As the engines are non-interference woudl it be bad just to leave the cam belt as long as possible and let it snap, then calling ‘the 4th emergency service’ to get you home? I know mine has been done at 60k so it is purely a theoretical question!
I have also read that on the Miatas (US cars) the belt change is stated as at 100k, is this right?
As an aside, I once had a 1.4 cvh orion that went in for a cam belt change and they left the tensioner loose. Drove fine fr the first 2yds, then the belt jumped and destroyed the valves/head/pistons. New engine courtesy of the blue oval!
Had my cam belt changed last year at Freelance Mazda. When I asked Mark what the old one looked like he said fine and I'm sure he also said he'd never seen one go. Has anyone experienced a broken cam belt? If so what mileage ?
There have been a few reports of broken belts on here, which helped prove the non-interference, no damage theory.
As to driving until the cam belt goes, I suppose the risk to the engine is small to negligible but if the belt went in the outside lane on the motorway in almost nose to tail traffic it could be decidedly dodgy regarding yours and other people’s safety.
With reference to the cambelt change on Miatas at 100k, This is due to legislation in California, I understand that a car cannot be sold in that state without a 100k mieage warranty on the ‘powertrain’. It does, however recommend an inspection at 60k miles. It is exactly the same belt tensioners etc. not an upgraded one. All this from a friend who lives there and owns a Mk1 Miata. Other states in the US I do not know about.
Buy the bits and ask if there are any members near to you that can help you swap it. If no joy, pop over to the nutz forum and ask over there - bound to be someone who can help you, and you will learn a lot in the process. If you were closer to me I would help you, I’ve had mine off and on 4 times in the past 3 weeks!
If all fails in the help department, a garage should only charge about £100 to fit your bits max.
EDIT: Just re read your post - Your’s is done isn’t it?
The thing is to work out what the
effects of the cam belt breaking will be.
The obvious thing is to think about is
you will have to get the car (and yourself) to a safe position just
using any momentum you have at the time of the failure.
But what about the breaks and steering.
Power steering (if you car has it) is much harder to turn than none
powered steering when the engine is not running. The breaks are also
assisted by a vacuum which I presume will collapse when the engine
stops. If the belt breaks during a spirited drive down the back roads
could mean you suddenly find you have an appointment with a tree.
If you manage to survive the above
there is then the inconvenience.
On the other hand maintenance induced
failure is a possibility. I think that the short nose crank problem is a
maintenance induced failure.
What it really comes down to is what
you would rather risks the problems of letting it fail or the
problems of having it replaced, and only you can decide that.
And finally just to complicate things
further you could also consider less frequent replacement to change
the balance of the risks.
Smallpox inoculation is free. If it was £5,000 I would be weighing up risk factors against the size of my bank balance and possibly decide not to proceed. Its all to do with cash reserves and perceived risk. If you’ve no cash you have to risk it.
YES. but my point is…it wouldnt cost that much to do a belt change. getting towed off the motorway,or getting home on a very cold wet/dark night is not my idea of fun…
my reasoning… sory for being blunt… Why risk it??? whats the point of the inconveniance, worse case it’d snap in the pouring rain, no battery on ya mobile… you’d be stuck and cold, for the sake of a few hundred pound people might as well change it and get a serivce too, this could go on and on, i mean why bother chaning brake fluid if they brake ok… change the oil…the cost compared to the ease of mind in my opinion is a no brainer.
Imagine the scenario…wet Friday night pouring with rain, outside lane M25 with “This is the Road to Hell” playing on the sound system…speed typically 80MPH…bang goes the cam belt, car slows very quickly with NO brake lights…concertina accident 10 dead M25 closed for 6 hours…all to save £150…all IMHO of course
I had a cambelt go in a Hyudai something (many years ago and it was a hire car). This had a “safe” engine, I will describe the event…
Just past Charnock Richard services heading south driving at 80 ish, all of a sudden it felt like someone had thrown an anchor out of the boot, rapid deceleration. Instinct took over, clutch down into neutral. Now travelling at 50 ish on a flat surface. I now had time to look around, indicate and pullover on to the hard shoulder. I even had enough momentum to coast to the next phone post. I can say with confidence that the brakes worked (the vacuum in the servo will hold for a few applications of the brakes, not for long though). Steering was very heavy, harder than a non assisted vehicle at a standstill. All lights and electrics continued to work, including brake lights. AA called out (patrol man said that the car had a “non interference” engine) and the car was towed and a replacement brought. Total time from breakdown to new car, nearly 3 hours.
This vehicle was less than a year old. Why the belt snapped, I have no idea. I must say though that it was an instant cure for constipation and I have changed the belt on every car that I have owned ever since. I know that there are no guarantees in life but when did Noah build the Ark?..BEFORE IT RAINED!
Guess it depends on how far away from home or your destination you are when it fails- and whether you prefer a nice ride in a roadster or cramped in the back of a crew-cab recovery vehicle…
