V6 timing belt question

TerryG · Post by **TerryG** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 12:30 pm

I am looking at getting the various bits together for a timing belt change on a V6. I have noticed that there appear to be two types of tensioner - a mechanical one for less than £60, and an hydraulic one for a scary £300+! Can anyone please throw any light on this? Does the V6 need both?

wishmaster · Post by **wishmaster** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:55 pm

Hi TerryG, we had our cambelt changed recently ( see welsh section) and we just changed the cambelt, cost £33 and the seals £26 (worth doing for the small cost while its apart). The tensioners on the V6 are metal and unless well worn and noisy they will probably NOT need replacing. Some people have changed the crankshaft seal while their at it too. The biggy will be the labour charge, ouch!!

Good luck with it, Izzy

You've Been Bongod · Post by **You've Been Bongod** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 8:35 am

you can get a genuine belt from mazda like i did for £70 ish and then get a good mechanic to fit it bearing in mind its a 4 and half hour job

mine cost £550 with a full service

TerryG · Post by **TerryG** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 8:06 pm

Thanks for relating your experiences.
I'm a bit nervous as this is my first V6 (first Bongo, actually) and having experienced a cambelt failure on a previous car I'm more than a little paranoid about the damn things.
I've spoken to a couple of Bongo specialists and each said I should have both tensioners replaced, at a total cost of around £600. A pretty scary number! But like Izzy says, they're metal tensioners so they should be sound, yes? So why replace them?
Then again, I don't like to ignore the specialists.
I am on the very horns of a dilemma - any further thoughts/comments/advice would be most gratefully received.

cheffy34 · Post by **cheffy34** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 12:16 am

I've just done my cambelt due to some horrors that i discovered and found all my rollers/idlers were fine but found my hydraulic tensioner was out of tolerance and leaking it's fluid, i have not heard of any others and think i was unlucky but i have had my van a few year and the history isn't the best to be honest, i did not buy a new tensioner but got one from a dead engine localish to me, if i remember right the manual states replace if out of tolerance only.

Dar

wishmaster · Post by **wishmaster** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:23 am

I understand your dillema Terry a position we were in too, air on the side of caution your thinking

yep see your point. There will always be different opinions on this one and you have to do what you feel is right, why not try contacting Paul at LPG Imports as he has changed many a V6 cambelt, he's very helpful and has a good reputation on here and may put your mind at ease

Izzy

TerryG · Post by **TerryG** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 12:13 pm

You were right Izzy, Paul was very helpful. Says he's done quite a few V6 timing belts and never yet had to replace the tensioners, though he would replace the hydraulic one if it showed any signs of leakage. However, he strongly recommended replacing the cam and crankshaft oil seals.
After talking to him I'm now thinking seriously about an LPG conversion!
Terry

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