When should the cambelt be renewed?
There’s not a standard change interval for cambelts. Depending on the model and the manufacturer, the recommended interval can be anywhere between 30,000 miles and 100,000 miles. There will often be a time-based interval specified too e.g. 60,000 miles or five years, whichever is the sooner. Check with a franchise dealer for the model concerned to establish the requirement for your particular car – make, model, engine number and model year. Failure of the cambelt will in most cases result in serious damage to many other components in the engine – a replacement engine may well be required! It does no harm to renew the belt early and you should do so if you buy a used car and are in any doubt if the cambelt has been renewed according to the maker’s schedule.
