Cambelt Replacement

[Bellcrew]

Cali handbook is unhelpful as it only specifies a mileage and not a time limit. VW UK dealers appear to be advising 4 years which in many cases will be before the mileage limit is reached (often well before it is reached). Is this an income generating ploy or do they have evidence to support their recommendation? I've decided not to take the risk and have changed the belt and water pump at 4 years and 48,000 miles even though the mileage limit is well below the handbook recommendation. However this means replacing the belt twice rather than once within the recommended mileage limit - expensive. But not as expensive as a damaged engine!

I have just had my 9 year old Volvo V50 serviced by Halfords, the lads there advised me to replace the cam belt/water pump next year or at 100,000 miles which ever is sooner. Why do VW fit inferior belts that seem to require renewal at 4 years/40,000 miles or am I missing something?

 

[reserves]

Why do VW fit inferior belts that seem to require renewal at 4 years/40,000 miles or am I missing something?

Servicing is a huge part of VW’s business plan & balance sheet. Why would they want to make it last 20 years?

Can’t wait to get rid of my Golf and get my Tesla.

 

[Digger]

Servicing is a huge part of VW’s business plan & balance sheet. Why would they want to make it last 20 years?

Can’t wait to get rid of my Golf and get my Tesla.

My neighbours Tesla X is back for warranty again. Not as reliable as some seem to think perhaps.

 

[WelshGas]

I have just had my 9 year old Volvo V50 serviced by Halfords, the lads there advised me to replace the cam belt/water pump next year or at 100,000 miles which ever is sooner. Why do VW fit inferior belts that seem to require renewal at 4 years/40,000 miles or am I missing something?

You are, it's 4 yrs or 80,000 miles.
It is based on a commercial vehicle, high milage and lots of Starts/stops . Probably can last longer but do you want to cough up for a new engine?

 

[Bellcrew]

You are, it's 4 yrs or 80,000 miles.
It is based on a commercial vehicle, high milage and lots of Starts/stops . Probably can last longer but do you want to cough up for a new engine?

Why pike at 4 years surely every two years would be even safer, you cannot be too careful hey.
Still doesn't explain why a none commercial user needs to change a cam belt at four years and a competitor is happy to recommend ten.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Why pike at 4 years surely every two years would be even safer, you cannot be too careful hey.
Still doesn't explain why a none commercial user needs to change a cam belt at four years and a competitor is happy to recommend ten.

True it doesn't.
But I don't think 4 years for a cam belt is out of the ordinary. Certainly not on vehicles I've owned and only one of those was VW.
You could get lucky or you could suck it up and feel safer.

 

[WelshGas]

Why pike at 4 years surely every two years would be even safer, you cannot be too careful hey.
Still doesn't explain why a none commercial user needs to change a cam belt at four years and a competitor is happy to recommend ten.

All cam belts are not the same, length, tension, material. Some have a metal core some not.
In fact, with regular use it will probably last longer if you want to take a chance, but long periods of non-use, and many Californias fall into this category, with the cambelt in one position under tension, is not good and in this case every 2 years might be appropriate. Your choice.

 

[Fudge]

I am coming up to my 4th year with our T5 and I have been told by two garages that VW advise that the cam belt be replaced after 4 years. This costs in the region of £500 if you have the water pump etc done at the same time. The van has only done 26000 miles.
The service schedule says no such thing, it refers to checking the belt at 30000kms (yes I know, it's not in miles) for petrol engines only and at 40000kms for diesel engines in high levels of dust.
Only at 120,000 kms the belt should be changed but not at 4 years!
(A further complexity is that my garage seems to consider the Kms in the book should be read as miles, so for example, 40,000 kms read 40,000 miles for service purposes!)
I also had this with my T4 but I would be interested in other members views and what they do at the 4 year point
Sorry this is so long and I hope that it is in the right Forum.

 

[Fudge]

I am coming up to my 4th year with our T5 and I have been told by two garages that VW advise that the cam belt be replaced after 4 years. This costs in the region of £500 if you have the water pump etc done at the same time. The van has only done 26000 miles.
The service schedule says no such thing, it refers to checking the belt at 30000kms (yes I know, it's not in miles) for petrol engines only and at 40000kms for diesel engines in high levels of dust.
Only at 120,000 kms the belt should be changed but not at 4 years!
(A further complexity is that my garage seems to consider the Kms in the book should be read as miles, so for example, 40,000 kms read 40,000 miles for service purposes!)
I also had this with my T4 but I would be interested in

 

[Fudge]

The reason Vw garages say 4 years is because a few have snapped after 4 years and are covering you. As mentioned it’s a expensive job if it fails. Comply with VW and if it did go or was faulty they would have to replace at there cost. Haggle with dealers amazing what they will do for business.

 

[Bellcrew]

The reason Vw garages say 4 years is because a few have snapped after 4 years and are covering you. As mentioned it’s a expensive job if it fails. Comply with VW and if it did go or was faulty they would have to replace at there cost. Haggle with dealers amazing what they will do for business.

Anyone who owns a new California can presumably easily afford the cost of a cambelt change. The question of the radically different replacement intervals required by the various manufactures for a mature technology is the puzzle. The fact that some failed on engines after four years could have been due to manufacturing defects/installation mistakes, as if this does not happen.
I remember the first cambelts being installed by Vauxhall on their 2 ltr petrol engines in the 70s, it would seem the technology has not progressed since then and/or it is a fabulous money extraction device from anxious/gullible private owners.

