# When did you replace your timing belt?



## Jondaytona (Apr 26, 2018)

So 100k miles have come and gone on my 14 Cruze Diesel and now driving with the message alerting me to service the timing belt. The manual recommends replacement at 97,500mi, message comes on at 100k miles and I could have sworn I read somewhere something about 120k miles. I have checked mine and everything looks great so far and with this time of the year being harsh on my wallet as it is, I'm trying to let it slide for a few months as long as everything keeps looking as good as it does.

Does anyone do it this way? Keep driving and inspecting until there are actual signs of fatigue/wear, THEN replace their belt? Believe me, I understand the whole "interference" thing and how it could destroy your engine so why chance it....I was just curious is all.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

How have you been inspecting your timing belt?


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## Jondaytona (Apr 26, 2018)

Yes, of course. Still looks perfect at 104k miles right now. No cracks anywhere, no fraying, plus I can still read the GM part number on it.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Jondaytona said:


> Yes, of course. Still looks perfect at 104k miles right now. No cracks anywhere, no fraying, plus I can still read the GM part number on it.


How have you been inspecting your timing belt? Are you sure that you’re not looking at the accessory drive serpentine belt?


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## TX CTD (Oct 24, 2014)

I just did mine @ 100000, wife would have none of that message. It looked fine, but it nice to not have to worry about that, the water pump or the acc belt for another 100000. I believe I’ve seen changes from 100000 miles to Diesel’s 175000. Brad Herrman’s was starting to crack @ 125000. 

It’s easy enough to have a peak at behind the plastic cover, but I’m not sure how long it would go once you notice that it is starting to crack.


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## MRO1791 (Sep 2, 2016)

Replace it ASAP. Having had a car with a failed timing belt.. this is not something you should gamble with. That car's belt looked totally fine through the limited ability to inspect it, even when it failed. It did not break.. the teeth broke off and it failed to move. Lucky for me that was not an interference engine. This car certainly is interference. Rubber has both a shelf life limit and service limit. It hardens over time. A failure can happen suddenly without warning. Going past 100k you are on borrowed time. 

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk


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## Jondaytona (Apr 26, 2018)

TX CTD said:


> I just did mine @ 100000, wife would have none of that message. It looked fine, but it nice to not have to worry about that, the water pump or the acc belt for another 100000. I believe I’ve seen changes from 100000 miles to Diesel’s 175000. Brad Herrman’s was starting to crack @ 125000.
> 
> It’s easy enough to have a peak at behind the plastic cover, but I’m not sure how long it would go once you notice that it is starting to crack.


That's what I'm curious about. Lol, I can't imagine 175k on a timing belt, wow. And I agree, if a belt hasn't broke by the time you notice cracking it must be replaced ASAP.


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## Jondaytona (Apr 26, 2018)

Tomko said:


> How have you been inspecting your timing belt? Are you sure that you’re not looking at the accessory drive serpentine belt?


Yes, I'm sure. I'm taking the timing belt cover off for inspection. It's only a few bolts and about 5 minutes.


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## Roger Ramjet (Oct 11, 2018)

Did mine at 100K along with Water Pump, Serpentine belt, and pulleys. Piece of mind here.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Jondaytona said:


> Yes, I'm sure. I'm taking the timing belt cover off for inspection. It's only a few bolts and about 5 minutes.


Okay, well that’s a relief. Are you able to inspect the entire length of the timing belt?

Maybe check the thread by @diesel he ran his timing belt a very long time and described the wear patterns.


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## Jondaytona (Apr 26, 2018)

Tomko said:


> Maybe check the thread by @diesel he ran his timing belt a very long time and described the wear patterns.


Thanks for the info. I didn't catch that post when I searched the first time. Even 150k miles on the original timing belt seems excessive, but impressive!


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

I'm around 101,700 on my 2014, and I've been trying to get around to doing the timing belt for the past 2000 miles or so. I was going to get it done back around Labor Day when I could still do it outside. I just haven't been able to squeeze out the half-day I need to do it. Now that it's cold out, I also have to squeeze out another half-day to reorganize the garage enough to pull it inside. If I'm lucky, I might be able to fit those two half-days in this week finally and accomplish it. Although I also have a seized brake caliper to replace on the Jeep and a coolant leak to track downon the wife's van while I'm at it. Seems like it never ends.


