Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Mikes1670 on 03 April 2010, 16:25:41

Title: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: Mikes1670 on 03 April 2010, 16:25:41
Hi all, I have just been looking through my car service history and need some advice. I have only recently acquired the vehicle - a 3.0 Elite Auto (V-reg, 1999) - in Dec 2009. The cam belt was last changed in August 2003 having covered 19,561 miles by a Vauxhall main dealer down in London. The car has now covered just 27,560 miles (and yes I have all the history to back this up - it is the genuine mileage, my Uncle had the car before me). So, my question is when should I have the cam belt changed. I have read different articles some saying 8 years/80K others 4 years/40K. In my case it will be 7 years in August but it has only covered approx. 8K miles!

 [smiley=dankk2.gif]

Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: Entwood on 03 April 2010, 16:29:21
The belts don't fail .. the tensioner bearings do ... which leads to dramatic problems !!!

4 years is a must so well over due IMHO   :(
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: tunnie on 03 April 2010, 16:33:00
well over-due a change, age is just as important as millage. Every 4 years without fail
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: Mikes1670 on 03 April 2010, 16:43:50
Thanks for those replies. I suppose it was what I was thinking. I have ordered the V6 cam change DVD from the OOF shop today. Am I right in thinking that on the V6 the water pump is not driven off the cam belt?

Also, what does IMHO mean? Is there an abbreviation list somewhere to view?

 :y
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: RobG on 03 April 2010, 16:46:38
Not driven by cambelt but may as well change while you got the access. Common acronyms abbreviations here http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1160943437
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: tunnie on 03 April 2010, 16:52:52
Quote
Thanks for those replies. I suppose it was what I was thinking. I have ordered the V6 cam change DVD from the OOF shop today. Am I right in thinking that on the V6 the water pump is not driven off the cam belt?

Also, what does IMHO mean? Is there an abbreviation list somewhere to view?

 :y

V6 Water Pump is aux belt driven, but since your stripping it down that far, might as well replace it.

IMHO - In My Humble Opinion
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: ffcgary1 on 03 April 2010, 17:14:01
You will need the locking kit to do the change mate, you cant do it properly without it. trust us all with this bit of advice. Good luck and happy motoring. :y
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: TheBoy on 03 April 2010, 19:51:03
Worth changing the waterpump at same time - I personally tend to change it every other cambelt - as you've stripped that far, and also a great time to do a full coolant flush and get some nice, fresh GM antifreeze it :D
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 03 April 2010, 19:54:59
opel service here dropped the guarantee to 2 years and 40 k miles :-?
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: Andy B on 03 April 2010, 19:55:15
I could understand the theory of having the water pump changed with every other or every cam belt kit if you were paying someone else for the labour. But if you're doing it yourself, why not change it if it's broke/leaking? I could find better things to spend £40 on.  ;)
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: TheBoy on 03 April 2010, 19:57:13
Quote
I could understand the theory of having the water pump changed with every other or every cam belt kit if you were paying someone else for the labour. But if you're doing it yourself, why not change it if it's broke/leaking? I could find better things to spend £40 on.  ;)
Because it may not last the next 40k, which means another stripdown, coolant all over your timing belt etc.

Preventative maintenence ;)
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: Andy B on 03 April 2010, 19:59:00
Quote
Quote
I could understand the theory of having the water pump changed with every other or every cam belt kit if you were paying someone else for the labour. But if you're doing it yourself, why not change it if it's broke/leaking? I could find better things to spend £40 on.  ;)
Because it may not last the next 40k, which means another stripdown, coolant all over your timing belt etc.

Preventative maintenence ;)

you could change loads of bits on a routine basis .... just in case!  ;)  :-/

I think a rubber belt can manage a soaking in coolant without harm.  :y
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: TheBoy on 03 April 2010, 20:10:47
Quote
Quote
Quote
I could understand the theory of having the water pump changed with every other or every cam belt kit if you were paying someone else for the labour. But if you're doing it yourself, why not change it if it's broke/leaking? I could find better things to spend £40 on.  ;)
Because it may not last the next 40k, which means another stripdown, coolant all over your timing belt etc.

