Cam belt nightmare please help!

[Gemma1987]

I have a 1.125 ltr ford fiesta from 1999. I have done 110,000 miles so am in desperate need of a new cam belt. I have bought a cam belt for �15 and know someone who will fit it for �40. I keep being told that my car needs a "kit" not just a cam belt replacement. What does this mean, where can i get one and how much is it going to cost? Please help, im so confused!

[sara3]

you could call a local garage and ask! I've had to change the cambelt on my car and it cost (inc labour) over �500.

if you can do it for anywhere near the price you're saying, go for it.. but surely who ever offered to fit it should have an idea what is needed??

[ELVIS68]

They probably mean oil filters etc

Don`t pay over the top prices from a garage, let your friend do it for �40, ask him about the oil filters too and offer to pay him a bit on top for doing them

[MAD BUTCHER]

I think sara3 should elobate on that charge before scaring all others. �500 to change a cambelt - no way.

[gonzo00]

jenna...a cambelt kit also includes a replacement cambelt tensioner as the bearing can suffer wear in the tensioner roller..it's also worth noting that if your cambelt also runs the waterpump..it's best to renew this also whilst doing the cambelt...nothing worse than having a waterpump go just after changing a cambelt...it means doing the whole job over again :(

[essex bloke]

Hi gemma
Just buy a belt ,tensioner and new bolt for the crank pulley . The new tensioner is 30 quid and a bolt 2 quid from ford or you can get a aftermarket kit consisting of the above for a bout forty quid . Only takes an hour and forty quid is a great price .

[Toureman]

Your wrong MAD BUTCHER !

It costs over �700 to change a cambelt on an Espace because the engine has to come out, many cars cost over that.

Oil filters are nothing to do with the cambelt ELVIS.

The price is good in the question but fit the kit and make sure the "someone" knows what their doing, one mistake and it will cost a lot to repair.

[sara3]

thank you Toureman, I think I actually paid about �550 for my Alfa's cambelt. I may not be a mechanic, but I can read a bloody huge bill!

[MAD BUTCHER]

However, the question concerned a small Fiesta!

[sara3]

no, really?

[david1702198]

Alfa romeos are expensive because their timing sytem contains "balance shafts" which to be honest are a pain in the t i t s !! very time consuming job on most of them

[david1702198]

basically it is better to fit a complete timing belt kit given the mileage and age of the car, the kit will contain the belt any tensioners and any roller guides which will also need to be replaced, if the belt also drives the water pump itw maybe worth having this replaced also, bearing in mind that the newly fitted and tensioned belt will put this under added stress.