147 Cam belt change

[Dr Bunsen]

Hello all!

I wonder if you could help with querey?

This is my first post on the alfa forum (usually on the Lotus section)

We have just taken my wifes 147 1.6tspark in for its 3yr service - 18,000 miles. the cam belt was changed with a £140 contribution from Alfa (which was nice of them). But looking in the service manual it says to check the belts at 3yrs and replace at 5 years or 72k miles? We were told the belts would need changing before they had seen the car.

Just wondering if this is a standard thing to do or are we getting told porkies?

I would be grateful for any feedback.

Cheers !

[Killer2005]

Should be every 36k/3 years for the cambelts

[Wombat Rick]

Yep, best to be cautious. The "check" cambelt is a nonesense as you can't check one without taking it off so it's best to be replaced. Did they do the tensioners too as it's those that tend to go and take the cambelt with them...

[jamieboy]

Dr Bunsen said:

But looking in the service manual it says to check the belts at 3yrs and replace at 5 years or 72k miles? We were told the belts would need changing before they had seen the car.

Just wondering if this is a standard thing to do or are we getting told porkies?

It's a standard thing - Alfa initially said to change the belts at 5yr/72k miles as in your handbook, but in 2006 they revised it down to 3yr/36k miles.

[Dr Bunsen]

Thanks very much guys - thats made me feel much better - i was suprised alfa contributed to the cost, our whole ownership experience of Alfa has been spot on so far. It just goes to show you shouldn't believe everything you hear about motors!

We run an alfa an elise and a diesel astra estate - the only one we have had any major problems with is the astra! (including rotten customer service from the garages)

It always makes me smile when i see the posts about worried potential owners on this and the lotus forum - i think every make has its problems but its how they resolve them that makes the difference.

Thanks again for the advise!

[noisebox]

Just to back that up - my Alfa 147 2.0 snapped a cambelt at 38K

[phil1979]

I'm currently playing 'Cambelt Lottery' - it's on 36k since the last one. The car's not worth anything now, and needs other (expensive) bits doing soon, so just running till its death. I'll update on how far the belt takes me....

ETA - it's a 145 2.0, not a 147 by the way.

Edited by phil1979 on Thursday 31st July 09:20