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## Rivergoer (Mar 30, 2017)

@Jondaytona Did you ever own a VW TDI? Mine had a 120k Timing Belt interval. Perhaps that’s where you remembered the longer interval from?


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## Jondaytona (Apr 26, 2018)

Rivergoer said:


> @*Jondaytona* Did you ever own a VW TDI? Mine had a 120k Timing Belt interval. Perhaps that’s where you remembered the longer interval from?


Nah, I've worked on a couple, sure wish Chevy had something like the VAG. I just think that's such a better tool for a tenth of what you would spend on an equivalent through Snap-On for domestic.

I really don't know where I got the 120k miles from, could've sworn I read on here somewhere.


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## TX CTD (Oct 24, 2014)

I’m working my way up to a timing belt change on my alh beetle. The Cuze is pretty simple, no laptop needed. 

The only real problem I had was the cam moved when I took the belt off. I saw it and it was the only one. In the future I will mark location of the pulleys before I remove the belt. Because of the marks on the belt that align with the marks on the pulleys there’s only one way it can go on so it was just a matter of turning the cam until everything lined up. I spun everything around for quite a while before I was sure it was OK to try the started and it fired up just like nothing happened. 

The harder part was getting the motor burped to fill the radiator. Missed that the first time after running it for 20 min. First trip it went 3 miles up the road to the stop sign and then the temp shot up from 1/2 to 3/4 when I pullled away. Made a U and creeped home and it gave me the shut down message a half mile from the house while I was coasting. I couldn’t get it happy enough to pull the cap off once I got it home so I ran my errands in the Beetle and toped it off once I got back with no issues.


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## sparkola (Jun 9, 2014)

revjpeterson said:


> I'm around 101,700 on my 2014, and I've been trying to get around to doing the timing belt for the past 2000 miles or so. I was going to get it done back around Labor Day when I could still do it outside. I just haven't been able to squeeze out the half-day I need to do it. Now that it's cold out, I also have to squeeze out another half-day to reorganize the garage enough to pull it inside. If I'm lucky, I might be able to fit those two half-days in this week finally and accomplish it. Although I also have a seized brake caliper to replace on the Jeep and a coolant leak to track downon the wife's van while I'm at it. Seems like it never ends.


Same year same mileage same packed garage. I'll be doing it within ththe next few weeks


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

sparkola said:


> Same year same mileage same packed garage. I'll be doing it within ththe next few weeks


I hope I can get to mine soon. Plans changed when my wife totalled her van hitting a big, fat doe Friday night. Now we're splitting the 5 kids up between my Cruze and my Jeep, or she's squeezing 4 of them at a time into the Cruze with her to run them around where they need to go, and I'm driving the Jeep full-time until the insurance claim is worked through and we can find another vehicle we can afford that fits the whole family.


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## Jondaytona (Apr 26, 2018)

revjpeterson said:


> I hope I can get to mine soon. Plans changed when my wife totalled her van hitting a big, fat doe Friday night. Now we're splitting the 5 kids up between my Cruze and my Jeep, or she's squeezing 4 of them at a time into the Cruze with her to run them around where they need to go, and I'm driving the Jeep full-time until the insurance claim is worked through and we can find another vehicle we can afford that fits the whole family.


5 kids + holidays + vehicle issues = stressful days! I only have one kid to worry about, my hat's off to ya for juggling five. Too bad you're like 3hrs away, I'd say bring the Cruze to my heated barn w/hoist and I'll help you out!


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## Jondaytona (Apr 26, 2018)

Just a follow-up, but I got the timing belt changed out last weekend along with the idler, tensioner and water pump. What an easy job. I just figured I'd mention the fact that these aren't the old school rubber belts anymore(at least this diesel, not sure about in general). Since they're more of a composite type of belt I can understand how the cogs won't show signs of cracking as much as the old rubber belts would, BUT, I did notice my tensioner was almost maxed out. So obviously the belt was stretching, and that's not something you can easily see without tearing the motor down anyway. I'm glad I replaced it, but for those that think if they don't see cracking then the belt is good, think about how it might be stretched too far and it should still be replaced at the suggested intervals anyway.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

They should be replaced anyways. Regardless of signs. And you added some good reasons. ^^^^^^

Rubber does seem to be improved though. Semis go a LONG time on one serp belt.


