Known Mileage/Age Cambelt failures

[RichValver]

Not sure if there's a similar thread but I thought it might be interesting to see

Basically wanting to know what Mileages/Age you have had belt failures when they are overdue. By this I mean with either known previous belt change date and mileage or belt failures from brand new

Many people in here who have any experience?

 

[Yarp]

Belts done 2016. 18k miles done, no explosions to date

The original engine blew up on 78k with no history of belts done. Span a big end but given the lack of history I’m assuming the belt had never been changed. At that point in time a new engine was £250-300 so was more than worth the risk of snapping the belt given a replacement was cheaper than a belt change

 

[Bluebeard]

My first ever 172 was 1 year old with 10,000 miles on it when the aux belt snapped, took the cambelt out and ruined the head (Apparently).
It actually came in to the Renault Dealership I was working at for the warranty work.

I then bought it aged 4 years old with 36k on it.

 

[Ant1]

I purchased a 182 a few years ago, 2004 plate with 64k on the clock. Original belts.

 

[Clio_fool]

Are you trying to determine if you can leave it longer than 5 years? I had new belts etc in 2016 and then a new aux kit in 2019. Done 40k since and cam belt is now 6 years old. The car was in bits for most of the year since belts were due but hasn't eaten itself yet.

 

[RichValver]

Are you trying to determine if you can leave it longer than 5 years? I had new belts etc in 2016 and then a new aux kit in 2019. Done 40k since and cam belt is now 6 years old. The car was in bits for most of the year since belts were due but hasn't eaten itself yet.

Yes 😆

September 2016 I changed it last. Has had a couple of aux belts since

Keen to see if many have gone due to time around the 6/7 year mark

 

[RichValver]

My first ever 172 was 1 year old with 10,000 miles on it when the AUC belt snapped, took the cambelt out and ruined the head. (Apparently) It actually came in to the Renault Dealership I was working at for the warranty work.

I then bought it aged 4 years old with 36k on it.

Must be a very rare occurance that

 

[Clio_fool]

Yes 😆

September 2016 I changed it last. Has had a couple of aux belts since

Keen to see if many have gone due to time around the 6/7 year mark

From what I've read before it's always the aux belt that goes and we all know it won't go alone 😆.

 

[Bluebeard]

Must be a very rare occurance that

Yeah I’ve never heard of it elsewhere either. The previous owner only told me - and the fact it had done 15+ track days in his ownership - after I’d paid for it. 😂
I did manage to get the service book updated correctly by Renault so that any future owners had it in writing what had been done.

 

[MRBILLYUK]

I remember when I bought my first 172 back 2001. I was just parking up when some random woman pulled over and came over to me waffling on about how her 172 that was only a few months old had had its cambelt snap and I should go and get it checked over at a Renault dealership.
I just ignored her. Back then a cambelt failure was never really heard of.

 

[Yarp]

Yes 😆

September 2016 I changed it last. Has had a couple of aux belts since

Keen to see if many have gone due to time around the 6/7 year mark

I’m in club risk it, especially if the aux has been changed

**I accept no financial liability if this turns out to be s**t advice 😂

 

[jameswrx]

Yes 😆

September 2016 I changed it last. Has had a couple of aux belts since

Keen to see if many have gone due to time around the 6/7 year mark

You ‘can’ leave the the timing belt a lot longer (my last 172 was in 9 years when I changed it and to be honest it looked fine) but it’s the aux belt that will fail and in turn will destroy the timing belt. But don’t leave the timing belt!

Things to replace…

crank pulley (guaranteed it’ll be wobbling where dampening rubber is shot)

aux belt

With the tensioner, note the pivot point has a sleeve that should be free running. These seize (get any aux belt squeal when low speed steering?) knock the sleeve out (if stuck), clean & tiny bit of ceramic grease.

