hi all,

sorry to rake up what is probably a done to death subject but my question concerns timing belts.

I am due to pick up tom what will be my first ford focus, i had my money set aside to replace the timing belt as my st has done 85 thou and is an 03 plate, but, and this is a bloody nuisance but, a gold crown bust on my tooth and the resulting dental visit will cost me £204..........

This means the belt change will have to wait a while, which brings me on to the nub of my question. how can i best evaluate the current state of the belt and tensioner as it stands now, does a tensioner thats dying scream, or just tinkle a bit, can you actually see the belt or inspect it in any way ?

thanks in advance to any advice forthcoming.

chris.

 

belt will just snap mate and game over....

you could turn the engine over with the car in gear and check the belt visualy but get it changed ASAP fella

 

If its on its first belt 85'000 is a fair amount if miles and 8 years is a long old time, you should change it just beofre 75'000 or every 5 years. It will be the cam tensioner that lets go first so get this changed at the same time along with water pump or you will be sorry. That lot should set you back around £280 at a main dealer

 

I thought long and hard about this and i have come to the conclusion that the advice here is right, so bearing that in mind, im gonna bite the proverbial bullet and book her in.

i have priced up a kit on the net from fordpartsuk.com, includes belt and tensioner for about £75, and a local garage will fit it for £80.

The car is too nice to write off with a smashed up engine, im trying not to rev above 2000 rpm at the mo, bit annoying for the pepes behind me but never mind.

Chris.

 

I changed mine at 52'000 better to be safe than sorry, there is an idler pulley that i would change too along with the waterpump, 85'000 on a waterpump is allot and to change the waterpump its a hell of a struggle without having to remove the cam belt all over again as its tucked behind.
Good price on the fitting, i hope the garage realises that the cam cover has to come off and the pulleys have to be loosened due the VVT, if they dont do it you will get a EML

 

Appreciate what you are saying, id better start saying yes to the overtime man. I have been given a number by a mate who knows what my car is, and what i want doing, so i assume the guy he is recommending has done one of these belts. To be on the safe side if he has not i will go elsewhere.

Cheers for the heads up.

chris.

 

Booked my car in for a belt and tensioner change today , spoke to the mechanic in person and he says he has done quite a few of the st170s. He asked me if i knew wether the engine was a ford or a volvo lump, he reckoned an 03 plate was probably a ford unit but how do you tell ? Apparently the water pump is easier to get at with the ford unit....??

 

Lol i would seriously question your mechanic, the ST170 engine has NOTHING to do with Volvo. The ST170 engine is shared with the Mazda 3 as is the floor pan/chassie.
The NEW ST225 5 cylinder turbo engine from 2004 onwards in the MK2 focus shares is lump with Volvo

 

AH right, well bearing in mind he has never seen my st, and also bearing in mind i couldnt tell him anything helpful on the phone only the year, perhaps he can be forgiven, but at least now i know it is a Ford engine which cost wise is all good. so ta

 

ok, cam belt all done, a genuine ford kit with tensioner and idler pulley, new auxillary belt and four new ngk platinum plugs, £270.

running sweet no eml on happy days......... still gotta pay for my teeth though...

 

good job mate

 

Great news