Timing Belt Service Time v Milage

[AU-YT]

Has any one actually had a timing belt break?
I wonder if the scheduling of these events is based on a dealer cost return by servicing or actual experience.
Most timing belts no matter which car manufacturer are made by only a few companies. with this in mind the time variation for serviceing is quite varied across car manufactures whos engines use belts.
My thoughts for this are that 60,k miles or 4 years is huge variation. I do about 5,500 miles a year. so that means for me to service the car at 4 years its only done 20k miles.
My 172 is now 7 years old has 37,000 miles and still on the original belt.
Thoughts please

 

[MrMark]

but they will still deteriote (sp) over time, no matter how many miles you do.

 

[AU-YT]

Absolutely totally agree all depends on temperature & environment etc
I suppose I am looking for experiences that people have had with Clio timing belts.

 

[GordonD]

AU-YT makes a valid point. And I have the same problem as him as another low mileage/year owner. Replacing belts is a substantial increase to the cost of owning and running the car for people like us.

Renault has reduced the time before the aux belt replacement from 4 years to 3 years. But its wasn't a disinterested party making that decision. Servicing is a source of income for it and its dealers. And we have a right to know the data that resulted in sticking us with this extra cost.

If it was a government we could require them to hand over the evidence that it was justified under frteedom of information laws, and we could all see it.

But they are a company. Which leaves us with three options:
1. just pay it.
2. gather information ourselves on when belts actually break.
3. see if in the interests of good customer relations Renault will hand over the data it used to make the decision.

There doesn't seem to be any good technical reason belts supplied to Renault should be prone to breaking any earlier than belts the same manufacturers supply to other manufacturers.

 

[StevieP]

i had one break on my 1.4 rt but that was slightly over its timing belt change anyway. Didn't cause much damage to the engine and managed to get it fixed without it costing too much really, was quite lucky.

Had an aux belt simply 'slip off', would you believe it, that was after Renault had replaced one after an engine rebuild at 24k, the belt slipped off a few thousand miles later.

My cambelt was replaced at said rebuild at 24k, and the car has now covered 37k miles and is a 51 plate 172.

 

[edde]

AU-YT makes a valid point. And I have the same problem as him as another low mileage/year owner. Replacing belts is a substantial increase to the cost of owning and running the car for people like us.

Renault has reduced the time before the aux belt replacement from 4 years to 3 years. But its wasn't a disinterested party making that decision. Servicing is a source of income for it and its dealers. And we have a right to know the data that resulted in sticking us with this extra cost.

There doesn't seem to be any good technical reason belts supplied to Renault should be prone to breaking any earlier than belts the same manufacturers supply to other manufacturers.

27p or so a day ins't that much to pay ? Ca get it for even less 20p a day its not much money check what all other compnay demand to chnage you might be suprised.

Renault changed the AUX belt servicing since so many failed causing massive cost and onces out of warently caused massive cost to owners so it was a cost thing. to protect renautl and owners in future.

Belt do just break there loads of cars with 60k cambelt service times its just the way it is.

Absolutely totally agree all depends on temperature & environment etc
I suppose I am looking for experiences that people have had with Clio timing belts.

I'd never leave one more than 60k or 4 years I've seen them before break.

 

[DrR]

Could end up like me, new cambelt then the pully snaps, then another new cambelt lol.

 

[Fred@BTM]

you got £1K spare for a new engine PLUS fitting?

 

[DrR]

Yeah mine cost £950, i was lucky as it broke at tickover, if was driving would have probably needed a new cylinder head.

 

[skinner]

Just inspect it an make a choice yourself, but bear in mind that if you are keeping the car a couple of years you will end up doing it at sometime during your ownership, so you may as well do it now.

Had mine changed at 72k/6 years. I only got it done as the aux belt was deteriorating and needed replacing. I suspect that contrary to the service check list, the aux belt was not replaced at 36k...

