Just bought an Alfa 159 and its lovely. Previously running a Skoda Octavia 1.9 diesel. Had it from 27k and looked it after up to 159k over seven years. Always serviced on the button and no expensed spared. Same garage and never had any complaint or issue. Used them for 10 years.

Last week it dropped the cambelt and I could be facing a grands worth of work. The belt wasn’t due to be changed for at least another 20k. The only thing that I have any doubt with is that they replaced a noisy pulley about a month ago. The head is coming off today to see exactly the extent of the damage.

So what do we think the options are? Swear blind its down to them because of the pulley, scrap it, sell as non runner, repair and run as occasional load lugger/backup when Alfa breaks down? Had wanted to keep it really.

Don’t know about VAG diesels, but with older VAG petrols it is commonly quoted that the cambelt change interval is every 60k, reducing to a 40k interval if it’s been tampered with (e.g. because someone changed a pulley or tensioner).

don’t believe alfas service interval for the cambelt – they used to quote 70k for the 156 and it was rubbish.

Also go to a decent independent with it and not a franchise.

Scrap the skoda – stick to alfas for reliability 🙂

What do you mean by pulley? The cam belt runs the water pump and past a tensioner, it’s recommended to change all the same time ie if the pump needs changing put a new belt on and vice versa, but no pulleys. If that’s what you had done, go back. Or do you mean a pulley on the external drive belt, alternator, AC etc.? In which case it could be just bad luck the cam belt went.

Halve the milage/time interval on the Alfa

It was the tensioner and alternator clutch that was replaced. Is that separate to the cambelt? Just feel f—ed off as its been so good and I’ve taken care of it. Was hoping to go to 250k!!

Also on some cars they recommend changing the cambelt after so many years and/or miles – often due to other components, e.g. waterpumps seizing.

Why did you have the tensioner changed? I’m struggling to think of any scenario that would require a new tensioner that wouldn’t normally require a new belt, apart from a precautionary tensioner replacement when fitting a new belt. And even then, if the belt had to be interferred with and was due to be changed within next 20k why would you put the old belt back on rather than replacing with new one?

I take any excuse to change the belt, to change the tensioner and not the belt is odd IMHO.

Think I’m going to be checking what they did through with them as the previous pulley tensioner and alternator clutch was what was rattling. That is as I understand it external to the cam belt. That was the previous work. That shouldn’t have affected the cam belt should it? Are the two issues unrelated?

From what you say, you have had an alternator belt pulley and tensioner changed – this is seperate from the timing belt (cambelt) which is under two/three covers. The alternator stuff is external. The cambelt failing has nothing to do with the alternator pulley etc.

Have you had the cam belt done in the 132k miles you’ve done in it ?

Yes. Twice and thats why I believe there was another 20k in it at least. Never skimped on maintenance and don’t thrash it.

What type of belt was fitted ?

What has happened to the belt ? Has it snapped, tensioner failed and its come off ?

Sorry – didn’t read previous post properly. Had assumed it was a cambelt tensioner changed rather than an alternator belt tensioner. May just be bad luck.

You need to find out why it dropped the belt. Did it snap or did something jam to make it snap. Has the water pump ever been replaced?

When my Beemers waterpump seized, it snapped the belt which then took out the waterpump pulley, fan and its housing…

Luckily it was a camchain engine.

Going in tomorrow to look at it. Nothing obvious and water pump fine. Never had any issues at all. I have cared for this car!

I would look at a replacement lump or replacement head rather than possible welding up heads, replacing bent valves and guides etc. Never rely on a schedule of miles per belt change. No manufacturer will ever show any interest in a belt going before time, either. Mates workshop had a Puma in with a snapped belt at 65k miles. Ford didnt want to know .Belt due at 100k miles. 60 k miles is where mine is getting done although it is unusual for the belt to break without outside problems, such as a waterpump, tensioner pulley failure etc.
VW are pretty coy on covering their rotund ass’s with service schedules on belts.