Cambelt

The one to watch out for, which can be catastrophic and expensive if it breaks.

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The Cambelt

Also known as timing belt, controls the timing of your vehicle's internal combustion engine, by synchronising the working rotation of your crankshaft and camshaft to ensure the engine's valves open and close efficiently.

Importantly the cambelt should be replaced at a specific point, either derived by age or mileage interval, recommended by your vehicle's manufacturer.

Whilst cambelts are one of the most commonly used engine timing components, they are not the only option. Some modern Ford, Peugeot, and Vauxhall engines use wet belts as an alternative, which require a more specialist skillset to maintain.

More about wet belts

Just like a rubber band

Your cambelt stretches, perishes and can even snap, just like a rubber band if not replaced, causing serious expensive internal damage to your engine.

Cambelts are made from material that degrades over time, it is vital they are replaced before the belt teeth wear away or it catastrophically snaps throwing out the engines timing, damaging vales and pistons, this can sometimes be not cost justifiable to repair!

Poor maintenance is the most common cause for cambelt failure. We act as a failsafe, consulting you on your vehicles history, recommending when this component needs replacing based on a predetermined interval.

We don't want you to get caught short, this is why whether your vehicle comes to us for an MOT, service or general repair, the cambelt replacement interval is checked and replacement advised if necessary.

You don't need to have your cambelt replaced at a main dealer, to have genuine parts fitted.

Our team of skilled technicians can replace your cambelt and water pump (if applicable) with main dealer manufacture OEM parts to the same standard, but importantly without the cost!

You can now book your cambelt or any other appointments via WhatsApp on 01953 797272

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Frequently Asked Questions

Here's some answers to the most frequently asked questions by our customers

How do I know if my vehicle has got a cambelt?

When looking under your bonnet, there are usually a few ways to tell. For example, a timing belt often has a plastic cover, while a chain usually has a metal cover—but this isn’t always the case. Most garages have access to a database that can tell you for sure. At Fresh Motors, we would be more than happy to help you get this information. The last thing you want is to assume you have a chain when you actually have a belt, which could go overdue and snap—potentially costing thousands in a major engine repair.

How often is my cambelt due to be replaced?

This varies from car to car and engine to engine. Some belts are due every 3 years, while others can last up to 15 years. At Fresh Motors, we strongly recommend following the manufacturer’s guidelines closely, but our suggestion is not to let the belt go past 10 years. Rubber always degrades over time, so we believe it’s not worth the risk. Regular maintenance like this will help prevent the belt from failing and causing catastrophic damage to your engine.

What happens if I don’t change the belt?

In short, the belt will either snap or lose its teeth. The majority of modern engines are known as interference engines, meaning the valves and pistons share the same space in the engine. If the belt snaps or loses its teeth, the engine will lose its timing, causing the valves and pistons to collide. Usually, when this happens, the damage is catastrophic, although we have managed to repair a few in the past. If you find yourself in this situation and want to know how we can help, please get in touch with our friendly service team.