Preventative maintenence ;)

you could change loads of bits on a routine basis .... just in case!  ;)  :-/

I think a rubber belt can manage a soaking in coolant without harm.  :y
Indeed you could.  I change my cambelt at 40k. It may go on to 100k. It may not.  I change my oil at 3-4k, just as it starts turning from clear to brown, rather than the specified 10k.  I change my plugs at 20k, even though they are rated to 40k, and will probably go much beyond, I change the air filter before its dirty, and the fuel filter regularly.  I change the pads long before they are half worn at front (shame I didn't do the rears ::)).

OK, I had a cranksensor fail at an inconvenient time, but otherwise that MV6 has never, ever let me down.

I like to change service items on that car before they get to a point they are increasingly more likely to let me down, which may or may not be the reason it has excellent reliability - and remember, this car has a hard life.


Thats my reasoning for why I change things when I do, others have different priorities, views, opinions etc, which is absolutely fine :y.  Thats why I said that I personally change the pump every other cambelt ;)
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: I_want_an_Omega on 03 April 2010, 22:20:40
Quote
Thanks for those replies. I suppose it was what I was thinking. I have ordered the V6 cam change DVD from the OOF shop today. Am I right in thinking that on the V6 the water pump is not driven off the cam belt?


Hi Mike,

I am not too far from you and have a cam locking kit you are wecome to borrow. I've never used it and am waiting for my belts 4 years to be up in Oct - even though it will only have done about 25k since the last change.

I'd happily come up and lend a hand/loan the locking kit so I can see what to do with mine later in the year.

Thanks .......... Rob
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: Andy B on 03 April 2010, 22:28:14
Quote
Quote
Thanks for those replies. I suppose it was what I was thinking. I have ordered the V6 cam change DVD from the OOF shop today. Am I right in thinking that on the V6 the water pump is not driven off the cam belt?


Hi Mike,

I am not too far from you and have a cam locking kit you are wecome to borrow. I've never used it and am waiting for my belts 4 years to be up in Oct - even though it will only have done about 25k since the last change.

I'd happily come up and lend a hand/loan the locking kit so I can see what to do with mine later in the year.

Thanks .......... Rob

You got the 30 mm deep crank ring spanner too?  ::) ;)
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: jonny2112 on 04 April 2010, 02:19:59
Sounds like an old fashioned 'cambelt party' in the making  :y
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: I_want_an_Omega on 04 April 2010, 07:45:00

You got the 30 mm deep crank ring spanner too?


No, how deep does it have to be?
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: TheBoy on 04 April 2010, 08:21:22
Quote

You got the 30 mm deep crank ring spanner too?


No, how deep does it have to be?
Not particularly, but a 'combination' type spanner isn't ;)
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: Andy B on 04 April 2010, 10:07:10
Quote
Quote

You got the 30 mm deep crank ring spanner too?


No, how deep does it have to be?
Not particularly, but a 'combination' type spanner isn't ;)

Pehaps I should have said .... offset ring spanner  ;)
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: Mikes1670 on 04 April 2010, 11:17:41
Would a 30mm deep socket do the job? I think I have a 30mm deep socket kicking about in the garage somewhere (bought to remove the wheel bearing nut in order to remove the front strut of an Astra). Am I right in thinking it would be used to turn the engine over once the belt is fitted?

I will see what I think to the DVD.
 :-/
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: TheBoy on 04 April 2010, 11:22:12
Quote
Would a 30mm deep socket do the job? I think I have a 30mm deep socket kicking about in the garage somewhere (bought to remove the wheel bearing nut in order to remove the front strut of an Astra). Am I right in thinking it would be used to turn the engine over once the belt is fitted?

I will see what I think to the DVD.
 :-/
no
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: I_want_an_Omega on 04 April 2010, 12:09:08


Pehaps I should have said .... offset ring spanner  ;)

So, its like an ordinary ring spanner but the ring is at an angle from the handle? How much of an angle, 45 degrees?

TIA

Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: Andy B on 04 April 2010, 13:54:40
Quote

Pehaps I should have said .... offset ring spanner  ;)

So, its like an ordinary ring spanner but the ring is at an angle from the handle? How much of an angle, 45 degrees?

TIA



One like ....
(http://www.diytools.co.uk/diy/Images/DB_Detail/_28347_140547.jpg)

rather than .....  :y  :y
(http://img.tradeindia.com/fp/0/265/833.jpg)
Title: Re: Cam Belt Advice.
Post by: I_want_an_Omega on 04 April 2010, 17:30:05
 :y

A picture is worth 1000000 words - thanks