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[Mike_T]

Hi, Is the 2.5 Quad cam engine "Safe" if the cam belt fails ?? Perhaps there a list somewhere of "safe" engines.
Thanks Mike.

[tunnie]

cambelts rarely snap, its the tensioners that fail, allowing the belt to slip.

If it does slip more than 2 or 3 teeth, or snap. Your screwed! 

[Mike_T]

Hi & thanks, so are the tensioners spring loaded and perhaps sieze up or something without tensioning the belt ?

[tunnie]

Yup, belt will loose tension

[Andy B]

Hi, Is the 2.5 Quad cam engine "Safe" if the cam belt fails ??  .....

No it's not, hence bent valves when the belt/tensioners fail. 

[Mike_T]

Ok thanks for your help I will get it checked out real soon

[tunnie]

Ok thanks for your help I will get it checked out real soon

Nothing to really check, you can't tell visually.

Its 4 years or 40k, which ever is first, the belt & tensioners must be replaced 

[TheBoy]

No, its not a safe engine, and the interval is 40k/4yrs no matter what anyone may try to tell you. Including dealers (who generally don't know their arse from their elbow)


Vauxhall did experiment with 80k/8yrs, this was retrospectively changed back to 40k/4yrs, after an unacceptable number of failures.  Its the tensioner that fails, so the full kit needs to be changed, not just the belt.

[Bionic]

 
40K is the limit if you want to be safe! Go over and it will cost you your back pocket for a good long time.
Also when you do change it change all of the components with the real thing and not the sftermarket rubbish if you want peace iof mind.
If you want someone, to do the job then DLK is the (pink) man I used cos he will travel, unless there is an oofer closer to you....just watch out for his crocs 

[Kevin Wood]

40K is the limit if you want to be safe! Go over and it will cost you your back pocket for a good long time.
Also when you do change it change all of the components with the real thing and not the sftermarket rubbish if you want peace iof mind.
If you want someone, to do the job then DLK is the (pink) man I used cos he will travel, unless there is an oofer closer to you....just watch out for his crocs 

I disagree. All quality aftermarket belt kits I have seen (Gates, Contitech, SKF, etc..) have been practically identical to genuine main dealer parts. Same SKF bearings used in the tensioners (the important bit), same castings. Different belts, admittedly, but just as good quality and a good bit cheaper than a main dealer kit.

Now, if you buy a "no-name" kit off ebay you might not be getting adequate quality, but there are plenty of aftermarket kits that offer a good saving compared to genuine and the same quality, IMHO.

[kcl]

40K is the limit if you want to be safe! Go over and it will cost you your back pocket for a good long time.
Also when you do change it change all of the components with the real thing and not the sftermarket rubbish if you want peace iof mind.
If you want someone, to do the job then DLK is the (pink) man I used cos he will travel, unless there is an oofer closer to you....just watch out for his crocs 

I disagree. All quality aftermarket belt kits I have seen (Gates, Contitech, SKF, etc..) have been practically identical to genuine main dealer parts. Same SKF bearings used in the tensioners (the important bit), same castings. Different belts, admittedly, but just as good quality and a good bit cheaper than a main dealer kit.

Now, if you buy a "no-name" kit off ebay you might not be getting adequate quality, but there are plenty of aftermarket kits that offer a good saving compared to genuine and the same quality, IMHO.

I agree with Kevin Wood. And, it's a known fact that these mentioned suppliers supplied the originals to the factory so where's the risk? And, to add, there are not that many "non-branded" options even generally available.

The reason for GM to reduce the interval was mainly (only?) due failures in 1,6 engines which were put together with some weak rollers. As far as I know the V6 engines have not suffered failing rollers even with the original interval. And it's also true that e.g. Vectra/Signum with 3,2 engine has the longer interval and the rollers are the same. So, I am not suspicious with cambelts or intervals, my personal opinion is that in an Omega the original interval is ok BUT as it is not that expensive to buy a cambelt kit every 60 000 kilometres I also have replaced it as recommended. You'll at least be on safe side. Still my point is that there are none? failures on an Omega V6 where factory fit rollers might have been the cause of belt failure.

[Andy B]

.... Still my point is that there are none? failures on an Omega V6 where factory fit rollers might have been the cause of belt failure.

When the Omega was still a new car I saw a couple of Omegas in the dealers that were waiting for parts after the cam belt/rollers had let go. 

[kcl]

.... Still my point is that there are none? failures on an Omega V6 where factory fit rollers might have been the cause of belt failure.

When the Omega was still a new car I saw a couple of Omegas in the dealers that were waiting for parts after the cam belt/rollers had let go. 

Ok, I stand corrected. But the impression I have had from Finnish Opel-dealers is that it never was a problem on V6. But, as said, not that bad nor expensive job to do with shorter intervals.

[albitz]

40K is the limit if you want to be safe! Go over and it will cost you your back pocket for a good long time.
Also when you do change it change all of the components with the real thing and not the sftermarket rubbish if you want peace iof mind.
If you want someone, to do the job then DLK is the (pink) man I used cos he will travel, unless there is an oofer closer to you....just watch out for his crocs 

I disagree. All quality aftermarket belt kits I have seen (Gates, Contitech, SKF, etc..) have been practically identical to genuine main dealer parts. Same SKF bearings used in the tensioners (the important bit), same castings. Different belts, admittedly, but just as good quality and a good bit cheaper than a main dealer kit.

Now, if you buy a "no-name" kit off ebay you might not be getting adequate quality, but there are plenty of aftermarket kits that offer a good saving compared to genuine and the same quality, IMHO.

I agree with Kevin Wood. And, it's a known fact that these mentioned suppliers supplied the originals to the factory so where's the risk? And, to add, there are not that many "non-branded" options even generally available.

The reason for GM to reduce the interval was mainly (only?) due failures in 1,6 engines which were put together with some weak rollers. As far as I know the V6 engines have not suffered failing rollers even with the original interval. And it's also true that e.g. Vectra/Signum with 3,2 engine has the longer interval and the rollers are the same. So, I am not suspicious with cambelts or intervals, my personal opinion is that in an Omega the original interval is ok BUT as it is not that expensive to buy a cambelt kit every 60 000 kilometres I also have replaced it as recommended. You'll at least be on safe side. Still my point is that there are none? failures on an Omega V6 where factory fit rollers might have been the cause of belt failure.

1. correct.
2. Incorrect. I have heard of plenty of examples of V6 engines having their valves for breakfast due to the cambelt kit interval being ignored. Some people do seem to get away with it though. Its pot luck,but I would have to be feeling very lucky indeed to drive one much past the 40,000 / 4 year interval.

[Sehen]

It's actually all true. But there is two ways they went, cambelt due to age, and rollers due to milage
My friend is an Opel mekanic, and they had the 1,6 and V6 head in stock for this purposes from 96 to 99. Both Ecotech engines
When the belt snapped at high revs, they could also bend the conn.rod, and then the whole engine get replaced.
But there are sunshinestories to 
My son picked up a 2,5V6, and after he came home, I called up the previous owner, and he could tell me that the kit hadn't been changed for 9 years and 65.000 miles
The belt was so worn, that there was almost no teath left on the belt, but the funny part was that the rollers was ok, and had no noise from the bearings.

My son was not happy becouse i didn't let him drive it before we changed it, but he is only 18, and I think that was his longest week ever