Author Topic: 1.9TiD cambelt replacement timescale  (Read 37562 times)

PeterP

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1.9TiD cambelt replacement timescale
« on: 17 July 2012, 09:03:52 PM »
I have been told that the official timetable for cambelt replacement on my 95 1.9TiD auto is 8 (eight) years or 72,000 miles which ever is sooner.

Can this be correct ?

Audax

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Re: 1.9TiD cambelt replacement timescale
« Reply #1 on: 17 July 2012, 09:52:26 PM »
That is correct although I'm not 100% certain on the time interval, it might even be just 4 years  :o I'd suggest you get the water pump done too at the same time (with a genuine one) it will add £100 on to the bill but at the same time every cam belt failure I've seen on that engine was caused by a seized waterpump.

Max Headroom

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Re: 1.9TiD cambelt replacement timescale
« Reply #2 on: 17 July 2012, 10:32:08 PM »
Yes! I'll second that about the water pump - mines a 93 and even SAAB themselves advised the same and for the same reasons

aljshep

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Re: 1.9TiD cambelt replacement timescale
« Reply #3 on: 18 July 2012, 01:39:59 PM »
My sister-in-law just had a water pump failure at 55k miles and got that replaced with a new cam belt at a Saab garage for £384.

Audax

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Re: 1.9TiD cambelt replacement timescale
« Reply #4 on: 18 July 2012, 01:55:29 PM »
That's probably the going rate for a cam belt along with the water pump, anywhere from £350-£500 I'd suggest. I take it that the belt hadn't actually gone or jumped a few teeth? If you need to lift the head to replace the lifters you're looking in the region of £800 :o I suppose that's at least a lot cheaper than a new cylinder head and potentially an engine!

PeterP

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Re: 1.9TiD cambelt replacement timescale
« Reply #5 on: 18 July 2012, 08:23:46 PM »
I have spoken to SAAB Parts (0845 300 9395 - clever number !) and the very helpful lady explained that it all revolves around changes SAAB made to service intervals from 2 years/18000 miles between services to 1 year/18000 miles. My car is supposed to be serviced on the 1 year / 18k miles schedule.

So, my cambelt needs to be replaced at 4 years or 72,000 miles.

She also echoed the need to replace the water pump at the same time.

Audax

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Re: 1.9TiD cambelt replacement timescale
« Reply #6 on: 18 July 2012, 09:18:33 PM »
explained that it all revolves around changes SAAB made to service intervals from 2 years/18000 miles between services to 1 year/18000 miles.

What she has told you isn't quite right, the service interval for the old 9-5 (don't ask me about the "new" 9-5 as I don't know) has always been yearly. The pre-2004 9-5's were to be serviced every 12k or every year, whichever was soonest but from model year 2004 onwards the interval was raised to 18k or every year, agan whichever was soonest. The 9-5 was never on a 2 year service schedule. The 9-3 had a 2 year or 18k schedule which was also changed in 2005 (I think, can't find the exactly year now) to be 18k or 1 year, whichever was soonest. There was also an exception to this, the 3.0 diesel always had a service interval of every 12k.

I've always suggested that people still got an annual service with those earlier 9-3's even though Saab said it wasn't necessary as by 2 years the oil would be very black no matter what the mileage was and it was very often at service time that issues like worn bushes or heavily worn brakes were spotted well in advance before they cut tyres out or damaged brake discs etc.

Of course, there's another caveat in all this, if you're not doing the mileage to reach the main service intervals then you can have what's called an "annual service" which is basically an oil filter and check over of the car, some people on low mileages would end up having an annual service every other year.

Clear as mud I think?  8)

Mr Linear

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Re: 1.9TiD cambelt replacement timescale
« Reply #7 on: 18 July 2012, 10:43:57 PM »
We had an '06 9-3 which was on the 2 year service.

Our current '08 1.9 TID has to be serviced every year.... the cambelt change at 92k as opposed to the pre '08's which I believe was at 72K.

