Timing Belt

[wander12lust]

I heard Lotus USA was warranting timing belts on V8 Esprits. I was wondering what experience others had.

Lee

[NH_V8]

I had mine done at the dealer in MA last year on my 99 with ~32K on it. Just had to pay for a few little thinkgs they were bound to find (nothing is free) but overall the belts were all done for zip. I did hear it was for cars less than 8 years old so I'm not sure how it would be this year for 97-99 cars.

I called Lotus USA to check this all out but then the dealer got pissy with me. I just wanted to make sure it was covered before I brought it in there as if it was not I was going to an independent.

Brad

[Iconic Ride]

The Owner's Manual "maintenance schedule" section shows "renewal" of the cam timing belts to be at 102,000 miles (that is not a typo) or 8 years. The current recommendation is 36,000 miles or 4.5 years (verified personally to me by Dave Simkin of Lotus USA). Tension adjustment remains annual.

Does anyone know for sure why this renewal interval was reduced so dramatically? "Abundance of caution?" Actual known failures? Overly optimistic original specification?

Inquiring (paranoid?) minds want to know.

John

[matk]

It was I believe more the other way around. USA regs required car manufacturers to provide cars that had 100,000 mile/8 yr cam belts. Obviously Lotus couldn't afford all the cost involved to re engineer, so they sold the same car but with free cam belt changes (clever way round the regs) during that period. That's why the USA docs specify that time.

Apologies if my memory is not totally correct on this.

Incidentally at the LEF/LEW Oxford meet yesterday, Brian Angus gave a talk (Lotus Esprit Platform Manager, in charge of all things Esprit at Hethel) and was specifically asked about cambelt renewal. He answered that Lotus had run cambelts up to 100,000 miles on their Esprits, but what was ABSOLUTELY critical to long life was correct belt tension. Running at incorrect belt tension would give you no chance of obtaining these sort of mileages, and could potentially destroy a cambelt quite quickly. He also said tension checks on the V8 cars were more involved and complicated than for the four cylinder cars.

[wander12lust]

Thanks everyone!!! I have an 01 so Lotus should do this for free, that is good news!!

Lee

[Iconic Ride]

Very interesting information, Mat. The pieces of the puzzle have fallen into place! Dave (Simkin) was kind enough to look up the maintenance history (by PO) for me, and my cam belts were done in late 2004 (less than 5000 miles ago) and the last tension adjustment was less than a year ago, so I feel like I'm in pretty good shape for now. And you're right, the V8 belt adjustment procedure is somewhat "involved" (almost an "art form"), and best left to someone with the right Lotus special tools and expertise. Unfortunately for me, the local Lotus dealership closed its doors today. I have been told that the "franchise" will remain in town, but no one knows for certain when a new location will be established. I feel like an orphaned child. Until such franchise reappears I will be driving the car with "kid gloves"!

Cheers,

John

[joeyoesprit]

Thanks everyone!!! I have an 01 so Lotus should do this for free, that is good news!!

Lee

I also have a 2001 Esprit. I purchased in as a "left over" new in Sept 2003. I requested Lotus USA to provide me in written form the warranty for the cam belts.

Lotus will pay for the belt adjustment every 12,000 miles or 18 months and a one time replacement of the belts at 36K or 4.5 years for the initial 8 years. The clock starts running when the car is 1st registered to the original owner.

Since mine was registered in Sept 2003 they stated my car was due for the cam belt change on March 2008. Which it was done and the car runs fine. This warranty doesn

[rusty55125]

My belts were replaced within the last two years at around 25,000miles, previous owner. I purchased my 98 esprit a year ago and am currently at 34,000. The drive back from New Jersey and having fun with the car have added up. Anyway, I will need to get the tension checked soon and was wondering if I will have to pay as the car is 10 years old. If so, does anyone know about what it costs?

Scott

[Günter]

I've heard an slightly different story: the first V8 had all an more than 60.000km(or 36000miles) belt maintenance[change] distance. But some engines fail to run this distance as they had the problems with the intermediate pulley screw. So Lotus reduced the running distance to an change frequency of around 40.000km !. But this distance wasn't in the normal distance of other US market manufacturers. So it came up that US customers get free changes, in opposite to the every 40.000km bill for European customers. But all V8 have the same type of belt and under normal conditions [with an belt tension check-up every 20.000km or every two years..] the belts should last much more than 60.000km ?!

