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timing belt: ford puma

Hello,

My other half has a 1.4L Ford Puma. I was looking under the bonnet and saw the timing belt. On the under side of the belt there seem to be a number of ridges that run the length of the belt. There seemed to be "cracks" along these ridges all along the belt. I don't know anything about timing belts. Are these a sign that the belt is worn/perished? Should it be changed ASAP? Or are they supposed to be there, to help the belt bend around the various corners? The car has done 51000 miles and is ten years old and we do not remember the belt ever being changed. I can't find the Ford recommendation (I'm about to phone them) but Hayes says 40000.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Reply to
Fred
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that is not the timing belt, it is the alternatoraux. belt, it is called a poly V belt, cracks across it are completely normal, chunks missing or noise is the time to replace it, or just get it changed with the timing belt (since it gets removed then in any case.)

Reply to
Mrcheerful

Hello,

Phoned two Ford dealers; one said 5yrs or 50k miles, the other said

10yrs or 100k miles, so who knows?

They also told me I was looking at the auxiliary belt! But I did say, I know nothing about belts ;) The car is 10 years old so I think it is due. The problem seems to be that it is hidden so they cannot check without stripping half the engine, by which time they may as well change it.

Thanks.

Reply to
Fred

The timing belt should be changed anyway if it is 10 years old, inspection would not tell very much at all as even ancient ones can still look ok (but are not really since they age internally) If it has not had a cam belt previously then it is time to get it done, I would advise getting it done at a good garage (preferably a Ford main dealer) since I have seen many of these engines wrecked by weekend mechanics (and a few garages!) trying to change the cam belt. Get a new auxiliary belt while you are there and you should be fine for many years.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

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