Ours had the 72k service done at Oxford Saab a month before we bought it ... Aux belts were done, but no mention of cambelt.

Mr. L.

Audax

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Re: 1.9TiD cambelt replacement timescale
« Reply #8 on: 18 July 2012, 10:49:13 PM »
Hmmn, I thought it was before MY07 for the 9-3. Of course to make this even *more* confusing different markets had different time schedules too so some of the early 9-3's are yearly in different parts of the world and every 2 years in others (which explains the cause of confusion if you look online!). Come to think of it... it doesn't help either that there was an oil life calculator too which can *also* be the cause of requiring a service!

Also, yes, the cambelt interval going to 92k was a bit of an odd one given the failures before 72k in the past.


Kev_Mc

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Re: 1.9TiD cambelt replacement timescale
« Reply #9 on: 19 July 2012, 02:59:15 PM »
I thought it was 90k for the 1.9TiD. I was planning on getting mine done at 80k which I was assuming was early (at 78k now)!

sgould

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Re: 1.9TiD cambelt replacement timescale
« Reply #10 on: 19 July 2012, 04:50:38 PM »
I think it's been changed in the light of "experience".
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sgould

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Re: 1.9TiD cambelt replacement timescale
« Reply #11 on: 19 July 2012, 04:59:08 PM »
Just checked the WIS.  Timing belt change is now 72,000 miles with visual inspection of the crankshaft pulley.
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Audax

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Re: 1.9TiD cambelt replacement timescale
« Reply #12 on: 20 July 2012, 06:06:56 PM »
Just to try and clear this up, the 1.9 cam belt interval is 72k on the 9-5 and 9-3 for 05-06. From 07 onwards on the 9-3 they increased the interval to 90k (or 93k for some reason on some service docs, don't ask me why!).

PeterP

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Re: 1.9TiD cambelt replacement timescale
« Reply #13 on: 21 July 2012, 04:06:20 PM »
Why is the water pump on these (Fiat/Alfa) engines so fragile ? It is so contrary to the usually excellent reputation  for longevity normally associated with SAAB engines.

Is it because they have used the Fiat/Alfa water pump supplied with the engine ? Or is it a GM part ?

If so, will the replacement water pump be of the same poor quality ? Or did SAAB choose a different supplier ?

From all I have read, it appears that the cambelt is good for many miles and it's only the rubbish water pump which is forcing earlier replacement.

Audax

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Re: 1.9TiD cambelt replacement timescale
« Reply #14 on: 21 July 2012, 04:42:40 PM »
Why is the water pump on these (Fiat/Alfa) engines so fragile ? It is so contrary to the usually excellent reputation  for longevity normally associated with SAAB engines.

Not sure that's really fair, the 4 cylinder B2X5 9-5 petrol engines had a reasonable amount of engine (and turbo!) problems early on and I'm not convinced the later breather system cured all the problems as I've known some later engines fail at low mileages. This seems crazy given how good what was practically the same engine was in the 9000, also water pump failure on the petrol models is fairly common too although as the water pump on those models is driven by the auxiliary belt compared to the engine drive system it doesn't matter if it does seize.

It's also quite common for water pump failure to occur on cars that use a cam belt. It comes down to using a cheaper part on a commodity engine, the reason you use a cam belt in the first place is to make the engine cheaper and lighter and this helps with more stringent emissions requirements that have come into place as if you use plastics and rubbers instead of metals they're lighter. The replacement water pumps might be better as there has been a couple of revisions on them but it's also worth pointing out that it doesn't happen to all that many cars and so there isn't an inherent fault with the water pump just for the sake of another £100 at cam-belt time it's worth having it changed but many people don't bother. I figure that as the engine is designed to fail safe and doesn't cause damage to pistons and valves it's probably that a decision was made on cost vs. performance and the engineers felt it was a worthwhile trade off.