The cam belt was in excellent condition, as was the tensioner and pulleys.

It's a nonsense changing the cambelt by mileage, one engine could have done twice as many revolutions to get to 72k than another.

Some VWs have variable servicing, which "should" be better. A bloke at works company one decided that it didn't need a service for over 40k though, when he eventually took it in they said it should have come in ages ago.

 

[rclio2006]

Has any one actually had a timing belt break?
I wonder if the scheduling of these events is based on a dealer cost return by servicing or actual experience.
Most timing belts no matter which car manufacturer are made by only a few companies. with this in mind the time variation for serviceing is quite varied across car manufactures whos engines use belts.
My thoughts for this are that 60,k miles or 4 years is huge variation. I do about 5,500 miles a year. so that means for me to service the car at 4 years its only done 20k miles.
My 172 is now 7 years old has 37,000 miles and still on the original belt.
Thoughts please

the belts dont really break...but the tensioners do...

 

[AU-YT]

Hi Guys sorry been away for a week.
I have now had the belt changed and had them keep it and the idler bearings for me to inspect.
The belt looks like new! but the bearings in the idlers and the tensioner's have a very slight rattle. they are sound and run true with no side play, or roughness and no apparent cracks.
The engine is definitely quieter now. I was aware of the noise and knew it was an idler .
So my personal interpretation of this and from other dealer information its not the belts but the plastic encased idler and tensioner bearings which collapse.
I have seen a idler/tensioner bearing with a crack right through the running face of the bearing.
This is my findings for a January built 2002 172.
Idler belt changed in 2007 at 56k , Kilometers, timing belt at 62500 ks..

 

[edde]

So my personal interpretation of this and from other dealer information its not the belts but the plastic encased idler and tensioner bearings which collapse.
I have seen a idler/tensioner bearing with a crack right through the running face of the bearing.

Belts can snap it does happend usualy thats the killer before the 60k/4 years tensioners kill them after that but there no real hard or fast rule.

 

[AU-YT]

So my personal interpretation of this and from other dealer information its not the belts but the plastic encased idler and tensioner bearings which collapse.
I have seen a idler/tensioner bearing with a crack right through the running face of the bearing.

Belts can snap it does happend usualy thats the killer before the 60k/4 years tensioners kill them after that but there no real hard or fast rule.

True however remember the milage I quote is in Kilometers not miles and the Australian Service book quotes 100,000. Ks.
There is also a climatic impact on the belts, Australia doesn't get the cold extremes that Europe does.

 

[JAY172]

Has any one actually had a timing belt break?
I wonder if the scheduling of these events is based on a dealer cost return by servicing or actual experience.
Most timing belts no matter which car manufacturer are made by only a few companies. with this in mind the time variation for serviceing is quite varied across car manufactures whos engines use belts.
My thoughts for this are that 60,k miles or 4 years is huge variation. I do about 5,500 miles a year. so that means for me to service the car at 4 years its only done 20k miles.
My 172 is now 7 years old has 37,000 miles and still on the original belt.
Thoughts please

My thought would be - change it now! living on borrowed time there

 

[AU-YT]

As I said I have changed the belt with a genuine part and the belt was made by Gates.
and if any one is interested it cost $600.00 AUD parts and labor or 274.00 GBP

 

[veaney]

mines on 62k and still going strong, its 5 years old. its being changed monday, it looks quite worn tbh so dont wana risk it anymore

 

[ed_172_cup]

my motor has only done 42k miles but will be 5 years old in 5 months or so....should i get it done? also what am i really looking for on the belt cracks and splits etc?

 

[Fred@BTM]

yup, get it done asap

 

[tom182000]

yes they still snap i have a clio 182 and going down the motorway it let go, but best bit is it is only 2000 mles old!

 

[Dearo]

What's the estimated cost for a belt change for a 182 ???

 

[edde]

What's the estimated cost for a belt change for a 182 ???

£350 to £700 depends where you go etc.