Lancia Motor Club

My forthcoming adventure to the French Alps in the SW has prompted me to check my records on when the car last had it's timing belts/bearings changed.It turns out that I've managed to clock up 21,400kms (13,300miles) in the last year which surprised me but which then raised the question of how much life is safely left in the current belts which have now done 17,500 miles.
Having had a catastrophic failure with an 8 valve engine a couple of years back I'm trying to err on the side of caution so I would appreciate any advice on the correct interval for changing them.
Kind regards, Murf.

Some recommend 24k, but personally I would run to 30k. Assuming bearings changed at the last one.

Thanks for that info Lindsay, I assume that we are talking miles here. The car is booked in with David Thomas at Codicote on Thursday for a service which will inevitably throw up some unexpected issues so I think I'll leave the belts until after the holiday.
Kind regards, Murf.

Pete,
I'd agree with Lindsay as long as his proviso regarding the bearings as been adhered too.
Brian
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Hi Brian, According to a garage receipt from nine months prior to my buying the car, both belts,the two bearings and tensioner were changed. I'm going to trust that and run with whats there until I reach 24k then get David Thomas to swap them out.
Regards, Murf.

Pete,
sounds good to me.

Brian
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While you are on the subject,I tend to worry about the time. How long since they have been replaced ect, I fitted new belts 4000 miles ago but that was in july 2007, I do worry about the belts perishing. The bearings were changed 14000 miles ago or about seven years ago. Has any one any advice regarding this, Thanks. ??? David

Dave,
You really need to change the whole lot as I believe that the length of time is important as well, and myself would never leave a belt longer than 3 years/30K, but you're really pushing your luck if if it's 7 years since you changed the bearings, irrespective of mileage, don't wish to sound like a drama queen but I'd be changing them without delay, and preferably without driving it in the meantime if at all possible, having had a belt fail (Faulty Manufacture) on my 1993 Series 3 Auto, I know from experience that the damage is extensive, when mine went about 1995 it cost well over £1000 as I had 8 bent valves, and the exhaust valves are pretty expensive let alone anything else, just glad that Fiat/Lancia picked up most of the bill.

I also had a bearing seize and broke a timing belt on a 2.0 Dedra I'd just bought and I was on the way to the garage to get the lot changed, I was lucky in that as the belt broke it got caught up in the TDC sensor which snapped off and luckily stopped the engine dead, so I got away without any further damage, but it still had to be stripped to check for damage, that is the only time I've known of when a Dedra Timing belt broke and didn't wreck the engine,
Unfortunately with Thema's and Dedra's being worth so little these days, unless you've got a really nice one you want to keep, it's an uneconomical repair.

Brian
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