Passat TDi for my daily drive.

I don't know if the aux belt has been done - there's no receipts for it, I could fit an aux belt in 5minutes though

Reason I ask is the Aux belt is scheduled for replacement at 5 years or 36K (3 years by CS) if there is no evidence it possibly hasn't been done since the last belt change meaning its well overdue on mileage alone. This could easily snap and take the cambelt out.

 

[Daniel]

If you value the engine that's in it, then imo, don't bother tracking it until you can afford to do belts and dephaser. You can get that done for around £600. In reality, when you take into consideration tyres and fuel, that's probably two trackdays worth of money.

So just postpone the first two trackdays you were going to do and get the car sorted first.

I was going to drive my cup until the belt snapped but upon realising it's a freak and proper fast, I realised I wanted to keep the engine sweet so did the belts/dephaser on it.

 

[Cup_Phil]

Lawro - Ahhhhh cheers for that mate - I'll order one this week and chuck it on, got a few other bits I want to do before MOT too.

Daniel - Problem is if I spent £600 doing the belts I wouldn't be able to afford any track days till like November and it'll be SORN'd again by then for winter LOL

Catch 22

 

[SharkyUK]

Personally I would get the belts done mate... but having said that I can fully appreciate the predicament and realise the pennies aren't there for the short term. Tough call. I also realise this reply doesn't help one bit but I don't like to see such issues get between a person and their desire for a bit of trackday fun. Helpful, eh?

 

[Cup_Phil]

Hahaha - it's only temporary, I'll be pretty well off again in August when the girlfriend gets a job so I can't complain too much. There's much worse things in life than not being able to use your track car for a year LOL

Also it's FULLY my own fault - I spent the last of the car budget last year on KW V2's and Wilwood 4 pots - then realised I had nothing left to MOT/Insure the thing DOH!

I think what I'll do is get a dual car insurance policy, MOT and tax it and just use it for ClioSport Saturday and occasional weekend blasts. That'll keep a smile on my face and I won't be thrashing it around a track.

 

[Russ_16v]

It's very strong mate - that's why I'm a bit protective of it lol

117k but Dave did like 3 premium oil changes a year on it, it makes good power and pulls like a train.
I realise it won't last forever but I'd be a bit gutted if the cambelt snapped and I had to play "engine lottery" to see if I could get another lol

Read that last paragraph back to yourself phil - you have answered your own question

 

[SharkyUK]

Hahaha - it's only temporary, I'll be pretty well off again in August when the girlfriend gets a job so I can't complain too much. There's much worse things in life than not being able to use your track car for a year LOL

Also it's FULLY my own fault - I spent the last of the car budget last year on KW V2's and Wilwood 4 pots - then realised I had nothing left to MOT/Insure the thing DOH!

I think what I'll do is get a dual car insurance policy, MOT and tax it and just use it for ClioSport Saturday and occasional weekend blasts. That'll keep a smile on my face and I won't be thrashing it around a track.

Exactly, it's only temporary... and shame on you for spending the last of the budget on 'luxury' items. In fact, I have no sympathy for you now. Seriously, I personally think you've made the right call. It would be a shame to see such a legendary and well-known car/engine go the way of the gammy cambelt.

Read that last paragraph back to yourself phil - you have answered your own question

^ This in fact.

 

[bright]

I thought yours was a cup Phil, so no aircon? If you recon the dephaser is fine, Mick at diamond motors charges £335 for 172 cups. This is from his last update on prices last year, and he just booked me in under the same prices (although mine has aircon and needs a dephaser) for mid Feb.

No idea if it helps but thought I'd mention it

 

[mark123]

Have you thought about doing the cambelt yourself phil? You seem fairly handy with a spanner. It is fairly straight forward if you follow the manual.

 

[Dave..]

It's a bit of a lottery where the belts are concerned.. It's so common for them to fail on the clio as you well know. Has the Aux belt been replaced since the last belt change in 2008?

It's not actually that common. The only reason you read about it so much, is that no one posts on the forum saying "Cambelt hasn't snapped today"

Common misconception with forums. People only ever ask for help when something goes wrong, for every problem, theres a thousand people who haven't had any problems.

 

[Cup_Phil]

Have you thought about doing the cambelt yourself phil? You seem fairly handy with a spanner. It is fairly straight forward if you follow the manual.

