Always managed to avoid these autodestructing interference rubber-band engines before, so havn’t looked at many cambelts, and don’t know if this is expected, and/or indicative of impending failure.
Looks like “print through” of the cam sprocket teeth onto the back of the belt
That looks pretty normal from my experience. The pic below is from my Audi TT, the belt had about 60,000 miles on it at the time. I’ve since put another 15,000 on it and it’s still fine. I’ve heard that the belt will start to have small cracks in it before it fails, although mine have never gotten that far gone before I’ve replaced them.
Can’t find a time limit advised in the manual, only a mileage limit, which it’ll be well under.
It does make sense that, being a rubber component, it would have one, as tyres do, but OTOH tyres have a date code on them so you know how old your replacements are.
AFAIK timing belts don’t, or if they do, I don’t know how to read it.
Manual also makes a big thing about not folding them through tight curves because it damages glass fibres. I’d be surprised if Taiwanese (or indeed most other) motor factors pay any attention to that,
Only real solution is to avoid interference engines with rubber cambelts, but then I didn’t expect I’d have it for so long
At over 12 years it’s at least 2 or 3 times the expected lifespan, particularly given the temperartures and humidity it’s exposed to in Taiwan. Given the engine is already in pieces and the low cost of a belt it makes no sense not to do it, stick a water pump and crank seal on while you’re in there.
Dunno, given that the car may never run again (and/or may never pass inspection again) I’d say it was a pretty moot point.
OTOH IF I got it legal and then the rubber band went pop and wrecked the engine that would be annoying, so I got one. 350NT
Whether this DAYCO (Chinese outfit implicated in spate of Peugeot BIO engine failures) belt of uncertain age, (but stored in Taiwans heat and humidity for all of it, apparently bent double, and then installed by me), is a better bet than the Japanese (OEM?) belt installed by the Daihatsu dealer 12ish years ago, is something I don’t know and hopefully never will.
