Also known as a timing belt, the cambelt is an essential component of a car and is designed to keep the camshaft and crankshaft in sync when the car is running.

At one time or another, you’ll eventually need to have the cambelt replaced to avoid the cambelt breaking while you’re on the road. If the cambelt does break, the engine would seize up and can cause the braking and steering to fail. This is extremely dangerous, so it’s crucial that you get your cambelt replaced at the right time.

In this guide, we discuss cambelt replacement and everything you should know about changing your cambelt.

When to Change a Cambelt

How long does a cambelt last? This depends entirely on your manufacturer guidance and the number of miles you clock up. It’s generally thought that the cambelt should be replaced after every 100,000 miles. However, you may need to have this done quite a bit sooner at 40,000 miles. For this reason, we advise you to check your manufacturer handbook for more information.

Or, even better, getting your cambelt checked during a regular car servicing as a trusted mechanic can tell you about the exact condition of the cambelt and when you should think about a cambelt replacement.

It’s also important to know the signs that your cambelt needs urgently replacing as they can indicate that the cambelt may soon snap. These signs include:

  • Noises from the engine – If you can hear a rubbing sound coming from the belt area, this can indicate the cambelt needs urgent attention
  • Problems with your car starting – If the cambelt has already snapped, then your car may not start at all. In this case, you’ll need to contact breakdown recovery. It’s always important to have breakdown cover at all times, but even more so if your cambelt is due for a replacement

It’s also worth understanding that there aren’t always warning signs that a cambelt needs replacing. You may not notice any difference in the way your car drives until it’s too late.

What Happens If You Don’t Replace a Cambelt?

It’s important to not put off having your cambelt replaced as a broken cambelt can be expensive to fix, and in many cases, could be impossible to fix. If you do put off having your cambelt replaced, you also run the risk of seriously damaging the engine. Having the engine replaced or repaired can be far more costly than having the cambelt replaced. It can even save you a lot of time off-road, too!

A car with a snapped cambelt is undrivable. The extent of the damage will depend entirely on the type of engine you have. To be on the safe side, we recommend talking to your mechanic about a replacement cambelt first.

How Long Does it Take to Change a Cambelt?

Changing a cambelt isn’t an easy job and is very time consuming, which is why it should only be replaced by a trusted and experienced mechanic. Otherwise, you run the risk of damaging other components, resulting in a costly mechanic bill! 

The average cambelt can take anywhere between three to six hours, even when replaced professionally.

How Much Does a Cambelt Change Cost?

The average cambelt replacement cost is between £300 and £400, although, depending on the make and model, can even cost between £200 and £1,000.

The most substantial cost of having the cambelt replaced is labour costs as this involves disassembling parts of the engine and can take almost a full day.

When having your cambelt replaced, you may wish to have the water pump changed at the same time. Most customers choose to do this as the cambelt needs to be removed in order to get to the water pump and can therefore be more cost-effective.

Cambelt Replacement in Loughborough

At Parkland Services, we have a great reputation for providing cambelt replacements on all makes and models, in Loughborough and beyond, with expert quality workmanship, at competitive prices.

If you would like to book a cambelt replacement, please call 01509 232232 for an accurate quote.

For more information, please visit our car repairs page where you can find the other types of car repair services we provide.