Cambelt - Buyer Beware

**my darling** · 16-10-2009,08:37 PM

Just a word of warning. Having just acqired a 2l petrol ADY, the first job was to fit a new cambelt. I got an OEM part very cheap advertised nationally. The correct belt arrived promptly in the right box which looked as tho it had had a hard life. But my (?) mechanic refused to fit it. and easily demonstrated how it was unfit for purpose (my words- not his!). A new one was easily acquired locally. Cost a bit more but it was fresh. Caveat emptor.

Perhaps I was just unlucky. Perhaps not.

I hear that all mfrs are looking more towards chain driven cams for the future. The new technology from the bike world is being tapped.

**zollaf** · 16-10-2009,11:21 PM

why was it unfit for purpose ???

**NickPicks** · 17-10-2009,10:48 PM

Was it a "New Old Stock" which had been kicking around a parts self for the last 12 years? I can see the rubber in one that old being perished with age, especially if it's not been stored in ideal conditions.

Chain driven cams for the future? A bit like my 1971 Hillman Imp then?

**my darling** · 18-10-2009,03:19 PM

Thanks for the reponse. As demonstrated to me by those who know, the belt looked tired, brittle, perished, reluctant to twist, etc.

The following professional opinion might explain it better. The 2 old pro's clearly said, "What have you ****ing brought us. It's a heap of **** lad. Look (demo proceeds with much waving, twisting ang stretching of said belt)). We're not ****ing using that. It's well and truly ****ed." Took 5 years (x2) apprenticeship to learn these technicalities.

My posting was a warning because I would probably have blindly trusted the name/part no on the box and installed it without thinking too much. Then if it failed, no doubt they would say fitted by a useless DIY amateur so we are nor responsible for your car being scrap.

Poor storage suspected, but the box was a mess and had been opened then sealed with parcel tape. Did the supplier check it ? As for it's age, this part was fitted to late 80's Corrado/Passat, so who knows ?

As for the chain cam drive, when I were a lad, I had a Sunbeam Imp Sport, twin carb, 0-60 mph in 17 secs, etc ! Loved it. Now have a Climax FWE 1216 cc, it's big bruvva. The wheel is being reinvented.

But these new bike chains are about 1/2 the size and so strong they can reliably hold zillions of bhp without complaining.