Escort timing belt interval

Get it done asap. I think for a lot of zetec engines the official recommendation was (and possibly still is) 100k, but I'd *never* leave any belt that long. Besides which, I'd do it on the age of the car as well - rubber gets brittle in time and your car is 8 years old, and most manufacturers recommend changing eveyr 4-5 years if the mileage hasn't been covered. I don't think the Zetecs are known to have a problematic belt design, so you'll probably get away with driving it to the garage to get it done, but I wouldn't use it too much other than that.

From then on I'd do it every 4 years or 60k, whichever is sooner.

Peter

On the original silver top Zetec the interval was 80k or 6 years. On the black top Zetec E it is 100k. (lighter valvetrain supposedly puts less strain on the belt)

However they very rarely let go prematurely on the basis of excess miles, but its not worth the risk. Do it on time rather than miles, rubber deteriorates with heat, and oil- so if cam or crank oil seals have been weeping alittle that will have shortened its life.

Tim..

Ohhhh....fekkers!

I'll have to ask my dad if he ever had it changed (I got the car of him a couple of years ago; he had it from new).

Bloody cavalier's needing it's belt changed as well. That's going to be the pointy end of 400 quid.

Cheaper than a new engine though, I know.....

Thanks to both of you,

Iain

The message from "Iain" contains these words:

Some cars are fairly easy to do yourself - depending on which engine you've got. A darned sight cheaper than £400 even if you have to buy all the tools you need new. And then you'll have most of the tools you need to do the other car - and a fair bit of practice.

I did my Mk2 Cavaliers once upon a time. They were dead easy. The current cav's a V6 though and apparently changing the belt now involves changing idlers and tensioners etc.

Might have a squiz at the Haynes for the Escort though...see what it looks like it involves. Still got all my tools from the last time!

Iain