2008 Peugeot 308 - 'Expert advice' Peugeot 308 cambelt life

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Sun 13 Oct 2013 18:25
2008 Peugeot 308 - 'Expert advice' Peugeot 308 cambelt life - John F

Yesterday's Daily Telegraph - 'an experienced mechanic would recommend five to six years, 60 - 70,000 miles, at most.'

I do wonder if HJ, who should know better, is actually writing this advice which might once have applied to car built during the last century.

If you google 'mytimingbelt.com' you will see that Peugeot has caught up with our 12 yr old Ford Focus which advised a change 2 yrs ago. [not done]. Modern cam belts are tough enough to last the life of the engine unless one of the things it drives seizes. The 15yr old 129,000m one on my Audi still looks large and tough enough to drive a BMW bike!

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Sun 13 Oct 2013 18:43
2008 Peugeot 308 - 'Expert advice' Peugeot 308 cambelt life - brum

In VAG cars its usually the failure of the tensioner or water pump (if it one of those engines where the cambelt drive it) that demolishes the engine (via the cambelt).

You're on borrowed time John F.

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Sun 13 Oct 2013 19:01
2008 Peugeot 308 - 'Expert advice' Peugeot 308 cambelt life - John F

In VAG cars its usually the failure of the tensioner or water pump (if it one of those engines where the cambelt drive it) that demolishes the engine (via the cambelt).

I know. The tensioner on our 93 2.0 GL Passat started wailing, so I replaced it - an easy job. But too difficult for me to replace the belt which looked OK so I left well alone. It was still going at over 240,000m when we sold it.

Time can't be borrowed - and if it works, don't mend it.

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Sun 13 Oct 2013 19:18
2008 Peugeot 308 - 'Expert advice' Peugeot 308 cambelt life - brum

if it works, don't mend it.

Foolhardy advice regarding cambelts.

Cambelts is one area on an engine that requires preventative maintenance as in "when its gone - its gone (with the engine)"

Inspection can be useful to prolong replacement - but IMO to do that properly really requires the cambelt, tensioner etc be removed and subject to certain tests.

BTW I think (automatic) tensioners doesnt usually seize, but loses tensioning ability due to broken (via fatigue) internal parts - its not possible to inspect or test for that possiblity.

Edited by brum on 13/10/2013 at 19:28

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Sun 13 Oct 2013 18:45
2008 Peugeot 308 - 'Expert advice' Peugeot 308 cambelt life - gordonbennet

'' unless one of the things it drives seizes''

Hence the good common sense advice as noted, seems little point on going to the expense of changing water pump, tensioner or idler, which are more likely to fail causing belt slippage, without changing the belt at the same time.

Pity so few are designed like the 3 litre 4 pot Toyota Diesel as fitted to Landcruiser/Hilux, belt change in an hour.

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Sun 13 Oct 2013 19:43
2008 Peugeot 308 - 'Expert advice' Peugeot 308 cambelt life - Collos25

If there the same as Citreons I asume they are then 150k they now use long life belts thats not to say surrounding equipment might fail.

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