How To Tell If Timing Belt Has Been Replaced Recently?

firefly08

nct tester wrote: »

so in that case you should strip the timing belt cover off completely and do a thorough check on the belt and its components before you take his word for it or just a visual check??

Well if you were going to pull the belt for that then you might as well put a new one in anyway No harm in having a quick look - if it looks bad then that removes any doubt - but if it looks good, I think you need to either decide to take the guys word for it or assume it needs to be changed. Just my 2 cents. I do often hear of professional mechanics looking at belts and telling people they're ok...I'm sure they know a lot of things I don't but I am still wary of it.

Merry Prankster wrote: »

Would you consider the lack of receipts to be a dealbreaker? Would you personally buy the car?!

Well this is where you have to take a step back and consider what's so important about this car? I would value a car that needs a 300 euro timing belt job at about 300 euros less than one that doesn't So you just need to factor that in. If the seller is insisting that this car is worth the extra 300 euro because it had a recent t/belt, the onus is on him to prove it. I have bought cars from people who's word I would trust on this - but there was no doubt in my mind. If there is - then either he proves it (paperwork), or the price has to reflect the situation. Failing that, I'd walk away. There's a better deal out there.

biko

Tbh, without a receipt there is no way one can know for sure.
Up to your friend if they want to chance it.

However, if it breaks you'll get blamed...
I'd keep looking.

JohnBoy26

tolow wrote: »

Best to replace the t/b yourself for piece of mind, depending on the car it isn't a total disaster if the the t/b fails. I know some of the older toyota engines are non-interference engines means that the pistons won't bend the valves in the case of timing belt failure. I also wouldn't let the lack of receipts put me off buying a car.

They must be very old Toyota engines. The 4e-fe and the older 12 valve units before them are all interference engines.

JohnBoy26

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

They must be very old Toyota engines. The 4e-fe and the older 12 valve units before them are all interference engines.

4efe is not an interference engine I know this for a fact. A mate of mine glanza timing belt snapped a while back and no damage.

randy hickey

OP,you could broaden your mate's search parameters by letting him know that the Lupo shares the same platform as the Seat Arosa.
Just for example;

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4341506


On the topic of the TB, even at that price range, unless I personally knew the seller, I would just assume the TB needed changing.The cost of changing it is quite a bit cheaper than dealing with bent con rods etc. etc. if it snaps. (I'm assuming it's an interference engine.)

Don't forget;
Tippex records can be forged.
Receipts can be forged.
Seller's word can be....

JohnBoy26

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

They must be very old Toyota engines. The 4e-fe and the older 12 valve units before them are all interference engines.

The 3SGE is non interference
Iirc they were sold long after the 12v pre 4efe yokes.

JohnBoy26

tolow wrote: »

4efe is not an interference engine I know this for a fact. A mate of mine glanza timing belt snapped a while back and no damage.

They are an interference engine. At low revs it might not do any damage but at higher revs I can assure you damage will be done.

JohnBoy26

RoverJames wrote: »

The 3SGE is non interference
Iirc they were sold long after the 12v pre 4efe yokes.

Some version of the 3GSE are interference engines ;-)

JohnBoy26

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

They are an interference engine. At low revs it might not do any damage but at higher revs I can assure you damage will be done.

I know of plenty of lads with glanzas who it has happened to. Have a quick look online and you will find PLENTY of info saying they are non-interference.

JohnBoy26

tolow wrote: »

I know of plenty of lads with glanzas who it has happened to. Have a quick look online and you will find PLENTY of info saying they are non-interference.

Just had a look at Autodata, even they have them down as interference engines.

JohnBoy26

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Just had a look at Autodata, even they have them down as interference engines.

Which 3sge is ?

Henry Ford III

If there's no receipts for t/b and water pump you can't trust the parts, and should be looking to get money off as you'll have to replace them.

JohnBoy26

RoverJames wrote: »

Which 3sge is ?

