Renault megane - Timing belt

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Sun 16 May 2021 19:26
Renault megane - Timing belt - David Pidcott

I have a timing belt kit which I bought a few years ago for a Renault 1.5DCI engine. It was never used, as the customer changed their mind about keeping the car. My daughter has now bought a Megane. The belt kit I have will do the job for her car, but although I am mechanic/retired with more years than I care to think about, I simply don't know if the belt, although not used and kept in the original box in my workshop on a shelf, will have degraded in any way. Is there a cut off point/shelf life maximum with any belt of this type? Thanks, Dave.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 16 May 2021 19:37
Renault megane - Timing belt - Xileno

I'm not a mechanic and don't know the answer but I would be thinking logically along the lines:

1. The expense of a cambelt change is the labour which is presumably free or 'competitive' as it's for your daughter.

2. The belt is the cheap bit and you can obtain it at trade price.

Therefore I wouldn't risk it.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 16 May 2021 21:04
Renault megane - Timing belt - DavidGlos
If you’ve already got the full kit including the tensioners, bearings etc., can you use those and buy just the belt on its own? Worth doing the water pump too whilst you’ve got it stripped down?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 16 May 2021 23:08
Renault megane - Timing belt - bathtub tom

If you buy a new belt, how long would it have been on the suppliers shelf?

I got a new clutch kit for a KIA Pride from my supplier. I wonder how long they'd had it?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 17 May 2021 09:22
Renault megane - Timing belt - Andrew-T

If you buy a new belt, how long would it have been on the suppliers shelf? I got a new clutch kit for a KIA Pride from my supplier. I wonder how long they'd had it?

That's not a very valid comparison. But unless this belt is seriously past any sell-by date, I should think any shelf degradation will be tiny compared to what the belt will have to withstand during its 6-year working life ?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 17 May 2021 09:31
Renault megane - Timing belt - John F

I simply don't know if the belt, although not used and kept in the original box in my workshop on a shelf, will have degraded in any way. Is there a cut off point/shelf life maximum with any belt of this type?

I shouldn't worry. Modern 21st century aramid belts don't deteriorate much over time. The cambelt in our family Focus is over twenty years old and still works fine. Even the 1980 fan/alternator belt on my TR7 is still working ..... and the thirty year old spare under the seat still looks OK! Changing belts just because a certain amount of time has passed makes very little sense these days.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link