Oh yes the cambelt has been done...

[Tinonline]

If I see another car ad for a Lexus that says...or another seller that tells me:

’oh yes the belt has been done...I don’t have the receipt but I’m sure the garage will verify it...’

walk away moment...

🙄

[steve2006]

Or the other favourite....” these engines have a timing chain so they never wear out”

[Tinonline]

😂

[MLW]

^{It is all very simple. The belt is a key component, if it it has been done, it is a big big deal, you want you tell everyone with data/paperwork etc.}

^{It adds value to the car, so why not be clear about it?}

[Abid221]

Say one was drunk enough to by one that supposedly has had it done then is there a way that one can check to see if its done. Like visually. Can the belt be seen? 

[Tinonline]

Oh bless...no way...

It’s as hidden as a...buried body...

No yellow stickers recording the change...no change.

[Malc]

10 hours ago, Abid221 said:

Like visually

and even if you could you might not even notice the wear factor,

Mine when changed last year at 101,500 miles and 11 years looked quite pristine ......  and capable of maybe another ' chancy '  50k miles 

Malc

[runsgrateasanut]

1 hour ago, Malc said:

and even if you could you might not even notice the wear factor,

Mine when changed last year at 101,500 miles and 11 years looked quite pristine ......  and capable of maybe another ' chancy '  50k miles 

Malc

A good reason to have the earlier non-interference engine - if you are a Gambler

[Daveyboy20]

Now.. i recently got my cambelt and waterpump done by my friend and I didn't get a receipt. I suppose i should get him to write something for me!

I have a receipt for one at 90k but it was 11 years ago so I got it done a few months back at 125k to be sure. Did the pump and stat at the same time as it was all apart

[RgrWynne]

6

3 hours ago, Malc said:

and even if you could you might not even notice the wear factor,

Mine when changed last year at 101,500 miles and 11 years looked quite pristine ......  and capable of maybe another ' chancy '  50k miles 

Malc

 A good friend, now retired as a tool fitter who then went on to teach, and was involved with all sorts machines requiring drive belts and cam belts over his 40 year career.  His view was he had ‘ never ‘ seen a belt fail through the belt wearing out. The belt failure was always caused by something else failing, invariably the water pump seizing, which kind of supports Malc’s  experience.

Edited June 8, 2019 by RgrWynne
Tool maker

[Tinonline]

Yep evidence is king...copy receipts, packaging it’s important history.

I know Alfas and Renault belts snap...more likely a waterpump would go. I’ve got a Gates unit on mine.

 

 

[Malc]

it's simply a very big job on the Ls400 et al ......  replace the belt, check and deal with the pulleys, and replace the waterpump .  it's big it's time consuming it's expensive but above all, it's life extending for the car

 

I know that with the Alfa Romeos I had on my garage forecourt that the scheduled life of a cambelt had to be shortened to 10/15k miles as they just  ' snapped '

Visited the Canterbury Alfa dealer once and saw engine after engine on their workbenches being repaired 

Malc

[MLW]

I must say I have an innate loathing of belt cars. A chain is so much better. The good news I suppose is that the belt is a £600 job every 9 years.

[Malc]

....  and chains do actually stretch and snap occasionally, especially on the big Nissan's'

Malc

[MLW]

Quote

True, but change the oil every 6,000 miles and it will last forever. How Renault and others can say 20,000 miles is 'normal' beggars belief. The oil when it is out must look like treacle. Oil is cheap, A Lexus engine is £5.000+.