Timing belt change ...

[Physician]

Car was in garage today for a Cam belt change - spot on 45,000 miles.

Firstly, I had asked to have all the old parts back so that I could see the condition after 45,000 miles of wear and tear. I kid you not that I thought he had given me back all the new parts ....... they were just like new with the exception of the spark plugs which were obviously used but not in a bad way by any stretch of the imagination.

Anyway, final cost and parts list was as follows. I bought all the parts myself - mostly Blueprint parts except the Power Steering belt which I could only find at Mitsubishi.

Timing belt = £41.55, TB Tensioner = £13.53, TB Idler = £13.81, Fan Belt = £9.17, Denso plugs (Platinum) = £54.78, Power steering belt = £30.95.

Total parts = £163.79
Total labour = £225.00

Grand Total = £388.79

I'm happy with that - and the car sounds just as sweet as when I took it in.

Just to compare ......... Mitsubishi quote for changing timing belt (including belt and spark plugs only) was ...... wait for it ..........

Grand Total = £777.52

[KiwiTT]

Are you sure you are comparing apples with apples. When I got mine done, they made it part of the "D" service, with all that it entails, plus they also changed the Water Pump as part of the cambelt section of the job.

[Physician]

Are you sure you are comparing apples with apples. When I got mine done, they made it part of the "D" service, with all that it entails, plus they also changed the Water Pump as part of the cambelt section of the job.

Hi Kiwitt ............ yep, it's an apple lol they quoted me £832.78 for the 45,000 service but no water pump change included. I did ask about the water pump and it was quoted at an additional £104.56 without fitting/labour (part only). I think they have a standard charge for each service but if one specifies different items to be done then it is calculated differently. Either way, getting it done by my garage saved me oodles of cash which can be spent on Shell Optimax

[Roadrunner]

Is the timing belt an approved Mitsubishi one, or another? £41.55 seems cheap.

Brian

P.S. Too late now (that you've changed it) but Mitsubishi now recommend the change at 54k miles, rather than 45k.

[Physician]

Is the timing belt an approved Mitsubishi one, or another? £41.55 seems cheap.

Brian

P.S. Too late now (that you've changed it) but Mitsubishi now recommend the change at 54k miles, rather than 45k.

Yes Brian, as mentioned in initial post - Blueprint parts. Same manufacturer (Gates Unitta) - different brand name.

I had read about the change being 54,000 now but couldn't get it confirmed anywhere so to be on the safe side .......... it also crossed my mind that someone had inverted the figures by mistake 54 v 45 - 54,000 sounds an 'odd' figure to choose. 50,000 or 55,000 OK but 54,000???

Richard

[nick-f1]

Hi Richard, well done on cost savings. Used all genuine mitsi parts myself which I listed in another thread. I instructed my garage to check and change if neccessary all relevant parts which is why the top idler and tensioner end were changed but the waterpump was fine luckily.They kept the parts for me to examine and they were fairly worn at 52K so would never have lasted another 50.

Cheers

Nick

[Nick Mann]

I had read about the change being 54,000 now but couldn't get it confirmed anywhere so to be on the safe side .......... it also crossed my mind that someone had inverted the figures by mistake 54 v 45 - 54,000 sounds an 'odd' figure to choose. 50,000 or 55,000 OK but 54,000???

Richard

4.5k intervals for the VR4
9k for the V6

Major for the VR4 historically is 45k
Major for the V6 is 54k

54 is divisable by 9 (And 4.5!!) so it's not that wierd a number.

Interesting that you found the belt - I'm sure people looked for the blueprint part before but couldn't find it? Good job!

[lorriman]

I had read about the change being 54,000 now but couldn't get it confirmed anywhere so to be on the safe side .......... it also crossed my mind that someone had inverted the figures by mistake 54 v 45 - 54,000 sounds an 'odd' figure to choose. 50,000 or 55,000 OK but 54,000???

Richard

I think you'll find that 45,000 and 54,000 are both divisible by 9,000 which is the main servicing interval (excluding fluid changes every 4,500), so not strange at all.

[Roadrunner]

50,000 or 55,000 OK but 54,000???

Just the next major service after 45,000, I guess ...

[Nick Mann]

I think you'll find that 45,000 and 54,000 are both divisible by 9,000 which is the main servicing interval (excluding fluid changes every 4,500), so not strange at all.

Just the next major service after 45,000, I guess ...

Heh! I can type quicker than you pair!

[Physician]

Heh! You guys are all so smart ........... it's NOT an unusual figure (54,000) after all - so simple, so logical ......... but obviously way above this limited individual who feels somewhat 'thick' now

[Physician]

Interesting that you found the belt - I'm sure people looked for the blueprint part before but couldn't find it?

Yes, in case anyone needs the part number - it's: BLUADC 47544

Richard

[Jimbo]

Mine's reached the 45K mark now, so another service has just been booked up. Interestingly, Xtreme's in Dudley are saying this is the cambelt change too, even though it's been widely reported on here that Mitsi have said VR4's will now last until 54K before this is needed.

This point confused the technical guys at Xtreme and they said they have received no notification of this from Mitsi and are adamant that it is still 45K. Very interesting considering this company was "Ralliart UK" until recently, and I have no real reason to doubt them as they've done a sterling job for me up till now.

So does anybody have any proof or maybe a web-link, or just something solid that I can point them to? Where did this information first originate, I must have missed it at the time? Hmmm, I just wonder whether or not Xtreme are confusing this with Evo service intervals, which I'm guessing have stayed at 45K ?

I'm almost tempted to ring my local Mitsy garage, but I'm just so not in the mood for yet another 30 minute "it's a VR-what?" introduction to the conversation :rolleyes5

[enigma]

I still think they are due at 45k!

[Kieran]

I still think they are due at 45k!

Me too.... Pretty sure it's just the V6-24 that stretches to 54K...

[Roadrunner]

I still think they are due at 45k!

So, was it another BDA that provided this information then? :headsc:

[Jimbo]

Thanks guys.......hmm, it still seems like there's a bit of confusion on here about this still though. :headsc:

Every bit of documentation I have and all the tech people I've spoken to give me no reason to believe that it can be anything other than 45K, but can anybody out there shed any light on how this info about the interval change came about? Brian, you told Richard earlier in this thread about the change which is why I think he put that note on BDA's service sheet in the library - who told you though, was it a Mitsi garage?

Kieran's right about the V6-24's interval of course, and it's made me wonder whether some service manager somewhere got the VR4 confused with this and that's how this "rumour" started?

I'm going for broke now - I'm going to ring Mitsi tomorrow and once we've established what a VR4 is and that it is indeed a car they've made ( I sound so cynical, but you wouldn't believe the trouble I've had with them!!!), then I'll see if I can get a definitive answer on this question once and for all

[Spirit]

Jimbo, is it really worth the risk ?

Why would anyone want to push it to the limit anyhow - ask the poor sods who have suffered engine damage (e.g. Richie) due to belt/tensioner issues. Change it now mate

[Jimbo]

Jimbo, is it really worth the risk ?

Why would anyone want to push it to the limit anyhow - ask the poor sods who have suffered engine damage (e.g. Richie) due to belt/tensioner issues. Change it now mate

Don't worry mate, I intend too, you're absolute right.

To be honest I'm just really curious how we can be given conflicting information by different garages on something as important as this, so I intend on chasing this a bit - if nothing else then at least it will (hopefully) answer the question for us all and allow Rich to update the library with it.

[Spirit]

This is true. Correct info would be ideal - got a feeling it's gonna be 45k