Fiesta Timing Belt. How to check if it needs doing. A D.I.Y guide to saving £££s 

An informative video. I purchased a 2009 1.25 Zetec Climate last year with 87,500 miles. One previous owner (from new) and although there were consistent service stamps for the first 6-7 years....the data began to "fade" (shall we say) as the car aged. The dear lady who previously owned it knew nothing about "timing belts" or replacement intervals. I asked the garage who'd been doing the car's early servicing if they had anything on file regarding a cam belt replacement? They did not....I therefore had to assume that it needed replacement. I got a new cam-belt-kit fitted.. (inc water pump etc) It cost £300 courtesy of a local, independent garage and the work was completed in one day. Peace of mind now fully restored. I like your "inspection" technique, but as a means of examining an existing timing belt for wear, stress and general condition, I don't think it would have placated my anxieties thoroughly enough. I also have to say that there's been (what feels like) a significant ramp up in horsepower since the new belt-kit was fitted. The brand-new, unworn "teeth" of the new belt combined with it's re-tensioning have made the engine feel (and sound) almost brand new and the car leaps forward much quicker under acceleration. The moral of the story? Fears of total engine ruination aside....why not just treat yourself to a NEW timing-belt kit. On a more "mature" vehicle with significant miles on it, you're not really getting the best out of the vehicle....even if the existing belt is well within it's replacement intervals. Your engine will also become more fuel efficient as a result. You may not have had the pleasure of owning the car from "new"....but for a very small (relative) outlay, you can enjoy a taste of what the car originally performed like when it originally left the dealership!! (All other mechanical considerations being equal that is...) 😀

Very helpful! Just picked up a 2008 Fiesta Zetec 1.4 TDCi with 76k miles. No history of cambelt etc. Nice and easy way to see if needs doing. 😃👍🏾

A great video, I've just bought one of these, and wanted to know how to check, now I know with your help thanks

Just what I needed! Best video I’ve found!

Many thanks to you..I have a 2006 plate on 42000 miles..so useful to know.

Thank you for the video. I have a 2006 Fiesta (identical to the one in the video) - bought it second hand in 2018 with just 39K miles on it - but no record of the belt ever being replaced. I have since driven it up to 80K miles and decided to take it to a garage to have the belt replaced regardless. It was all done in one day. The timing belt, the drive belt, water pump + coolant. Cost: £380 - so not cheap considering value of car - but had to be done as I intend to keep the car for another 2-3 years.

Nice one mate brilliant video

very good and useful video. My Mondeo MK4 2007 has done about 130k, most likely the timing belt has never been changed. now i know how i can check it. thank you.

Thank you very much for your good explanation.

Great step by step guide for an idiot like me. Nicely presented with good tips👍

Great video. Your a life saver.

You are absolutely right. But take care while working on this stuff. Its a common problem with this Timing belts and Chains, not knowing if the have been changed, but don't forget that it is not only about the timing Belt, but also about the water pump and the tensioner. In my case I got Ford Fusion with the 1.4 TDCI engine which has 10 year o 250.000 km (150.000 miles) change interval.I hot the car for cheap with 200.000 km, and the prev. Owner said he changed it, but he has only an paper- offer from the mechanic, no invoice. I checked it like you did, and now I know that is has been changed, but not when. Car is from 2007, so I I figure I got 5 years left. If only everyone would write it on the damn engine: Miles and Date.

Nice one pal, thanks a bunch.

Great video

Well done!

@8.17, looks a good belt, the writing hasn't worn off which it does as the top runs on a pulley & wears it off, personally i would have got a socket on the crank pulley & done it by hand, shouldn't start the engine or have anything propping the cover open that is asking for trouble, also Ford recommend a belt change at 100,000 or 10 years, the garage trade recommend a belt to be changed at 50,000

It’s fine that the belt looks good. I had a car that the belt looked great, then the bottom pulley spun and left the cams out by 180°. If I’d had it done it would have been sorted.

thanks. just bought a fiesta. written in service book belt was changed 20k ago but no garage stamp or anything. mine was a gates belt same as yours so i assume this must have been changed. thanks for the tip on how to check

Good idear thanks

very useful

Very nice video 👍 will check mine following your steps. Thanks.

Nice one really well explained...my fiestas make a sligh dull moan from that area all of a sudden. I'm just trying to suss out what's happening... Cheers

I brought one too 😊 07 130 k .. ran like a bag of arse, there was full servuce history..! The air filter was og.. crumpled up like a dry lung..😮 and the fuel filter was OG as well ..! Put a k&n air filter in it and a new fuel filter now it sings Yeww.. but gotta check this bemt now😊

The advice here, although understandable, is wrong. Ford themselves fit Gates Powergrip timing belts. They're listed on their official website.

could you do a video on the essential tools an amateur needs to carry out basic checks? I've been cheated so many times now in my area. Don't trust mechanics anymore

Thanks for making the video, very useful! Do you know the service intervals for the cam belt?

When belt was changed? Was it a kit or just belt changed? What about water pump? Fully respected your work! There is many things that people can fix and check around the car by themselves. Cost of repair s after timing issues are way above 300.

Have u got a video of how to change the Campbelt mate

Had mine from 78k 4 years ago.. on 102k now. Definitely doing this tomorrow. Was told on purchase it was done.. what will an original be stamped up as?

Hi, I'm looking for Catalytic converter for the same Ford Fiesta

i got a 2006 2 door since new...never changed the belt...didnt know they had one

When would you normally change these before 50k miles or nearer 80k or something?

What is the point of inspecting the cambelt .they are changed at time or milage intervals. If it has reached one of these intervals it needs changing regardless of what it looks like .

How do you check the timing on this engine?

How does that prove anything? there is no proof of what mileage that belt has done

What Fiesta Timing Belt Would You Recommend?

How do I know if I still got the original belt? It says Ford or something similar?

You know the tensioner is more likely to fail than the belt?

You really shouldn't be doing this, and by the way, as a mechanic of 20 years myself, you would never get a reputable mechanic to "Check" a Cambelt

For anybody watching this, this is the incorrect way to check a timing belt. The backside of the belt makes contact with nothing other than a couple of pulleys. So doesn’t matter if it looks new. The important and integral part to check is the inside of the belt teeth, as they get worn and eventually slip on the cam pulleys. General rule of thumb is, replace a timing belt if your car is 100k miles. Most belts last thing long.