Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: bth2bth2 on 08 June 2008, 21:22:03

Title: cam belt
Post by: bth2bth2 on 08 June 2008, 21:22:03
hi all,
was just having a ponder vis a vis cam belt changes.

does anyone know the true reason for the move to a cam belt change every 40,000.......apart from the usual anecdodal?
i was always under the impression that the reason the belts failed was because the belt pulleys were originaly plastic.

just a thought. :o

brian
Title: Re: cam belt
Post by: TheBoy on 08 June 2008, 21:26:26
Quote
hi all,
was just having a ponder vis a vis cam belt changes.

does anyone know the true reason for the move to a cam belt change every 40,000.......apart from the usual anecdodal?
i was always under the impression that the reason the belts failed was because the belt pulleys were originaly plastic.

just a thought. :o

brian
Premature tensioner failures
Title: Re: cam belt
Post by: tunnie on 08 June 2008, 21:27:32
its the tensioner that failes, not the belt.
Title: Re: cam belt
Post by: less on 08 June 2008, 22:53:47
I assume that it is well known by now that the tensioners aren't up to the job, can nobody design and supply one that is? (or is this overly simplistic?)
Title: Re: cam belt
Post by: Albatross on 08 June 2008, 22:57:36
I had my belt done today and the bearings in the tensioners were amking a really scrapey noice when we took them off. The water pump internal seals were on their way out too.

45,000 since last change.

Phew

Quote
I assume that it is well known by now that the tensioners aren't up to the job, can nobody design and supply one that is? (or is this overly simplistic?)

Not really that simplistic; as always it comes down to costs:

You can make bearings that last a lot longer, they do them in really top end bicycle components for example. Most of the bearings on some of my bikes are ceramic, but trust me you would sooner throw your car away than pay for a tensioner & belt kit that has been precision made with ceramic bearings to the same tolerance as those are.

Why don't all cars come with stainless steel exhaust systems, limited slip diffs and ceramic brakes?
Title: Re: cam belt
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 08 June 2008, 23:02:52
With curiosity at 32000 Km s and 2 and a half years we checked the cambelt, belt was loose  :o :(

After a bit of work with tensioner,problem solved..Dot know who was responsible ,  time or the mechanic ??
Title: Re: cam belt
Post by: TheBoy on 08 June 2008, 23:06:06
Quote
With curiosity at 32000 Km s and 2 and a half years we checked the cambelt, belt was loose  :o :(

After a bit of work with tensioner,problem solved..Dot know who was responsible ,  time or the mechanic ??
More likely to be poorly fitted I would say.
Title: Re: cam belt
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 09 June 2008, 09:54:18
Quote
Quote
With curiosity at 32000 Km s and 2 and a half years we checked the cambelt, belt was loose  :o :(

After a bit of work with tensioner,problem solved..Dot know who was responsible ,  time or the mechanic ??
More likely to be poorly fitted I would say.

yep..my estimation was the same..didnt want to blame them so I keep silent.. :-/
Title: Re: cam belt
Post by: johnboy27 on 09 June 2008, 23:42:35
just changed my belt & all idlers & tensioner last week.
was gonna wait til the due mileage but i bought another elite for spares that had bent valve due to a loose idler. the idler had only done 34k.
like others have said it could have been the mechanics fault or a dodgy idler.
either way i wasn't taking any chances & i carefully fittted a full gates kit & used locking compound on all the bolt threads.
peace of mind when your on a long run or towing. :P