I have considered it yes - done a lot of cambelts in my time on pugs and my mate has the full renault locking gear - BUT I've read so many horror stories from Fred on here I'd rather just let the main man do it when I can afford it lol

 

[Martin.]

If you value the engine then as said get it done. I would. If you really can't afford it then maybe don't use it for this summer.

You can get all belts done and a dephaser added in for maximum £570 on a 182 FF. Mine is with MWM as we speak. Seeing as yours is a cup it would be even less.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Its not rocket science doing the cambelt, Im sure you will be fine.

Just do the belt kits yourself, no dephasor, and it will only cost you about 150 quid or so.

Even if you get the timing wrong, you can just pay someone else to correct it for you and its still going to be less than them doing the whole job, and TBH getting it right really isnt all that difficult.
Just allow a WHOLE day if its your first time.

 

[Cup_Phil]

I could take a whole week - it's not going anywhere lol

 

[Chrisgti6]

Its not rocket science doing the cambelt, Im sure you will be fine.

Just do the belt kits yourself, no dephasor, and it will only cost you about 150 quid or so.

Even if you get the timing wrong, you can just pay someone else to correct it for you and its still going to be less than them doing the whole job, and TBH getting it right really isnt all that difficult.
Just allow a WHOLE day if its your first time.

Chip, where's best to get the tools required from? I'm planning on doing mine shrotly but need to source the locking tools.

Chris

 

[Chip-mk1]

Chip, where's best to get the tools required from? I'm planning on doing mine shrotly but need to source the locking tools.

Chris

For doing one belt, I personally would try and borrow a genuine set from somewhere, thats what I do but it helps having Mike from MWM and Danlp6 from SJ Motorsport as a couple of my best mates so I realise its not that easy for everyone, but Im sure if Phil begs for long enough someone will lend him some.
Or buy secondhand and use once then sell on again. (bare in mind he isnt in a rush)

As for where to buy new, get them from Adam at the trade parts hub in wolverhampton, which is the same place I know buy ALL genuine renault parts and tools TBH.

 

[Chip-mk1]

I could take a whole week - it's not going anywhere lol

Deffo DIY then, you just need to beg/borrow/steal a set of timing tools.

 

[Cup_Phil]

A good mate of mine has a full genuine Renault set I'm 90% sure I can borrow

 

[jon_r]

If I can do a cambelt, then you can do a cambelt. Trust me on that one. I've done a couple now. It's not as hard as you'd believe it is.

 

[Chrisgti6]

If I can do a cambelt, then you can do a cambelt. Trust me on that one. I've done a couple now. It's not as hard as you'd believe it is.

Fancy lending me the timing tools? For a price of course!

 

[Chip-mk1]

A good mate of mine has a full genuine Renault set I'm 90% sure I can borrow

Unsure as to why we are even discussing this then, especially as no doubt for peanuts he'll come round at the point you are finishing up and tell you if its all timed up right or not anyway.

If you use the genuine tools, then so long as you remember to rotate the belt to make sure that all the tension is in the right place, and the tensioner is set correctly, its not really possible to get it wrong, the easiest place to set it IS the correct place, seeing as when the tool slides in there isnt really any other way for it to sit.

 

[Dan@SJM]

Phil, I'm up in Lincoln on Sunday... Provide me with tools and ill do it.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Phil, I'm up in Lincoln on Sunday... Provide me with tools and ill do it.

Rip his arm off Phil to take that offer, this man knows exactly what he is doing!

If you phone Adam today then he will get the belt kit to you in plenty of time im sure.

 

[Cup_Phil]

Haha very nice offer mate - but don't have a cambelt or timing kit or anything at the moment

 

[Dan@SJM]

Get to work then

 

[Cooksport]

If you need a cambelt kit desperately, I'm sure I can meet Dan and drop one too him to take with him!

 

[bozothenutter]

there is a guide in the guides section....but I'm with the others, get someone that knows what they are doing......

 

[yeecup]

the cambelt on my last ph1 was 4.5 years old, i was about to get it changed, aux pulley went and took out the cambelt, 16 bent valves, #ruined. no way would i risk driving it without changing both full belt kits. if dephaser is ok leave it. stick the £400 on a credit card at 0%

 

[Lawro]

Phil, I'm up in Lincoln on Sunday... Provide me with tools and ill do it.

If you need a cambelt kit desperately, I'm sure I can meet Dan and drop one too him to take with him!

Nice to see this! Can't say fairer than that!