 

[Cali-on-Camping]

I have just had my 9 year old Volvo V50 serviced by Halfords, the lads there advised me to replace the cam belt/water pump next year or at 100,000 miles which ever is sooner. Why do VW fit inferior belts that seem to require renewal at 4 years/40,000 miles or am I missing something?

I suspect the lads at Halfords may have thought that the 10 year / 100,000 mile is the second cam belt change for your vehicle as that frequency seems unusually high.

I read a report a while back that condition surveyed Cam Belts across a number of manufacturers and vehicles against their servicing schedule. If I recall, the results were: The average Cam Belt Replacement schedule is 60,000 / 6 years and that on average, a Cam Belt was found to 85% degraded when removed in accordance with that schedule.

My view is that that is cutting it close as the variables that increase wear on a Cam Belt from Cali to Cali are many, both in usage and the environment in which they are used and kept. For example: the bloke from Scotland's Cam Belt sees sharper changes in the temperature and works the vehicle harder on hilly roads, will not doubt degrade quicker than my Cali that isn't exposed to the same changes in environment in flat countryside usage in Wiltshire

I take your point about why have manufacturers not been able to design a Cam Belt that can last a lot longer. I think there are a number of reasons for that:

• Increased revenue through servicing;
• Research and development cost/effort vs the overall benefit.

With the second point, some items have to be a consumable because the material is found to be the most appropriate for its function and it is a balancing act to for designer's to get the most out of the materials in terms of performance vs degradation.

I bought a 2012 Cali earlier this year that had 45,000 miles on the clock. The seller said the Cam Belt was good for at least another year / 20,000; however, not knowing where the vehicle had been and how it had been driven, I chose to have the Cam Belt and Water Pump replaced last month as I didn't want to risk a failure and the cost associated with that.

Whilst VW may be more conservative with their Cam Belt replacement schedule, it's not something I'll take a chance with!

 

[daz60]

I am coming up to my 4th year with our T5 and I have been told by two garages that VW advise that the cam belt be replaced after 4 years. This costs in the region of £500 if you have the water pump etc done at the same time. The van has only done 26000 miles.
The service schedule says no such thing, it refers to checking the belt at 30000kms (yes I know, it's not in miles) for petrol engines only and at 40000kms for diesel engines in high levels of dust.
Only at 120,000 kms the belt should be changed but not at 4 years!
(A further complexity is that my garage seems to consider the Kms in the book should be read as miles, so for example, 40,000 kms read 40,000 miles for service purposes!)
I also had this with my T4 but I would be interested in other members views and what they do at the 4 year point
Sorry this is so long and I hope that it is in the right Forum.

Hi, just had my cam belt and water pump changed, van 4 years old done 9000 miles, best be safe than sorry.

 

[Bellcrew]

I suspect the lads at Halfords may have thought that the 10 year / 100,000 mile is the second cam belt change for your vehicle as that frequency seems unusually high.

I read a report a while back that condition surveyed Cam Belts across a number of manufacturers and vehicles against their servicing schedule. If I recall, the results were: The average Cam Belt Replacement schedule is 60,000 / 6 years and that on average, a Cam Belt was found to 85% degraded when removed in accordance with that schedule.

My view is that that is cutting it close as the variables that increase wear on a Cam Belt from Cali to Cali are many, both in usage and the environment in which they are used and kept. For example: the bloke from Scotland's Cam Belt sees sharper changes in the temperature and works the vehicle harder on hilly roads, will not doubt degrade quicker than my Cali that isn't exposed to the same changes in environment in flat countryside usage in Wiltshire

I take your point about why have manufacturers not been able to design a Cam Belt that can last a lot longer. I think there are a number of reasons for that:

• Increased revenue through servicing;
• Research and development cost/effort vs the overall benefit.

With the second point, some items have to be a consumable because the material is found to be the most appropriate for its function and it is a balancing act to for designer's to get the most out of the materials in terms of performance vs degradation.

I bought a 2012 Cali earlier this year that had 45,000 miles on the clock. The seller said the Cam Belt was good for at least another year / 20,000; however, not knowing where the vehicle had been and how it had been driven, I chose to have the Cam Belt and Water Pump replaced last month as I didn't want to risk a failure and the cost associated with that.

Whilst VW may be more conservative with their Cam Belt replacement schedule, it's not something I'll take a chance with!

The figures given are correct for the Volvo, the comment from the Halfords staff merely confirmed the factory recommended figure.
Fiat did design a piston crown that ensured that even if the cambelt failed the valves would not be damaged and the cost of repair would be minimal. As you say the reason for the lack of progress in the art of turning a couple of camshafts is the promise of continued revenue from the replacement belts at short intervals.
I am equally nervous about failure and at 1% of the value of an Ocean it will be replaced but I suspect the service manger has a little chuckle every time at our generosity.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Anyone who owns a new California can presumably easily afford the cost of a cambelt change.

I'd love to be able to agree with that bit James but sadly it's not as black and white as all that.
So I share your wish that a longer frequency between belt changes could be gained within VW recommendations.