Cambelt Question

[Stanky]

So, i have a question for you learned people on the subject of Cambelts.

 

Mrs_Stanky has a Kia Rio Mk1 which packs a 1343cc 8v powerhouse of engine of, I am reliably informed, Mazda origin. If Wikipedia is to be believed, its a Mazda B3 engine, which also powered some miserly variants of the Ford Laser. The engine has a belt-driven cam, which was last changed in 2009 having racked up 45,000 miles. Fast forward 5 years and 35,000 more miles and its been playing on my mind that the belt is due to be replaced at some point in the not-too-distant future.

 

Now, having done my homework, this engine (through luck more than judgement) turns out to be non-interference jobbie, so I'm happy to have her drive it until the belt snaps and it is immobilised. She only travels locally so when the inevitable does occur it wont be too much of a walk home. We've got breakdown cover so they can tow it to the mechanic's workshop to be remedied.

 

So, to the actual question - assuming the above occurs, and the belt snaps, car stops, sad faces all round, how much more of a ball-ache is it to re-time a car, vs having the belt replaced before it snaps, having locked the cam with the appropriate sized paperclip?

 

Either way I'll be farming this out to a mechanic, but if its a 2 hour job to lock the cam and replace the belt prior to it snapping or a 35 hour job to re-time it following failure then I'll MTFU and have it done as a preventative job. If there's less than a couple of hours in it, then I'll just wait for it to go *TWANG* and consider every extra day that it doesn't snap to be a major WIN.

 

I assume its a bit more of a job to re-time an engine, but this is well beyond my skillz so any suggestions gratefully received.

 

 

[dave21478]

It makes no difference. Any mechanic worth his job description will be able to set the timing with minimal work after a belt snap.

[red5]

Well, yes. A lot of 'technicians' can't. or have the patience to do it. Sad, but true.

[r.welfare]

If this engine is a B3, as I think it is, the cambelt change is an absolute piece of piss.  I did it on an '88 Mazda 323 1.3 and it took me about half an hour, in the rain, and I'm a mechanical dunce as well.  Fiver for the belt and keeping the cam and crank in line was no bother.  Nice spring-loaded tensioner that didn't need any faffing about.  So I'd suggest prevention is better than cure.

[Stanky]

Thanks Dave,

 

Luckily her uncle is a competent mechanic - rather than 'technician' - but he does still charge by the hour, which is what prompted the question.

 

Thanks guys - much appreciated. 

[Asimo]

Note that "interference" engine or not, the belt will break 103 miles into an urgent motorway journey in the rain, at night, they day after your roadside assistance contract expired.

 

Get it done!

[r.welfare]

Autodata says 1.4 hours, no special tools required. I reckon the hardest job will be stripping everything in the way out (aux belt, pulleys etc).