Cambelt Change V6
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Morning all,
Question regarding a cambelt change, my car (mx3 98 V6) is in the garage at the moment and they were half way through the belt change when i got a call. Aparrantly I am told by the garage that there is a 'hydraulic piston head' that needs to measure between 14 and 16mm to enable proper tensioning of the belt. As mine is measuring 12mm it needs to be replaced costing an additional £150 to replace. Rang alrm bells with me as dont know what hydraulics have to do with cambelt? Anyway I have a trusty Chilton manual and cant find anything like this in there, just wanted to know if what they ase telling me is true or if they are pullin a fast one. am thinking of confronting them but dont wanna make a scene for no reason as i know little about this.
Any help would be appreciated
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**http://www.uk-mx3.com//forum/viewtopic.php?t=2612
It's an optional replacement - and in this case "optional" means "replace the damn thing". It'd cost you £90 to buy yourself, so £150 sounds about right for garage work.
The part, I believe, is properly called "hydraulic cambelt tensioner" and it's in the Chilton's guide - looks like a wee cylinder with a bracket for two bolts, and a tiny steel ram coming out of the top of it.
Is it the Mazda main dealer (EMG) on Milton Road in Cambridge, by any chance?**
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yah they are a bit expensive, i got a good deal here in canada for 65.00. just did a timing belt in about 3 hours with the motor still in the car.
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Thanks guys nice to be reassured. No not being done at Mazda its in a local garage - I live in St Neots. It's hard with garages to know if they're honest or not. just for reference I'm having the cambelt and oil changed for just under £500 which is the cheapest quote I could get locally using Mazda parts (this was 350 but obviously the price increase with the hydraulic tensioner. Maybee I should move to CANADA!! :)
Cheers Joe
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@ea8f3b6033=joe.gaylor:
Thanks guys nice to be reassured. No not being done at Mazda its in a local garage - I live in St Neots. It's hard with garages to know if they're honest or not. just for reference I'm having the cambelt and oil changed for just under £500 which is the cheapest quote I could get locally using Mazda parts (this was 350 but obviously the price increase with the hydraulic tensioner. Maybee I should move to CANADA!! :)
Cheers Joe
**Ah :D
I have a friend who is a service tech at EMG Cambridge. I could always shut him up by telling him I was going to book Red in for a cambelt change on a day he was at work.
The part is an advisory change rather than a service part, but they always fail if you take them off, compress them and refit.**
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£150 is the price of the Tensioner from Mazda. Ford Probe Store sell them for £95. However, as the garage are doing the job let them supply the parts. When they ring up the motor factors they will be told like I was that the part is only available from Mazda i.e £150.
I originally approached my mate, who has his own garage, to get my cam belt changed. He wanted 6 hours to do the job. Think he was relieved when I decided to do it myself. :lol: