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Vauxhall 16V timing belt failure. - David Woollard
Is the opinion still that the problem with Vauxhall timing belt pulleys was pre 1997? Or have any of you seen failure on the later cars?

Just been looking at a '95 1.4 Nova facing a £1000 bill after total destruction due to pulley/bearing breakup.

David
Re: Vauxhall 16V timing belt failure. - John Slaughter
David

Worrying - when my local dealer changed the belt on my '96 1.2 Corsa last year I wasn't billed for a pulley. I believe this is a similar engine to the Nova. Now I assumed that was because this wasn't the same problem as with the 16v Vectras etc., and it was only at 33k miles, although 4 years old. Last time the belt on my old Vectra was changed a new pulley was fitted. I think I will ask the question!

Regards

John
Sorry 16V Corsa not a Nova. - David Woollard
Think I need a 24hr Forum break. First I posted info on a Discovery calling it a Defender. Now I'm calling the Corsa a Nova.

What I actually saw, with the failed timing pulley and big bill, was a sporty 1.4 16V Corsa. Sorry.

John I think your 1.2 Corsa will have the similar engine to the old Nova, and therefore not suffer the particular failure/expense of the older 16V models.

HJ is right but you make no friends telling an owner that his pristine '97 car needs this work at 50,000 miles, no support from the previous Vauxhall servicing dealer either who said they can be left 'till 80,000.

In giving sound advice you can seem to be looking for work. I just direct them to this site.

David
Re: Sorry 16V Corsa not a Nova. - John Slaughter
David

Yes, our Corsa has the 8V 1.2, like the old Nova. hence my concern!

Regards
John
Re: Vauxhall 16V timing belt failure. - honest john
Any plastic jocky wheel or tensioner wheel needs to be replaced at least every 40,000 miles or so. If the wheel is steel, then should the bearings start to wear, the heat is dissipated through the wheel and you will hear the bearing screeching before it seizes and/or the wheel flies off. But if only the centre of the wheel is steel around the bearing itself and the rest is plastic, and the bearing starts to wear the heat cannot be dissipated and will merely shatter the plastic long before the bearing would have started to shriek. I think Vauxhall called these timing belt rollers 'GF 50'. Fiats have something similar.

HJ
Re: Vauxhall 16V timing belt failure. - Andrew Moorey
Going by the recently purchased S reg Vectra I was looking at for a friend last week, vauxhall still have a problem here from the noise emanating from the belt cover. A new belt and rollers was fitted under warranty!