Some 3sge Beams versions. I think most aren't though so your correct

Merch

randy hickey wrote: »

On the topic of the TB, even at that price range, unless I personally knew the seller, I would just assume the TB needed changing.The cost of changing it is quite a bit cheaper than dealing with bent con rods etc. etc. if it snaps. (I'm assuming it's an interference engine.)

Don't forget;
Tippex records can be forged.
Receipts can be forged.
Seller's word can be....

I'd be suspect of some people I know too, worked with a guy who tried to sell me car, I wasnt really interested but if I didnt have transport, I could have been. He says the car is very good condition, Within a month he told me, the guy that bought it off him came back and complained that there was a fault, he said he told the guy to fock off, he then said, thing is, I knew about that, cnut forgot he tried to sell me the car.

When buying a car, dont trust any seller, its better to move on to something that has less doubt hanging over it. Personally I got my timing belt done at a main dealer as at the time, I had come across a few horror stories of bad follow up after a belt slipped a few teeth and another belt problem from non main dealers, normally I wouldn't listen to this, but one person that happened to, I knew well enough. I knew an indy guy that wouldnt do timing belts.

JohnBoy26

Merch wrote: »

I'd be suspect of some people I know too, worked with a guy who tried to sell me car, I wasnt really interested but if I didnt have transport, I could have been. He says the car is very good condition, Within a month he told me, the guy that bought it off him came back and complained that there was a fault, he said he told the guy to fock off, he then said, thing is, I knew about that, cnut forgot he tried to sell me the car.

When buying a car, dont trust any seller, its better to move on to something that has less doubt hanging over it. Personally I got my timing belt done at a main dealer as at the time, I had come across a few horror stories of bad follow up after a belt slipped a few teeth and another belt problem from non main dealers, normally I wouldn't listen to this, but one person that happened to, I knew well enough. I knew an indy guy that wouldnt do timing belts.

Any decent indy will replace a timing belt to main dealer standards. The Indy you knew that wouldn't do timing belts must not be a real mechanic tbh.

Merch

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Any decent indy will replace a timing belt to main dealer standards. The Indy you knew that wouldn't do timing belts must not be a real mechanic tbh.

He was an older fellow, havent heard of him in a while, good mechanic and good with bodywork, not sure if he even works anymore.
He even said himself, it was all different when he started (no doubt) and that it was all diagnostics now, that was a good few years back at this point.

I credit him with at least admitting it wasn't worth the hassle for him to do.

edit, on the same note the guy I knew that got his timing belt done by another Indy when it slipped a few teeth couldnt get a hold of the guy, now that guy was working from home and was anything but a real mechanic, that spooked me as I was just pricing getting my own done and couldnt afford to replace the car.

Having said that, I'd avoid main dealers/stealers normally, a relative knows a good indy,and Ive come across another chap myself, if there was anything to do that was more trouble than it was worth, Id go to either of them. Not that Im faulting indys, just would be concerned of the follow up, if unlucky enough to have a problem.

Merry Prankster

Cheers for the help everyone. The seller has said that his friend (who did the work) should be able to request a copy of the receipts for the parts, but cannot provide a receipt for the labour as he is only an employee at a garage who did the work as a favour. If he can provide these receipts, should that be enough?

Merch

Merry Prankster wrote: »

Cheers for the help everyone. The seller has said that his friend (who did the work) should be able to request a copy of the receipts for the parts, but cannot provide a receipt for the labour as he is only an employee at a garage who did the work as a favour. If he can provide these receipts, should that be enough?

Maybe,
thats up to you
or based on the opinion of someone qualified enough to give you the info, up to you to accept (or not) their assessment.

the_syco

Merry Prankster wrote: »

Cheers for the help everyone. The seller has said that his friend (who did the work) should be able to request a copy of the receipts for the parts, but cannot provide a receipt for the labour as he is only an employee at a garage who did the work as a favour. If he can provide these receipts, should that be enough?

I'd say an employee in a garage could get a timing belt receipt easily enough... but it doesn't mean it'll be yours.