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## Rivergoer (Mar 30, 2017)

@Jondaytona thanks for the follow-up, great job doing it yourself. 

What was your odometer at the TB/WP change? 

It was 104K back in November, you must’ve decided to run well past the 100K interval...just curious how far you pushed it...


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## Jondaytona (Apr 26, 2018)

Rivergoer said:


> @*Jondaytona* thanks for the follow-up, great job doing it yourself.
> 
> What was your odometer at the TB/WP change?
> 
> It was 104K back in November, you must’ve decided to run well past the 100K interval...just curious how far you pushed it...


Yeah I'm not proud of it, but I was checking the condition of the belt and thinking it was fine, pushed it to 114k miles. But again, now seeing how stretched it was, obviously not something anyone should be doing.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

Good to hear it's not to difficult. I'm still planning to have the dealer tackle it. I could, but I really don't want to at this point - I have done plenty of vehicle work already this year, and not even on my own vehicles.


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

Jondaytona said:


> Just a follow-up, but I got the timing belt changed out last weekend along with the idler, tensioner and water pump. What an easy job. I just figured I'd mention the fact that these aren't the old school rubber belts anymore(at least this diesel, not sure about in general). Since they're more of a composite type of belt I can understand how the cogs won't show signs of cracking as much as the old rubber belts would, BUT, I did notice my tensioner was almost maxed out. So obviously the belt was stretching, and that's not something you can easily see without tearing the motor down anyway. I'm glad I replaced it, but for those that think if they don't see cracking then the belt is good, think about how it might be stretched too far and it should still be replaced at the suggested intervals anyway.


I managed to get around to mine on one of the early warm days we had back in March (around 108k miles and 68 months after the car was built). My belt looked pristine, and my tensioner was maybe a millimeter off from the mark for setting a new belt. It was rock hard, though. I hung it over a hook on my ceiling after removing it, and it's still hanging there in a perfect "O" shape. I'm not sure if it hardened with age, or if that stiffness is just from the Kevlar or fiberglass or whatever they reinforce it with. My new belt was much softer and more flexible, but it was the ACDelco Professional TB350 belt rather than the OE belt, so that could make a difference. The TB350 belt was also completely coated in black rubber, rather than tan/natural color on the toothed side like the OE belt. When I take it off in 95k miles (probably right before I hand it off to my daughter when she's 16), it will be interesting to see if that black on the toothed side rubbed off, or if it goes deeper than the surface.


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## BDCCruze (Jul 12, 2017)

TX CTD said:


> The harder part was getting the motor burped to fill the radiator. Missed that the first time after running it for 20 min. First trip it went 3 miles up the road to the stop sign and then the temp shot up from 1/2 to 3/4 when I pullled away. Made a U and creeped home and it gave me the shut down message a half mile from the house while I was coasting. I couldn’t get it happy enough to pull the cap off once I got it home so I ran my errands in the Beetle and toped it off once I got back with no issues.


Is there a better way or procedure for getting air out of the system on these after you replace the coolant? I plan on fully draining the system when I do my belt.


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## sklemetti (Dec 18, 2019)

I just hit 200K miles on my 2012 Cruze and my replace timing belt indicator came on. So none of you have taken it that far?


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## Rivergoer (Mar 30, 2017)

sklemetti said:


> I just hit 200K miles on my 2012 Cruze and my replace timing belt indicator came on. So none of you have taken it that far?


Congrats on reaching 200k milestone, that’s a big accomplishment. 

There have been several documented CTD owners here that have surpassed 200k. It’s a great car and the diesel really adds to the ‘fun factor’. 

Here’s to another 100k...


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

Don't we have someone at 300k?


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## Rivergoer (Mar 30, 2017)

MP81 said:


> Don't we have someone at 300k?


I think I read that somewhere here but 1/2 the time I can’t recall what I read or said yesterday.......


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## sklemetti (Dec 18, 2019)

Rivergoer said:


> Congrats on reaching 200k milestone, that’s a big accomplishment.
> 
> There have been several documented CTD owners here that have surpassed 200k. It’s a great car and the diesel really adds to the ‘fun factor’.
> 
> Here’s to another 100k...


Oh, wait, this is the diesel category. I was just responding to the timing belt subject. I don't have a diesel.


