Should I change my cambelt or wait!

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comfreak91, Feb 14, 11:29pm
Hi All
Just wanting some advice please. I have a 97 nissan with a cambelt which has done 74,000 ks. Would it be sensible to replace this right now or just wait a few more months! Undecided how much longer I'll have the car for. I read that cambelts should be changed every 100,000 kms or 10 years, just wondering if the 10 years is really the case or possibly a gimmic ! Thank you :)

jasongroves, Feb 14, 11:31pm
What model Nissan is it!

comfreak91, Feb 14, 11:31pm
Laurel C35, Thanks !

jasongroves, Feb 14, 11:36pm
If it has never been done before, then it really does need to be changed as they do perish over time.
It may last for much longer without any hassles, but if it did decide to break you will suddenly have a huge head ache and a much lighter wallet;)

ninja_man, Feb 14, 11:58pm
74,000ks is a bit low to change the cambelt, most people tend to do it around the 90-100k mark.

jasongroves, Feb 14, 11:59pm
So.you are saying age isn't a factor!

tuttyclan, Feb 15, 12:00am
Are you sure it has a cambelt.Most Nissans have a timing chain instead of a rubber cambelt.
Saying that there a a select few Nissans that do have a rubber cambelt.
Could you let us know what engine size eg 2.0, 2.5 petrol or diesel or even the engine number .
If it does have a rubber cambelt a car that is 14 years old is way overdue to have the cambelt replaced reguardless of kilometers traveled.
Generally its 100,000 km or 10 years which ever comes first.
Some manufactures vary,some are as low as 5 years or 80,000 km,would pay to check with Nissan about what their recommodations are.

jasongroves, Feb 15, 12:02am
Should be an RB engine if petrol, or an RD if diesel, both of which are belt driven.

vtecintegra, Feb 15, 12:04am
Also how confident are you the car has actually done that (exceptionally low) mileage!

jsbike, Feb 15, 12:05am
being a 1997, timewise its coming up for a change anyway.

therafter1, Feb 15, 12:06am
The Laurels have a belt, and Jason is correct. The time factor can be of more detriment to the belt than the k factor.

It is over to you as to whether or not you feel it is worthwhile if you are selling the vehicle. I would consider it a selling point and would factor it into the asking price for the vehicle.

I would also change the idlers, tensioners and water pump whilst I was in there and renew the radiator coolant.

Just MTCW !

johnf_456, Feb 15, 12:24am
Age is a big factor, based on that theory a 20 year old car would be safe if it had done granny mileage.

phillip.weston, Feb 15, 12:29am
They just said the belt has done 74,000kms, not necessarily the car had done 74,000kms. It could be at 160-180k kms by now.

johnf_456, Feb 15, 12:30am
True, we just have to "assume for now"

comfreak91, Feb 15, 3:19am
Hi All, thanks for the reply

Yes the car is an RB20DE, Definitely has a cambelt

The car has done 74000 kms (First and only cambelt on it now)
Are there actually cases where cambelts snap due to age rather than KMs!
Thanks for the advice so far!, much appreciated

ct9a, Feb 15, 3:21am
dont forget in japan it takes along time to do such kms.
which means the engine would have done alot of hours rather then kms.

jasongroves, Feb 15, 3:24am
Yes. Plenty.

franc123, Feb 15, 4:37am
Get it changed now, its more than old enough to justify it,wouldn't you rather have the peace of mind!Even if you do decide to sell within the next 12 months having the belt and associated parts changed is a good selling point, make sure you keep the receipts for the work.

intrade, Feb 15, 7:44am
first things i do when i buy a car is change the belt no matter what a seller tells me they almost all lie. what you done you know what your told you dont know.

comfreak91, Feb 15, 10:27pm
Thanks all, WIll get it done

pandai, Feb 16, 5:24am
My car is at 76,000km, and the people at Honda have highly recommended I change the cambelt, due to age (5 years).It's a cringeworthy expense, but I figure they have their reasons to do so.

stevo2, Feb 16, 6:00am
I just changed the cambelt on our fun car at 77,000km but it is 12 years old. I wouldnt have waited this long but its a non-interference engine. it spends a fair amount of its time in the 4000 - 7000rpm range as well.
Cheers Stevo

ema1, Feb 16, 9:22am
If the OP has doub'ts in his mind as to whether to do the cambelt or not, my advise is DO the damn thing and have done with it.For peace of minds sake at least.
Consider it as cheap insurance. particularly if the engine is an "interference" type.
Not sure if the one the OP is on about is interference or not, again if in doub't replace the belt for reason mentioned above plus the obvious!

ema1, Feb 16, 9:24am
That's what I reckon too kazbanz,, often it's a case of "He who hesitates is lost!"

zak1998, Feb 16, 9:27am
To make money out of you thats their reason. 100,000 on a Honda cambelt