The dreaded Aux belt service

[OliS]

First off, apologies for not being an active forum memebr for quite some time...

So I took my Trophy in for it's 36k mile service last week, and had a call from the garage to advise me that I had an oil leak from the cam cover seal and that it did not make any sense to change the aux belt as it may get contaminated due to the oil leak.

Fair enough really, but it now means that to get my aux belt changed I need to get my cam cover seal fixed, and whilst they are dismantling the top of the engine, it makes sense to replace the cambelt at the same time, which now means that instead of a bill of around £400 for the 36k sevice, I'm now looking at about £900 to have the cam cover seal fixed, cambelt replaced and aux belt replaced! Nightmare!!!

I've had a look on the forum, and a few people have suffered from the cam cover seal failure, some were lucky enough to have it fixed under warranty, and others have just reported about it, but not the resulting work.

I don't know what the point of this post is really, maybe just for me to have a whinge, and maybe to prepare others that their 36k/aux belt service may not be as straight forward or as cheap as they expect!

Last point from me is to question why Renault use a sealant and not a proper gasket for the cam cover seal?!? It seems that this sealant could be a reason why this is a fairly common problem...anyone know if a gasket that can be used in this application?

Cheers all!

 

[duffer987]

First off, apologies for not being an active forum memebr for quite some time...

Cheers all!

Ya Ollie you suck! :lol:
How much more is the cam cover seal fix adding on top things, if it was only the cam/aux belts being done?

 

[480bhp.com]

I've just had the cambelt and aux belts done, old school mechanic who knows his stuff and it came to about £500 inc parts, £900 must be a dealer price? I would have done it myself, but with being busy work wise and trying to get the other bits of the car ready monday i opted to pass the job on.

Ironic really as i've just got hold of a cup alternator and bracket and i'll be taking the aux belt and tensioners back off #-o not that this helps you though :wink:

Chris

 

[OliS]

Ya Ollie you suck! :lol:

Yeah I know I do! :lol: But to be honest I've not had anything to report on until now! In fact I was only saying the week before my Trophy went in how reliable it had been! :evil:

Anyways, thanks for the replies fellas

I don't know exactly how much it is costing to fix the cam cover seal, but the sealant is around £15.

The £900 is not a dealer price, it's a well known and trusted independent, but perhaps I should have broken the cost down a bit further...

£202 - 36k service minus aux belt (included brake fluid and rear pads - already paid)
£390 - Cambelt kit, aux belt kit, core plugs, cam cover sealant (all genuine Renault items)
£300 - 6 hours labour to fix cam cover oil leak, fit cambelt and aux belt kits (Renault quote 7.1 hours for the 72k service)

So a total of £892, which to be honest I don't think is extortionate, it just wasn't expected! I've heard of Renault garages charging over a grand for the 72k service without fixing the cam cover oil leak, so I think I'm just going to have to suck it up and get it booked in!

Still, at least it means I won't have any plans to sell the Trophy anytime soon, probably hold onto it for another couple of years now, make sure I get my moneys worth!

 

[nickboazracing]

and whilst they are dismantling the top of the engine, it makes sense to replace the cambelt at the same time,

I wouldn't have thought replacing the camcover gasket/seal is so drastic as they will get down to the cambelt. In fact, without looking, I'd be surpirsed if either job effects the other.

Could save yourself a wad of cash?

 

[OliS]

The top of the cam cover housing has to be removed to re-seal the cam cover...but I'm not sure what effect this has on the cambelt assembly itself. IIRC the mechanic said to me that the cambelt would actually be removed from the vehicle during the work and therefore they suggested that I should fit a new cambelt.

Anyone know any better? Any suggestions that could potentially save me some cash are very welcome!

