Wet belts

[camerart]

Hi,
I recently heard about wet belts, in especially Ford vans, and they seem a bit of a problem sometimes.
Has anyone any experience with them, and would you avoid buying a van with one?
C

 

[Wayners]

Guy Martin had an opinion.
He seemed to think it's unburnt fuel getting in the oil degrading belts.
That's the most interesting comment I've heard.
Drive hard and you burn all the fuel and no problem.
Driving miss daisy the belt degrades.
Mike Brewer said if you stick to service schedule you won't have a problem. He don't think there is a problem and happy to sell vehicles with a wet belt.

 

[aveatry]

Service - belt change. Citroen some cars were 12 years or 120k miles to change the belt, then 5 years ago they realised that he belts were degrading and changed it to 6 years or 70k
If not using the exact spec correct oil for your car then the belt will degrade faster.
There was recall on all the 1.2 puretec engines to check the condition of the belt because if it was breaking down then the bits can block the oil strainer leading to low pressure - and the breaks work off this pressure so you could loose breaking (something like that )
Cars over the age of 2017 were not affected as they used a different belt and under warranty recall the belt was changed to a "upgraded one" - the same as the newer cars but the 12 years to 6 years remains which is a £800 job.

 

[pcaouolte]

I believe there is a specific problem on the Transit. In 2024 Ford reduced the wet timing belt service interval for Ford Transit and Transit Custom models with 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engines from 10 years or 150,000 miles down to 6 years or 100,000 miles (whichever comes first).

 

[Old Salt]

Spawn of the devil and the bean counters. Change the oil every 10k or annually, use decent oil, change the belt when due or otherwise avoid.

 

[camerart]

Hi All,
Thanks all!
Are these wet belts what I have always known as camshaft belts?

Anyway, it's certainly worth some care or even avoidance.
C

 

[pcaouolte]

Are these wet belts what I have always known as camshaft belts

Yes, but moved from the outside of the engine where they were fairly easy to change to inside the engine where they cost more than £1000 and take an experienced garage all day to change. If they snap it's goodbye engine.

 

[aveatry]

The whole wet belt thing was to get engines a particular eco rating

Yes, but moved from the outside of the engine where they were fairly easy to change to inside the engine where they cost more than £1000 and take an experienced garage all day to change. If they snap it's goodbye engine.

Yes so you have no choice but to adhere to the change times because if you dont and it go's there is no come back.
Consider it a climate tax because by moving the belt inside it got the manufactures an eco label, it made the engine more efficient. Also along with this some of the engines - the puretec used "low friction" piston rings which after just 40k miles start to burn oil -- that's right eco piston rings burning oil.
Feel scammed yet.

 

[norseman]

piston rings which after just 40k miles start to burn oil -- that's right eco piston rings burning oil.
Feel scammed yet.

Shafted more like.

 

[Fred Blogs]

Whatever effin idiot thought that constructing an engine that used a rubber belt made from oil products and then allowing that belt to run through an oil bath really wants his/her head read. Look at the crap that Stellantis and Ford are in now mainly due to the wet belt debacle. I would avoid like the plague.

 

[camerart]

Hi,
So I have another post (OLD) asking which van to buy.
I want a mid length van, that I can stand up in. The vehicle I have now is hybrid, so automatic, and I like it, but I like my Renault Master van which was change gear.
Now noting the comments above, which van?
C

 

[Burnerman]

Have you considered the Toyota ProAce?
Essentially Citroen but I find they are better built than usual, and the Adblue problems seem to have been sorted.
Diesel 1.5 or 2.2 or electric.
Up to 10 years warranty, if serviced by Toyota.
Avoid auto if possible.

Ford's wet belt is a truly dreadful engineering nightmare - I wouldn't go near personally. A mate has a large Transit, it's covered over 100k miles, can't be worth much but he'll have to spend well over a grand or wait till it goes pop. Criminal!
John

 

[camerart]

Have you considered the Toyota ProAce?
Essentially Citroen but I find they are better built than usual, and the Adblue problems seem to have been sorted.
Diesel 1.5 or 2.2 or electric.
Up to 10 years warranty, if serviced by Toyota.
Avoid auto if possible.

Ford's wet belt is a truly dreadful engineering nightmare - I wouldn't go near personally. A mate has a large Transit, it's covered over 100k miles, can't be worth much but he'll have to spend well over a grand or wait till it goes pop. Criminal!
John

Hi B,
I have a Toyota, so they would be good, also the Primastar, as I could do exchange.
I also looked at MAN, as they are cheaper than the very similar VW
It's difficult to find a van with a roof high enough to stand up in, and preferably not white.

I went into Ford a while ago, when I had just heard of wet belts, and the salesman said he gets people coming in here, who have looked at the internet, and got the wrong impression of wet belts. He had no patience with me.
C

 

[Mottie]

I went into Ford a while ago, when I had just heard of wet belts, and the salesman said he gets people coming in here, who have looked at the internet, and got the wrong impression of wet belts. He had no patience with me.

Should have asked him why they no longer fit wet belts to engines (apart from the oil pump drive belt).

 

[Burnerman]

Car salesmen aren't interested in you or indeed the products they sell.......all they want is their commission, nowt else!

It seems Peugeot and Citroen have much of the market for high roof vans, there's the Merc Sprinter of course......depends on your budget!
John