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[SP_3.2]

Hi guy

Just to check called up the Vaux customer help line to check something i also asked about the cambelt. They told me that the change times on the later 02 and 03 Omegas are 80,000.00 or 8 years. Just to see if any of you have be told the same?  I think i will still  go with the old 40, 000 or 4 years rule DO NOT what to push my luck.


Also with Cambets does it make any diff how the car is driven my is ALWAYS motorway driving at 70- and not driven hard. ONLY now and then would that put less ware on the tensoners and belt?


Thank.    

[Kevin Wood]

My understanding is that they revised their cam belt recommendations on all V6 models to 40,000 miles / 4 years. It's rather scary if they are giving out duff information on the help line.

I would stick to 40,000 / 4 years. There's certainly been no radical changes in design with the V6 in later models, other than making the bottom guide roller non-adjustable to "simplify" the belt change procedure. Certainly nothing that would convince me that the belt / roller lifetime has been doubled.

I'm sure different driving styles make a difference to the belt life but without doing an in depth study of different vehicles how do you came to a conclusion either way?

Best to stick to what experience has shown, namely that a 40,000 change interval works well (anyone had any a cam belt failure in sub-40,000 miles?) and that VX reduced the interval from 80,000 miles because they were getting a significant number of engines not making this mileage before lunching themselves.

Kevin

[cem_devecioglu]

80,000 miles...They must be joking...I'll never take that risk even if they pay the engine repair..

[SP_3.2]

Thank  sounded to long then again the person on the phone did not sound as if they Knew alot about cars just asked the the reg and that was it.  BEST to say a 40k.

Thanks.

[TheBoy]

stick to the 40k/4yr...

Have heard of odd stories where a cabelt/tensioner has failed before 40k, but rare. Lots of cases where they have failed after 40k, but before 80k.....

[Markjay]

The 80k/8y interval actually came in around 1997-1998 due to a 'modified' tensioner, but the modified tensioners were failing just as the originals did so it was reduced back to 40k/4y around 2002-2003.

My previous R-reg Omega had the tensioner fail back in 2001 at 60k/4y, luckily no engine damage and I managed to get Vauxhall Motors to pay 70% of the £325 repair bill (which was actually nothing more than the cost of installing a new cambelt kit at the Vx dealer). So I suspect that by 2001 Vx were well aware of the problem or they wouldn't have paid-out...

Incidentally, the Vx dealer who also carried out the last service only one month before the tensioner failure insisted at the time that they did nothing wrong because the cambelt kit change was not due for another 20k...  

[RonaldMcBurger]

ALL V6 CAMBELTS ARE CHANGED AT A MAXIMUM OF 40K OR 4 YEARS, WHICHEVER IS THE SOONER. THIS INCLUDES THE TENSIONERS AND ROLLERS. Whoever to you it is 80k wants to sell you a new engine!