 

[g40steve]

Renault replace all belts if cam cover is removed as they found many failed after this had been disturbed.
Had mine done at 16K FOC =D>
Another reason the Trophys all came up for sale at same time as owners realised the size of bills [-X

 

[OliS]

I've just spoken the the mechanic at the garage and in order to replace the cam cover seal the cambelt is removed. Therefore you have a choice to put the old cambelt back on and hope it doesn't fail or put a new belt on there and hope that the assembly doesn't have to be taken apart for another 72k...I'll go for the second option, swallowing a £900 bill is a lot easier than trying to find a couple of grand if the cambelt fails!

 

[hoolio]

I've still to get my 3year/aux belt service done though considering it's milage i think i'll forgive myself. One of the things that's held me back is whether or not to get the cam belt done at the same time but this thread seals it really as i think i have "that" leak. Is it the one that pools to the right of the top of the head?

 

[OliS]

I think this seal can fail in a number of ways! I've seen pics on the forum of people who have oil seemingly coming up from the head studs, but mine is leaking a trace amount of oil at the rear of the engine on the drivers side where the cam cover meets the head, and along the seal path under the cambelt housing.

 

[hoolio]

I wasn't even aware of it until Luke pointed it out a month or so ago with "oh that's the leak i had" and i was so irritated i forgot to take in his explanation. Er luke?

Visit to Mike@rentech is on the cards anyway.

 

[son of solo]

what miles does the cam belt need doing..?
i'm currently on 22k

had my 36k service done last june year ( car had 19k)

 

[OliS]

72k or 5 years whichever comes up first

 

[nickboazracing]

The top of the cam cover housing has to be removed to re-seal the cam cover...but I'm not sure what effect this has on the cambelt assembly itself. IIRC the mechanic said to me that the cambelt would actually be removed from the vehicle during the work and therefore they suggested that I should fit a new cambelt.

Anyone know any better? Any suggestions that could potentially save me some cash are very welcome!

Ah, I stand corrected! Interesting to hear that, will bear it in mind for the future.

I'd agree that if you take a cambelt off it should be replaced as matter of course.

 

[Destined for Victory]

ive just had my cam belt and aux belt (including all pulleys ect.) and a new water pump all done for £360 all in, fitted also

 

[OliS]

Damn thats cheap, genuine Renault cambelt and aux belt kits are over a ton each! What gives?

 

[Destined for Victory]

Damn thats cheap, genuine Renault cambelt and aux belt kits are over a ton each! What gives?

I got the Gates Micro-V Kit & Gates Power Grip Kit + a new water pump which i might add is also worth changing as mine was a little bit worse for wear, think £80 was what i paid to have the work carried out so i spent near £300 on the parts. Its a due a service soon too talk about expense :x

 

[Gazza]

I wasn't even aware of it until Luke pointed it out a month or so ago with "oh that's the leak i had" and i was so irritated i forgot to take in his explanation. Er luke?

Visit to Mike@rentech is on the cards anyway.

Think it was me Hoolio, if when we were looking at your engine bay at the last essex meet. Wouldn't say you had a leak, more like a slight weepage from the round bung on the right hand side of the head. I would just keep an eye on it and do nothing else personally, unless it is getting worse.

 

[hoolio]

I wasn't even aware of it until Luke pointed it out a month or so ago with "oh that's the leak i had" and i was so irritated i forgot to take in his explanation. Er luke?

Visit to Mike@rentech is on the cards anyway.

Think it was me Hoolio, if when we were looking at your engine bay at the last essex meet. Wouldn't say you had a leak, more like a slight weepage from the round bung on the right hand side of the head. I would just keep an eye on it and do nothing else personally, unless it is getting worse.

So sorry, I assure you I will have forgotten my own name by the end of the day, forgetting peoples names is the one "habit" i'm most ashamed of, unforgivable(almost)

But anyway thanks for reassuring me, I was reading this thread thinking shit, i'm in for big money on this. I still have to decide whether to get the cam belt done now though.

 

[power ranger]

ive just had my cam belt and aux belt (including all pulleys ect.) and a new water pump all done for £360 all in, fitted also

Wow that is a good price did you use OEM parts as well?