Corsa Timing Belt Tensioner

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Wed 24 Mar 2004 19:00
Corsa Timing Belt Tensioner - hondacb1
Hi
Can anybody help me with the reccomended time/mileage for replacing the timing belt on a 1.4 8v corsa (1996 P). Vauxhall service want £235 for changing the belt but they say that the tensioner will have to be replaced as it is not wort changing the belt without a new tensioner. I contacted the spares department and asked for a price for a belt and a tensioner and the storeman was surprised i was asking for a tensioner, he said and i quote " thats unusual 8v tensioners dont go wrong, not like the 16v", so my question is do i need to change the tensioner? thanks for your help.
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Wed 24 Mar 2004 19:55
Corsa Timing Belt Tensioner - Dynamic Dave
Given that the tensioner is around £30 ish, is it really worth quibbling about for that extra piece of mind?

As it has to be slackened to change the belt anyway, I wouldn't have thought the labour charge to change it would be all that extra.

£235 does sound a lot for a cambelt change though. Is this a main dealer, or a Masterfit outlet? Masterfit will do the job cheaper, btw.
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Wed 24 Mar 2004 20:04
Corsa Timing Belt Tensioner - hondacb1
Hi Dave
where can i get a tensioner for £30, vauxhalls want £61! I phoned two local dealers one was masterfit and the other main dealer and they both quoted within a fiver of each other. this is why i fancied doing the job myself. i have done a nova 1.4 belt before and that was easy apart from the water pump that had seized in the housing when i tried to move it. Does the crankshaft pully bolt have to be one of those stupid torx things and does it need to be replaced, its taken me three days and about ten phone calls just to find the E18 socket that fits it.
cheers
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Wed 24 Mar 2004 20:14
Corsa Timing Belt Tensioner - Dynamic Dave
You *should* be able to get the tensioner for around £30 from www.autovaux.co.uk

Not sure about torx screws holding the pulley on. The last time I changed a belt was on my old Mk3 Cavalier, and I found that I could remove the pulley by using an allen key to remove the four bolts.

How many miles has the Corsa done? To add to the expense if it's coming up to the 80k mark (2nd cambelt change) then you might want to also consider changing the waterpump.
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Wed 24 Mar 2004 20:26
Corsa Timing Belt Tensioner - hondacb1
we have just bought it to replace the old nova, its done 32000 but we are not sure of its service history so i want to change the belt, will try autovaux for the tensioner.
cheers
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Wed 24 Mar 2004 20:43
Corsa Timing Belt Tensioner - greaser pv
One hours work for the 8v stretch it to 1 and 1/2 for DIY Tensioner not usually replaced on 8v spin it and check for noise ,same with w/pump which should be checked for leaks and shaft wear. £235 ? Gold-plated is it ?
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Wed 24 Mar 2004 20:56
Corsa Timing Belt Tensioner - Dazz
The recomended replacement intervals are 40,000 miles or every 48 months,the price you were quoted was expensive as its only a hours job and dead easy even for a novice.You will need a special tool to fit the water pump and maybe a new gasket (o ring).Autovaux will have the tensioner and the cam belt
good luck with it!!
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Thu 25 Mar 2004 09:49
Corsa Timing Belt Tensioner - John S
Last time I had one of these done on the similar 1.2 8v at a Vauxhall dealer, the total cost of a service plus a cambelt change was well under £200, and that included a new alternator belt while they had it in pieces - can't remember exactly as the bill went with the car to the next owner. To be fair thay had a special offer on the service (£99.99), and as I recall the cam belt cost about £15 - £17. I assumed they would change the tensioner (being used to the 16v engines), but they didn't. When I asked why they said they checked it, and that they didn't give the problems that the tensioners on the 16v engines do. It was the first belt change, the car did low mileage and I wasn't planning to keep it so I didn't worry.

The recommended interval is 40k miles or 4 years, by the way.

Regards

John S
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