Edited July 2, 2008 by G

[97-Esprit V8]

I changed my belts at 38K kms, which were original from ~'97, just last month. The belts looked prestine and I could not find a crack or any sign of impending failure. The same could not be said about the pulley bearings, all of which were dried out of the original grease...

The bearings were still smooth and tight, so I cleaned them and re-packed them with synthetic bearing grease and put the lot back together with new belts.

[Iconic Ride]

Paul, how often was the tension checked/reset during the 10+ yr life span of the belts? Nice to see that time alone is not the major culprit.

Regards,

John

[97-Esprit V8]

John,

I am not sure as the service records were 'lost' for my car during a 'separation'...I had been planning to get a set reprinted from the dealer, but privacy rules mean I have to get the previous owner to request them. I will be doing this be have not yet.

I would assume they were checked for tensioned during a number of the services it had (according to the stamps in the book).

I would think the elements and those bearings would lead to the demise of the belts, lack of use may be another issue as my belts had a certain 'set' to them from sitting over the winter.

Paul

[Iconic Ride]

Thanks for the update, Paul. In a perfect world Lotus would have used chains (like my Europa) not belts, or at least an "automatic" tensioner (as on the accessory drive belt). A bit late for a redesign I suppose.

Cheers,

John

[Günter]

after all , i would say it can last from 60k [km] up to 90k [km] or more as long as and overall inspection/tension chack is done every 20k [km] -right ?!

[neil e]

Hi all

I have done a search as i am sure this has come up before but I couldnt find what i was looking for.

So and this is a simple one.

Is it best to replace all the cam belt pulleys and tensioner while the belts are being done or is this not necessary. ? Mileage is 13000.MY 2000.

Just want to know so i can work out costs.

Thanks

Neil

[ralphw]

Neil

As a Primary Drive engineer with 10 years experience on the design development and test of timing belts and systems, I would personally inspect the pulleys for wear or signs of damage, eg burrs etc. At 13000 miles I doubt they have seen enough life to have much wear but if they are damaged change them. The tensioner and any idler (bearing) that is in the system should always be changed regardless.

Regards

Ralph

[neil e]

Thanks Ralph.

Just the answer I was looking for.

I will make sure they are all changed.

Many thanks

Neil

[redshift]

Mine were changed last year.

Given the additional cost for changing all the tensioners at the same time as the cambelts, it is probably a false economy not to do them too.

[joeyoesprit]

I also had all the pulleys and tensioners replaced during the belt replacement too. One less thing to worry about.

JoeyO

[neil e]

thanks guys for your help

i will be replacing everything when the belts are off.

Neil

[act2007]

I know timing belt is very important on the V8. What does everyone re-tention or re-adjust their timing belt at? 6K miles? 10K miles? 12K miles?

How about replacement? 25K miles? 36K miles?

I know what's recommended by Lotus, but I want to know what everyone is doing.

[Bibs]

I've merged these 3 similar threads on the first page together.

[Iconic Ride]

I know timing belt is very important on the V8. What does everyone re-tention or re-adjust their timing belt at? 6K miles? 10K miles? 12K miles?

How about replacement? 25K miles? 36K miles?

I know what's recommended by Lotus, but I want to know what everyone is doing.

I change mine weekly, just to be on the safe side---just kidding, Alan. Waiting for some feedback, same as you.

John

[joeyoesprit]

I know timing belt is very important on the V8. What does everyone re-tention or re-adjust their timing belt at? 6K miles? 10K miles? 12K miles?

How about replacement? 25K miles? 36K miles?

I know what's recommended by Lotus, but I want to know what everyone is doing.

I'm doing as per Lotus...

Every 12K miles or 18 months (which ever occurs 1st) re-tension or re-adjust

Every 36K or 4.5 years (which ever occurs 1st) replace belts, tensionors, idlers

JoeyO

2001 V8

[talon]

I am doing the same thing as well.