Timing Belt Replacements

[Lisa]

I have a 2001 147 - replaced timing belt at 55 000k..  Am getting conflicting reports from Alfa Service people here in Tassie as to when I need to replace timing belt again, have just reached 100 000.  has any one got any ideas? 

[Evan Bottcher]

Hi Lisa,

Welcome to the forum!  This is a subject I've heard a lot of debate about, however there is one fact - if a timing belt breaks then you are looking at a very large repair bill as the engine will almost certainly bend valves.  I've seen two 4-cylinder Alfas and one 6-cylinder Alfa with broken timing belts in the last year at my local garage, so it definitely does happen.  One of those was only at 50,000km (in a 5 year old 147).  I think the official recommendation is still to replace the belts at 60,000km OR 3 years. 

My opinionated opinion would be to change the timing belts and take away any risk.  Do you have any options other than the main Alfa dealer, an independant specialist might be a bit cheaper?

Hope this helps... even if it's not the answer you might like to hear.

Evan.

[Scott Farquharson]

Change every 50 to 60k.  It is not worth the risk.  I had one break at 60k.

[Southern75]

Alfa recommendations are 60k ... but i have heard that the tensioner pulleys are weak and cause the timing belts to break


Is this true?

[Scott Farquharson]

yes - this is what happened to mine.  Mine broke at 60k when the reccomended interval was I think 80 or 100k.