Aux belt idler and tensioner pulley replacement (for new bearings)

You don’t need a new tensioner (if on a budget) complete as it’s a sturdy unit, just clean pivot sleeve and replace pulley.

Then while you’ve got all that lot off just go the whole hog and replace the timing belt and reseal the cam cover like I did the other day when I repaired my tensioner!

To be honest the worst part of the timing job is the aux belt side of it and how tight it all is.

 

[Brigsy]

Ive seen some that are still in good nick when changed due to age, and ive also seen some that are on the verge of failure with cracks all over. Russian roulette sadly, also got to factor in tensioner/idler condition.

 

[Sir Nancy Flowers]

My first 182 blew up with the same thing many above have reported. Aux belt went pop (sounded just like i'd run over a branch in the road) and the cambelt followed about 300m later.

I'd only had it done the year before. Think it survived 12k before it went bang. Was all done properly by a Renault Master Tech too.
Had to sell it for spares or repairs. Just checked, its not been MOT'd for 18 months either

 

[SharpyClio]

Most used to be a "check and replace as required part" but slowly that changed. The garage I use said that the timing belts will probably last 10yrs... but getting the aux belt done is critical as others have noted.

Im far to paranoid to not get it done though.

 

[JamesBryan]

The actual cam belt is pretty strong, very rare to see one snap due to it's age.

As said, it's usually the aux belt taking it out or a pulley/tensioner failure that'll be the cause.

 

[Krarl]

I bought my 172 just over 3 years ago, it was on 117k and the original cambelt and dephaser. Still could just about make out the Renault logo very faintly on the belt

The belt had snapped and smashed every valve square to the pistons. I think it was actually the tensioner roller that failed as I was picking bits of it out of the crank pulley. It takes a LOT to snap a kevlar belt

 

[Coops Mk1]

as above, it's literally almost never a cambelt snaps, almost invariably its a pulley or something in the aux system then lunched into the cambelt side.

My first 172 i bought a totally unknown engine for it (bought car with 'belt' failure and a lunched engine, lol) and i stuck a completely unknow engine into it, didn't even change the oil, did 3 years and 22k in it and sold it as a running engine when i broke the car (rot got it, phase 1 life)

Current cars though, all 3 of them on F4R's get belt changes when they need them for both Aux and Cam. They get a aux done more regularly too on the second stint as at 5 years for the cambelt just do the aux again anyway

 

[olotrab]

I've had my 172 since new in 2004.
Here in Mexico the change interval for the belt is 63,000km or 4 years, never understood why. When in the UK it's 72,000 miles or 5 years.
First belt I changed after 4 years at 20,000 miles. I have just changed it again after another 13 years, but only added 17,000 miles.
The timing belt looks perfect, I almost wish I hadn't bothered, being such a b**ch of a job (there is just no space to get your hands and tools in there).
The aux belt is starting to show cracks at the top of the ribs, but still looks in good condition.
So maybe the miles are more important than the age.

 

[RichValver]

I've had my 172 since new in 2004.
Here in Mexico the change interval for the belt is 63,000km or 4 years, never understood why. When in the UK it's 72,000 miles or 5 years.
First belt I changed after 4 years at 20,000 miles. I have just changed it again after another 13 years, but only added 17,000 miles.
The timing belt looks perfect, I almost wish I hadn't bothered, being such a b**ch of a job (there is just no space to get your hands and tools in there).
The aux belt is starting to show cracks at the top of the ribs, but still looks in good condition.
So maybe the miles are more important than the age.

13 years! 😲 that's what I like to hear 😂

 

[Martin_172]

I'm doing the belt on my 09 197 this week, looks original to me, genuine idlers and tensioner, genuine water pump too. Given the lack of history with the car I don't believe it will have been done before. belt looks in good condition! was timed up spot on too. - The aux belt was ready to snap, perished to buggery!

As has been mentioned above, its usually the Aux belt that goes and takes out the cambelt

 

[Ex-User (99307)]

Must be a very rare occurance that

Happened to me as well. Alternator had been tensioned with the little screw but not locked off, result was not so wonderful....

