More Cambelt Advice

[billybluesky 1]

After checking out cambelts i`ve found that some dealers are offering either cambelts or kits with tensioners, obviously more expensive, do i replace the tensioner as a matter of course on a 127000 mile motor or just replace the belt? i dont have the luxury of having the car laid up while i check things out as it`s my daily car

[Anthony 1,000]

If you don't know the history it is always worth doing the tensioner and waterpump as a matter of course.

[niagra 3]

yup, agreed! I learnt the hard way on my old Sunbeam Lotus: changed the belt but not the tensioner. Tensioner broke, belt slipped a couple of teeth, 4 valves bent and £700!

[billybluesky 1]

thanks for the replies, if it makes any difference i`m the second owner, the car was a best friend who was a mechanic, and was always looked after well, but as far as i`m aware the only engine attention was having the valve guide seals replaced (no head removal neccesary) so is it cambelt,water pump and tensioner?

[Anthony 1,000]

Replace all three and then you know it's done and that they shouldn't give you any problems for a good while.

 

Assuming that it's an 8v as per your signature then it's cheap anyway. The only thing to check is whether it has the earlier 113 tooth cambelt and spring loaded tensioner, or the later 114 tooth belt and eccentric tensioner - the change over was 1992 on 1.6 GTi's, although it's distinctly hit and miss as to what cars past the cutoff actually had, especially when it might not have the original engine in it. The belt, tensioner and waterpump is different between the earlier and later setup.

[billybluesky 1]

Thanks for the info and yes it`s a 1.6 with it`s original engine, i`ll check out suppliers and order the lot