SLROC Forum

Hello, would a 1997 (R reg) defender 90 be fitted with a timing belt or chain?
As I have no service history and want to build a history for the beastie, I feel the timing belt/chain should be the first thing checked out?
135000 on the clock so whichever it is belt or chain i should get it replaced, anyone have any idea roughly how much this would cost.

Thanks 

Its a belt on the 300Tdi and they get changed at

Every 72,000 miles or 6 years - normal conditions.
Every 36,000 miles or 3 years - adverse conditions.
Got this from the internet but says in haynes manual just mines in truck and can't be a**ed

Remember to change timing belt tensioners as well cause they can do the damage to the belt

TD5's have a chain and some early n/a diesels and v8's

Thanks for your help there.
I'm not looking forward to the cost! But it's too big a job for me to do myself.

Cheers.

Cam the most important thing with a tdi you dont know,,,,,dont just do the tensioner,, one of the inherent faults which led to premeture belt failure was the bottom pulley, its probably already been converted, but be prepared to to shell out for a new bottom pulley, the new pulley has shoulders on to stop the belt wandering when the tensioner wears, you may have to go to a main stealer which will be around £80  for the whole kit,  belt, tensioner, pulley,   i'm unsure if the likes of paddocks still carry them??? you'll probably be luckier than me m8 and someone will have done it already lol, Tio

Thanks Tio for this, I will have that checked out when it comes time to change the belt etc.

Cam

Aye the early belts did snap but most by now have been converted and if not would of snap ages ago some times wise to change crank oil seal in timing casing and replace the water pump gasket for the new p gasket.

Chhers guys for the tips, I wont be doing anything with it for a few weeks till I get hame.....

Cam