How Long Do You Actually Go Between Timing Belt Service ?

I am still on my original belt from 97
Belts look great no bearing noise at all, car has been climate controlled garage since day 1, 15K miles

 

I think 5 is probably ok if it's not a daily driver. I've heard of it. Mine was 20 years and only about 3200 miles! Dealer said it would be a waste but I feel very good now that it's done. Got a major engine service with new exhaust TCUs and tons of other stuff. All 32 valves were tight. It sounds great like a well oiled machine now. Belts and a new pulley and tensioner do sound a little squeaky when I blip the throttle after startup. But I had it done by an experienced Ferrari shop and was invited to track days. now I need to get a helmet. I am hoping 5 years is good for 3K a year.

 

I am going to do 5 years and at this rate the car will have put on about 10k miles since the last one.

Looking forward to doing it in my garage with some help from fchat friends.

 

also depending on the mileage. spil of acid or fluids on the belt. etc
but 10 years is safe. these belts are kept on tension by the tensioners anyway.

 

Most dealers will tell you off record that 4-5 years is fine.

 

I'm into year 6 and the belts look great, but what would bearing noise sound like and can you hear it from inside the car?

 

Mine has been done in 2005
Only 7000km
Will change in 2-3 yrs unless the bearings start to make noise

 

I use a stethoscope with the car running and check all over the engine, you can pretty much hear anything

 

On my 308 (bought new) I went longer that I care to admit. A lot longer. Error on my part because the 15k was done by a dealer and when it was done belts were not routinely changed at 15k. With 355 I have no plans for a belt change before 15k miles or 7-8 years past the last major.

 

It's not the belt you need to worry about. It's everything in between.

 

I'm at 5 1/2 and 2200 miles. Getting done this winter.

 

Every five years for my 355 GTS and my 575M.

 

Five years is what I've seen on this site to be the majority

 

I have done mine every 5 yrs.

 

My 355 was done 2 years ago and I'll change in 3 more (5 years). My recently purchased 328 had the belts done 10 years ago. I'm changing them next month. Interestingly, the 1986 owner's manual for the 328 specified to change the cam belts at 52,250 miles. I believe that has since been retracted, if not officially.

 

I do mine every 5 years but as others have said the belts have always looked almost new. At that time I have always had to do other small things, ie remove and replace alternator, remove and replace ac compressor, water pump removal and check. I do not always replace these things but it's a lot easier to remove check them out and replace. Has not always worked but has saved me some grief many times.

 

Everything is fine until it's not. And then, it's really not. At 7000 rpm.
Change the friggin' belt and tensioners.
Just do it.
Don't put it off.
Just do it.
Love your car.
Just do it.
C'mon you can afford it.
Just do it.
Ignore the Toyota instead.

 

When I first got my 348 I changed the belt out after around 2 years of owning it. Then I went 9, 1/2 years on that belt, having done that service this year. The belt still looked fine, but it was stretched out about 1/4", which changed the cam timing a couple degrees. The other parts how ever did NOT come out fine. Tensioner bearings went south (I could hear them squealing at start up), impeller on the water pump grenaded itself, cam cover seals leaking, rear main seal worn, lower drive pulley bearing completely shot, oil pump chain and drive pulley timing chain wear pads both worn out, front main seal worn, alternator belt tensioner bearing kaput, oil sump galley hole o-ring hard as plastic.

It's not the belt, it's everything else.

This time think I'll go 5-7 years.

 

This needs to be repeated, over and over.

"Inspecting" the belt will get you nowhere, they rarely wear out, something else in the system fails. As Ernie pointed out they can stretch out which compromises the performance of the engine.

Look at the roller, that is a sealed bearing spinning at a very high speed. The dab of grease in there will eventually dry out and then it stops spinning.....there goes the belt.
If you wait until you can hear it making noise, that's a huge gamble.

The hydraulic tensioners also fail and when they do the belt looses tension, not good.

That being said I would have no problem going 7+ years on a car I service myself.

 

Sweet, something new for us to talk about!!

I've put over 18,000 miles on my car since the last belt service 3.5 years ago. I'll probably hit 30k on these belts right around the 5 year mark and will do the belts and everything else then.

You guys need to drive more!! Sheesh...

 

My 348 is at 7yrs now
18000km
I am going on the Spa Francorchamps track this weekend
I will change them this winter
348 has only 1 belt so more damage when it goes
Also an older generation belt
Will use Hill Engineering tensioners

 

Has anyone ever actually had a 355 belt break or know someone that had this happen? I dont mean a internet horror story but a friend or acquaintance that you got the story first hand?

 

All of the above.

My belts are 4 years old. Would easily go another 2 years. BUT, the water pump is leaking and I am not sure how old the tensioners really are (previous mechanic being what he was).

If the accessories hold up, 5 -6 years seems about right for belts & tensioners. That's my plan after this winter.

 

It's been posted on the forum before. Aside from the other items, it's clear to me (per Ernie) that belt stretch can effect the timing and that's not something I will let go since I regularly have my car up to 8500 RPM's.