Corsa C Turbo Conversion

Good luck.

Peter

Don't need it. It has 108k on the clock now, first belt lasted 100k, it'll long time 'til even the most cautious and paranoid owner would worry about it (which I'm not :).

In my (almost) 20 years of driving (doing at least 20k miles per year) I've only ever had trouble with one timing belt[*1], stick to the manufacturers recommended interval and use the manufacturers genuine kit (including water pump, idlers etc.) and it'll be fine[*2].

[*1]My second car was a FIAT Strada (Ritmo) and I ragged it everywhere, I was driving along and I heard a slapping noise that got faster with the engine. I guessed the timing belt was about to go and did what any other self-respecting teenager would do and screwed it the 10 miles or so home. When I'd got the cover off there was only half the belt left, it'd split along the length of the belt and half had just dissapeared :) [*2]To be honest, if it did let go, how much is a 2nd-hand Zetec head ? Not gonna be the most unobtainable of parts is it ? ;)

Thing is, what exactly is the manufacturer's recommended interval for any given engine? You can't trust what the handbook says as, in many cases, there's bound to have been various technical bulletins issued that say that the interval's been reduced (Vauxhall Ecotecs being a prime example), and you can't rely on asking someone at a main dealer as they all seem to be clueless fuckwits who give you a different answer each time.

When I had my 1.8TD (75bhp 'Lynx' engine) Mk5 Fiesta van (00/W) I bought it on 95k, and the previous owner had had the belt done by the main dealer (who had done all the maintenance) at 40k and 80k. I asked at various Ford dealers - one told me 100k, one 40k, someone from that same dealer said "think you can get away with 60k on that engine". At the end of the day it comes down to whether or not it's a known risky design, which in that case it wasn't, mainly because the water pump wasn't cambelt driven (as I found out when the aux drivebelt shredded, rendering the thing undriveable due to no coolant circulating), but personally I wouldn't leave any cambelt 100k - you never know what might fail - how much extra will it cost over the life of the car to change it every 60k, even every 80k, compared to 100k, for that extra peace of mind and lack of hassle if/when it does end of snapping and bending lots of valves etc.

Hehehehe! So that half of the belt actually kept it going and prevented it from doing any damage then? Nice!! A mate of mine had a 1.8D Mk3 Fiesta once and decided to change the cambelts on that, along with tensioners etc. Bloody lucky he did - on taking it apart he found the tensioner just about to slice through the belt (or rubbing against it so that it was pretty much just about to).

Heh! One way to fill an otherwise dull Sunday afternoon....

Peter

I'm not sure, but it was back before I got up in the morning, all back to standard ! You'd never even know it had been gone :)

Well as above, it was all returned in perfect order, so I didn't bother claiming. They're very good that Porsche lot.

I'm not sure that they are ?

Chains were great back in the 30k cambelt days, but I don't really see the point in them anymore. Belts have caught up :)

Mine's 80k / 8 years.

No, all 40 series from launch had the modular engine.

This was Mitsibushi's GDI very slightly tinkered with for the Volvo application. Whatever they did they shouldn't have as there are many S40 GDi's which are broken, whereas I've never heard of a Carisma GDI to have problems.

Porsche just helped out wiht the head work.

The only other car to have Volvo's all alloy 5 potter was some versions of the Renault Laguna and Safrane in 2.5 20v 170bhp guise, but only for a short time around 94 / 95 . I've never seen one.

Tim..

i see 9-3 convertables everyday! there's 3 lined up behind the window to my office! they are quite nice :)

yup have a daewoo dealer where i work next door to us, they're s**te! there old stock always goes to auction and makes f*ck all money as no one wants the damn things! shoulda dumped them properly and got us some PROPER Chevrolet's!

Yes they are, especially in the dayglo gold green colour they used in the TV ad.

I completely fail to understand the rebranding.

When I think of Chevrolet, I think ginormous V8 Yank Tank. About as far removed as possible from bargain-basement pacific-rim tinbox cars, with wheezy hamster-wheel engines. It just makes no sense !