New Cam Belt

[Poppy]

Hello, I wonder if anyone can advise bearing in mind the following. Please also bear in mind that I am the world's worst mechanic, so simple language please.

Work done January 2001 when car had done 116,000 miles:

New drive belt (Is this the cam belt? It cost £5.20)

Cam belt idler (£80.99)

Timing belt idler (£45.92)

Car has now done approximately 150,000.

Is it possible at all to tell the condition of the cam belt without dismantling housing and so on, if that's the right way to put it?

Many thanks

Neil C

[gazza1286]

I would normally describe the belt driving the alternator as a 'drive belt'. That is the one visible to the front offside of the engine. The price of a genuine cambelt is/was around £20 so if the price of £5.20 is correct it sounds like an alternator belt thats been priced.

However I cannot see why a mechanic would replace the idler without doing the cambelt at the same time. The cambelt/timing belt only has one idler so I'm confused as to why there is a price for two items.

I'd be fairly confident that the timing belt has been replaced.

The service interval for a cambelt is 50/60K miles so you have a few more to travel yet. The belt does not normally show any signs of wear and can fail without warning.