 

[Louis]

5 years, 35k since mine were done and the idler was noisy and the aux belt cracked. Cambelt is in good condition from first appearance so I wont be changing this.

 

[Greeny.]

5 years, 35k since mine were done and the idler was noisy and the aux belt cracked. Cambelt is in good condition from first appearance so I wont be changing this.

View attachment 1589085

5 years for the aux belt to go like that? Is your car stored on your drive or in a garage out if interest?

 

[Louis]

5 years for the aux belt to go like that? Is your car stored on your drive or in a garage out if interest?

On the driveway, driven in all weathers every day.

 

[Paulie031]

Not sure if there's a similar thread but I thought it might be interesting to see

Basically wanting to know what Mileages/Age you have had belt failures when they are overdue. By this I mean with either known previous belt change date and mileage or belt failures from brand new

Many people in here who have any experience?

Do you do the belts yourself? If you're looking for a garage not a million miles away I had mine done 18 months ago by a guy in Cardiff. I bought the kit and he fitted it, if you want more details send me a message 🙂

 

[RichValver]

Do you do the belts yourself? If you're looking for a garage not a million miles away I had mine done 18 months ago by a guy in Cardiff. I bought the kit and he fitted it, if you want more details send me a message 🙂

Thanks mate, il be doing it myself 🙂

 

[Krarl]

This makes my arse twitch

 

[Amos91]

I got quite lucky with my 182, always changed the belts on time but the AC pulley once seized while I was driving along. It still drove but obviously coolant temps increased, heavy steering etc. Popped the bonnet open and the aux belt was just perfectly laying across the top of the engine.

 

[Alb.]

So my cup had a full cambelt, dephaser etc. change done in 2018 by diamond motors
The car has since done less than 10k miles
Reckon I could just get away with an aux belt change?
Saves travelling miles to a specialist as I’m in deepest darkest cornwall

 

[Krarl]

Lick the stamp and send it

 

[JamesBryan]

So my cup had a full cambelt, dephaser etc. change done in 2018 by diamond motors
The car has since done less than 10k miles
Reckon I could just get away with an aux belt change?
Saves travelling miles to a specialist as I’m in deepest darkest cornwall

5 years next year for the cambelt.

Could stick a new aux kit on.

 

[Yarp]

So my cup had a full cambelt, dephaser etc. change done in 2018 by diamond motors
The car has since done less than 10k miles
Reckon I could just get away with an aux belt change?
Saves travelling miles to a specialist as I’m in deepest darkest cornwall

I’d 100% do that as that’s exactly what I did.

 

[Alb.]

5 years next year for the cambelt.

Could stick a new aux kit on.

Yeah I bought the car knowing that belts are due next year
Would be a god send if I could just get away with aux belt though

 

[JamesBryan]

Yeah I bought the car knowing that belts are due next year
Would be a god send if I could just get away with aux belt though

It's generally the aux belt failing that takes the cambelt out.

I've seen cambelts last 9 years, although not advisable 😅

 

[R3k1355]

It's fairly common for people to replace the full cambelt kit and replace the aux belt, but for some reason any kind of aux belt tensioner or idler wheel is expected to last forever?

 

[Alb.]

So next question, can someone point me in the direction of a guide to change the aux belt on 172 cup?
Describing it and telling me how easy it is won’t help, I’m a visual learner haha

need pictures or video

 

[hopgop1]

So next question, can someone point me in the direction of a guide to change the aux belt on 172 cup?
Describing it and telling me how easy it is won’t help, I’m a visual learner haha

need pictures or video

Best I can find is this, but it includes the cam belt and it's on a full fat car with air con. Can only be easier on a cup.

https://cliosport.net/threads/cambelt-auxbelt-dephaser-pulley-guide.437872/

 

[Alb.]

for future reference