Smax - Timing Belt Interval and Auto gearbox

kippy · 17-04-2025 02:06PM #1

Hi,

Have a 172 Smax. 2 Litre Diesel engine (1997cc.150hp - if that makes any difference).

Can anyone advise what is the timeing belt interval on this car?

Also, the car has an auto gearbox. What are the servicing intervals on one of these?

Any idea ball park costs of timeing belt change and auto gearbox oil changes?

I suppose I'd also like to know where I can get reliable information on these types of things for this car (service intervals etc) also - if there's a good site out there for it.

Thanks in advance,

Kippy

BlakeS94 · 17-04-2025 09:57PM

Belt is 10 years or 125,000 miles.

Auto box on that era Ford are made of chocolate, they're not a true auto gearbox, it's more an automatically actuated manual gearbox, Ford scrapped them and started using torque convertor automatics from 2018 onwards due to class action lawsuits in the US. If you can afford it, I'd be changing that oil every 30,000 miles to prevent issues down the line.

User1998 · 17-04-2025 10:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123367449#Comment_123367449

Gearbox repair is like €4k - €5k on them

BlakeS94 · 17-04-2025 11:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123367522#Comment_123367522

All the more reason to change the oil on them sooner rather than later then.

kippy · 18-04-2025 07:41AM

Thanks for the comments folks - not good re the gearbox then. I've been quoted roughly 500 euro for an oil and filter change on the box, looks like a good option! There's about 150K km on the clock and I doubt the gearbox has ever been serviced!

Thanks again for the responses.

Henry Ford III · 18-04-2025 04:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123367900#Comment_123367900

Is that not horribly expensive? A gearbox flush, oil and new filter aren't that pricey surely?

kippy · 18-04-2025 05:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123369541#Comment_123369541

Ford main dealer price. The couple of Indies I have asked looked at me as if I had two heads, either it was something they were never asked to do before or they didn't do them.

So I don't have anything to compare the price with as it's not something I have gotten done before.

User1998 · 18-04-2025 07:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123369683#Comment_123369683

Most independent places can’t or won’t work on them Ford gearboxes

BlakeS94 · 18-04-2025 07:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123369683#Comment_123369683

You can buy a full Service kit by Meyle or Febi for about €140 all in, it's 1 maybe 1.5 hours labour.

So I would say €300 will cover it for you all in. Just buy the parts and ring around for a garage to do it, tell them you only want the oil changed and new external filter, you don't need to remove the sump and change the internal filter unless maybe the oil is very dirty looking or if there's metallic bits found in the external filter.

https://www.winparts.ie/filters-fluids/car-filters/transmission-filters/c1705/parts-kit-automatic-transmission-oil-change-febi-plus-176877/p1471724.html?_gl=11kzefyv_upMQ.._gs*MQ..&gclid=CjwKCAjw8IfABhBXEiwAxRHlsJxOiQ3EIIo9wIhkWndf7Kwpg-Aj8DT3HYJUbOyOSWZeRc9KxQeqLBoCwCsQAvD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAABq7iBSrTbRYZWxVc81_WE_LgGkus

Here's a video to show you how straightforward and uncomplicated it is, car here is a 2012 mondeo but exact same gearbox and procedure.

https://youtu.be/7nwKkwCKtUg?si=aqNsWOgWNC3_M5Ft

User1998 · 18-04-2025 07:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123369883#Comment_123369883

You’d want to be fairly stupid to trust a random customer you’ve never met to supply you with the correct parts to service a Ford gearbox. Most places will not entertain this request.

BlakeS94 · 18-04-2025 07:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123369888#Comment_123369888

Fair enough, it's just a suggestion

User1998 · 18-04-2025 07:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123369892#Comment_123369892

I agree with calling around for quotes, but maybe for parts & labour. Not just labour.

Smax - Timing Belt Interval and Auto gearbox

Comments