Cam belt

I too have often wondered why cambelt time/mileage intervals are so diverse.
20 years ago Honda, for instance, used to say every 12 years or 120,000 miles, whereas most Fords were half that at 60,000 miles/6 years and Vauxhalls were 80,000 miles/8 years.
As Bill said, it's a bit longer for Fords now, but still as varied as ever between makes.
The cynic in me says that cambelt changing is a real money-spinner, yet the thought of one breaking in an 'interference' engine is a nightmare, so we change them for peace of mind 😇

I believe that the "Arctic" has a non interference engine if the cambelt lets go. Inconvenient but probably not disastrous.

My Puma is now overdue for a third cambelt change on years although very low on a total of only 47K miles. A cambelt failure would totally destroy the engine.

I've just checked the handbook and there is no time limit listed just says 54,000miles or 62,500miles outside Europe.
The mind boggles, how come if I lived in the USA I could do 8,000 miles more, is our air more corrosive than other countries or are they chipped to self destruct at a pre set mileage.

Just out of interest, I have it in the back of my mind that the NC is chain driven but having read this thread I'm now beginning to wonder why I think that, can anyone verify?

Also, I have a Skoda Superb a couple of years ago, when I bought it I thought I was good to go with the timing belt as it had been done only about 10,000 miles ago but then found that in the UK Skoda specify 110,000 miles or 5 years. The car was well out of warranty so didn't need to get it done but how foolish would it be to have it snap and wreck the engine so I got it done.
Strangely this stipulation didn't exist in the rest of the world, only the mileage and I didn't hear of anyone on the forums who'd had a problem at 10+ years old and not having changed the belt.
Guess there must be something different about the air in the UK?

You're right GD the NC is a chain drive.

Timing belts, I'd definitely go on age if miles are low, definitely a what comes first basis.

Timespans will vary based on numerous service variables. How tight is the belt, how many changes in direction over how many pulleys, what temps does the belt see etc. All stressors on the belt fabrics and flexible rubbers/plastics, heat will flash off volatiles in the belt that retain flexibility, once they're gone belt may start cracking and shedding parts of itself.

bill119 said:

Just booked the Mazda in today for a cam belt and crankshaft position sensor, they can't do it until the 15th June.

Click to expand...

Usual advice long way back was to also replace the water pump with the gubbins exposed.
Preferably with an "OEM" Mazda one whatever that really means now.
So long as it's not a dirt cheap nasty.
They do fail.....sometimes....OK hardly ever.
Not as if yours has had a hard life. Tough call.