Cam belt age via printed info?

[ReaderScars]

Is it possible to identify the age of the pictured cambelt from the info printed on it? Does the contamination indicate HGF given that it's protected by a cover?

Edited by ReaderScars on Tuesday 24th May 23:14

[Martin350]

I would say that due to the clarity of the lettering on the belt that it isn't particularly old.

I'd be surprised a HGF would leave traces of water where it is in that photo, like on the engine mounting bracket bolts.

Is the engine losing water?

[LarJammer]

The date code is 3 11 5DS which means 3rd day, 11th week, 5th year(1995, 2005, 2015), dunfirmline scotland.
Maybe its the year first, then week, then day??. Anyway its makes no difference as even gates themselves cannot tell you what decade your belt was manufactured in.

[voicey]

A little OT, Dayco stamp a sequential number in their belts. The first two numbers indicate the year, the next two indicate the week and the fifth number tells us the day of the week. The final three digits on the code represent the position of the belt in the mould.

[ReaderScars]

Thanks for the info guys. The engine's not using any water but it seized (due to low oil pressure?) - oil temp and level plus coolant temp and level stayed as they should in the prior hours before the seizure.

After a good couple of hours of cooling down the engine turned over on the key but won't fire; was advised the belt could have slipped at the time of seizure but yet to check to see if all timing marks can be aligned.

[Martin350]

As you've got the covers off already it should be very easy to check that, if you can turn the engine by hand.

Was it knocking before it seized?
Was the oil pressure warning light on?

Edited by Martin350 on Thursday 26th May 00:10

[ReaderScars]

No knocking beforehand but oil light on dash did light up.

I'll have another go at turning it over by hand via the pulley bolt if I can get the plugs/coils out (access is a bit tough, it's an MPi MGF).

[Martin350]

It is much easier with the plugs out, but you should still be able to turn it over with them in, it'll just get quite tight a few times.

[Jimmyarm]

Access is easy, just take the cover under the roof off.

If it actually physically siezed, its fked.

Those engines are ste but fortunately cheap.

Having said that, unless it is some fantastically mint low mileage job, by the time you've snapped all the subframe bolts taking it out, replaced all the relevant bits etc you might as well just buy another one.

Obviously check the timing first, good luck

[Sinead90]

voicey said:

A little OT, Dayco stamp a sequential number in their belts. The first two numbers indicate the year, the next two indicate the week and the fifth number tells us the day of the week. The final three digits on the code represent the position of the belt in the mould.

Hi, I've just read your message above. Do you know if vw do a similar thing with the codes on their cam belts?
I can see the code:
2016w22n311931
I've got a cam belt change booked as can't find proof of change but it should have been changed 12k ago. Hoping it was done when it should have been...

[stevieturbo]

Sinead90 said:

Hi, I've just read your message above. Do you know if vw do a similar thing with the codes on their cam belts?
I can see the code:
2016w22n311931
I've got a cam belt change booked as can't find proof of change but it should have been changed 12k ago. Hoping it was done when it should have been...

If in doubt, change it.

Is there no trustworthy service history with the vehicle ?

[Sinead90]

It's got history up to 131k and it's now done 152k. The cambelt was changed at 60k but it only needs to be done every 80 so should have been done about 140. The guy I bought it from said the guy he bought it from said it'd been done but there's no paperwork :/
The garage said I can't use the cambelt off my old car as there's a code on it which is registered to the cars licence plate when it's fitted? If this is the case surely I can find out when the cam belt was fitted on my new car??

[wolf1]

It doesn't matter what is printed on the belt as that's the date the belt was manufactured, It can only give you a vague clue that it would obviously have been fitted some time after it was made and then sat on a stockroom shelf till bought. Belts aren't registered to vehicles and the garage probably only said that as they won't fit secondhand belts just the same as any other garage.

If you don't know and can't find out then get it changed otherwise it's 50/50 whether it's going to break and cost you a fair bit to put right.

[CrutyRammers]

Sinead90 said:

The garage said I can't use the cambelt off my old car as there's a code on it which is registered to the cars licence plate when it's fitted? If this is the case surely I can find out when the cam belt was fitted on my new car??

Nah that's a load of nonsense.
BUT - use a new belt. They are the cheapest part of the whole exercise.

[PositronicRay]

Sinead90 said:

The garage said I can't use the cambelt off my old car

I can't even imagine how that conversation came about!

[GreenV8S]

Sinead90 said:

The garage said I can't use the cambelt off my old car

If you're referring to reusing a cam belt that has already been installed in a different engine, that would be a crazy thing to do.

Sinead90 said:

there's a code on it which is registered to the cars licence plate when it's fitted?

I expect they meant that they need to look up the exact cambelt part number from the car's registration and two similar cars may not actually use the identical part. But they could have just been saying whatever they thought would stop you pursuing the idea of fitting a used cam belt from a different engine.