Timing belt warning light

[DatBlokeDere]

My timing belt warning belt light just came on at 150,000 Km. However the belt was changed 4 years ago at 100,000 Km. A 4WD specialist is telling me that the warning light is not based on pure mileage, but actually detects wear in the belt and he recommends that I change the belt. Am I correct that this is not true? That it simply wasn't reset after the change? And if so, do you think this is a mistake on his part? Or an attempt to get me to pay him to do unnecessary work?

 

[Higgy]

I might be wrong but iv never heard of wear being detected, Its probably as you said, Timing light reset issue...... But if its done 50,000 km why not change it anyway...... Peace of Mind

 

[Dave]

And dont ever use that 4x4 ‘specialist’.

 

[Juddian]

Second Dave's suggestion.

 

[DatBlokeDere]

Sure, but do you think it was an innocent mistake or a deliberate attempt to scam me? Is there any timing belt light in any vehicle that somehow detects wear? If it helps, they are Land Rover specialists!!

 

[Higgy]

No i dont think there is any such wear detection system. If there was they wouldn't need a recommended Timing belt change schedule..... Maybe an honest mistake from the Garage or they were misinformed by a third party.... Who Knows.... Dont forget to order the Water pump when you Order the Belt

 

[Juddian]

Higgy i didn't change my water pump when i swapped the belt plus tensioner and idler over, the cambelt doesn't operate the water pump which is driven via the normal auxilliary belt ( i renewed at the same time) and the water pump looked as good as new.
Are you now going to give something bleedin else to worry about with tales of bloody water pumps exploding with shrapnel taking the cambelt out too? i'll not be able to sleep tonight unless swmbo plays ball or i find an old copy of Freemans catalogue...

 

[Juddian]

No i don't think he was out to scam you, the cambelt on the 3.0D is a very simple affair that literally only drives the camshaft and nothing else at all, its probably the easiest cambelt you can find to change there is, proper timing marks and only basic tools needed, 1 hour DIY.

 

[Rob Cowell]

The default setting for the light to come on is 150000km or 90000 miles. When yours was changed the light wouldn't have been on and I suspect no one thought to reset it. When you do reset the light you can specify when it next comes on in 10000km or 10000mile increments, depending on your speedo. There's a thread here that explains how to reset it on the 90, but as far as I can recall it's the same on the 120.

 

[Rob Cowell]

Higgy i didn't change my water pump when i swapped the belt plus tensioner and idler over, the cambelt doesn't operate the water pump which is driven via the normal auxilliary belt ( i renewed at the same time) and the water pump looked as good as new.

From memory you need to take the tensioner off to get at all the bolts for the waterpump. I changed my pump when I changed the belt for the second time just because it was 180000 miles old and seemed like a good opportunity to do it.

 

[Higgy]

Juddian! As Rob as said..... Its just common practise, to change the water pump if your doing the Belt....No scary stories

 

[Beastrider]

In my opinion, the previous mechanic probably just didn’t reset the light - nothing sinister there. But for a garage to tell you that there is a belt wear detection system...... that’s a deliberate attempt to get you to agree to the work, I’m afraid.

How would such a system work? Optical sensors looking for cracks or wear to the tooth profile? Change in belt tension? Counting the teeth? You could ask them how the system worked and I think they’d struggle to explain.

It’s just a mileage counter. I believe the recommendation is 150,000kms or 5 years, whichever comes first.

£120 for the Toyota belt, tensioner and pulley plus ~1 hour. Many choose to replace the water pump too, as others have said which would obviously cost some more.

 

[DatBlokeDere]

What happens to this diesel engine if the timing belt fails? Does it instantly destroy itself, or is it a non-interference engine ?

 

[Higgy]

If it goes when your doing 70 MPH, You'll be able to take the Engine home in a Hoover Bag...

 

[Tractionman]

a BIG hoover bag !!