156 V6 Timing belt change interval

[talik]

My local garage want to change the timing belt on 60.000km (very expensive)
What is the interval in your countries friends?
Did i must to do this or delay.
thanks

[Joachim]

To change at 60,000 km is certainly on the careful side.
It is recommended to change at 80,000 km. Expensive it is but
certainly a lot cheaper than a new engine.

Having said that, the timing belt alone will not do it.
Have them change all pulleys and the de-tensioner, the nylon wheels and also all 5 circular gaskets towards crankshaft and
the altogether 4 camshafts. Then (unless you can do it yourself)
ask them to change the waterpump at the same time, because
if you need to replace it separately that will be a big problem but
if they already change the timing belt, it's just a bit more charges for the labour.

The V6 Timing belt can be checked quite easily. Just open the
plastic case and look at it. If nothing oily and the belt is fine,
you may wait until 80,000 km.

My V6 156 btw. is still on the first belt with now 78,000 km on the clock.

Ciao
Joachim

[David Lee]

The timing belt definitely must be changed at the interval of 60,000km. If this is not done, as the belt is not made of steel chain but is some form of rubberised material, it would snap on due time.

Without this being done, you might run a risk of blown engine valves etc that would end up in a top overhaul. Can't imagine the cost for this one.

[Joachim]

No way it MUST be changed at 60,000 km. In that case mine should be dead long ago.
Manuals of 156 before 2000 are even speaking of 120,000 km and that was revised to 80,000 km later on. 80k is a sensible
number but I know a number of owners who are changing
at 100k because at 100k the sparks need change and that is also a bigger job, especially at cylinders 1-3 (the rear ones).

Don't scare the people with such exaggerations.
Ciao
Joachim

[Dave]

Hi, well here we have the situation where we can do nothing right! It would be better to change the belt at 60000 km's, this would eliminate the risk of further damage, have a read in "Tech & Knowledge, Buyers Guide" in this section there is quite a lot said about changing the belts and other parts simultaniously to save costs. Dave