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## MRO1791 (Sep 2, 2016)

sklemetti said:


> Oh, wait, this is the diesel category. I was just responding to the timing belt subject. I don't have a diesel.


I was going to say, a 2012 Diesel? Well, not in the US anyway!


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## mkohan (Dec 19, 2015)

Currently at 92k on my 2015 put in service October 2015. My driving has changed to about 1K a month since my retirement last year. Next summer I'm thinking of a cross country vacation. Should I do the timing belt before the trip, around 96K or can I wait for my return at about 102K? To this point the car has been very reliable with only filters, oil, tires, one battery and the DEF heater/tank.


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## S00Tlife (Nov 24, 2019)

mkohan said:


> Currently at 92k on my 2015 put in service October 2015. My driving has changed to about 1K a month since my retirement last year. Next summer I'm thinking of a cross country vacation. Should I do the timing belt before the trip, around 96K or can I wait for my return at about 102K? To this point the car has been very reliable with only filters, oil, tires, one battery and the DEF heater/tank.


Why not just do it for the peace of mind? Its not very expensive especially if you do it yourself. I did mine at 100k and it was showing minor cracks at the base of the teeth.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

Yeah...though I don't think 2k over the service interval will be too big of an issue. That said, should be pretty easy to pop off the top cover and take a look at the belt's condition.


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## mkohan (Dec 19, 2015)

Taking the cover off to see the condition is probably the way I'll go.


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## Rebob0510 (Jun 16, 2019)

Changed mine at 105k and it was still in good shape, Had some cracks at the teeth when you folded the belt back onto itself. They make a cheap plactic spreader tool that goes from the fuel pump gear to the cam gear.. When I do mine at 200k I will use that because when installing the new belt my cam gear and my fuel pump gear moved slightly. Luckily I had both of them marked and was able to hold the cam gear in place with a wrench while I had help getting the belt on. Othern that that it was cake. I also changed the waterpump, belt tensioner, idler, serp. belt, and did a oil change while I was in there.


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## Davidbalderston (Jan 13, 2020)

126 k on my 2016 and probably another 5k in idle time I'm an insurance adjuster so my car idles probably 4 hrs a day going to get it changed this week I've inspected the belt and it looks like new still but I don't want to push my luck dealer's say 120 is not unheard of


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

Davidbalderston said:


> 126 k on my 2016 and probably another 5k in idle time I'm an insurance adjuster so my car idles probably 4 hrs a day going to get it changed this week I've inspected the belt and it looks like new still but I don't want to push my luck dealer's say 120 is not unheard of


there is no 2016 diesel


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## BDCCruze (Jul 12, 2017)

mkohan said:


> Currently at 92k on my 2015 put in service October 2015. My driving has changed to about 1K a month since my retirement last year. Next summer I'm thinking of a cross country vacation. Should I do the timing belt before the trip, around 96K or can I wait for my return at about 102K? To this point the car has been very reliable with only filters, oil, tires, one battery and the DEF heater/tank.


There are many people here that have gone well over 100k interval and have not had issues, myself included. My belt was still fine and all of my pulleys were good. I did have some minor water pump seepage though. In fact, the primary forced reason for replacing the belt I have seen here is the WP failing. Elsewhere, one guy on YouTube said he did his at 140k, not because the belt was bad, but because one of the pulleys started to squeal. I've only seen 1 instance posted here where someone had a broken timing belt, and he said he bought it that way, so we don't know the history.

Obviously GM said 100k for a reason but I suspect that is for people who are driving 10k miles a year. Yes at 10 years the belt is goign to be rotted and needing replacing. For those of us that are putting 30-50k miles a year on the car, I think you can safely go over 100k.


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## Janelle (Dec 13, 2020)

Roger Ramjet said:


> Did mine at 100K along with Water Pump, Serpentine belt, and pulleys. Piece of mind here.


I know this was 2 years ago and you probably don't live around me; but Im just trying to figure out if the quote I got is reasonable. How much did this cost you? Do you remember?


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## mkohan (Dec 19, 2015)

I had mine done at a local dealer last month. The total was around $1200. It included the usual timing belt stuff (timing belt, tensioner, pulleys , & water pump). I also had the cooling system flushed and transmission fluid changed.


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## Cruzator (Dec 31, 2014)

I did mine around 110k. I was going too wait until 125 but had all the parts and had the time, so figured it would be silly not to do it. I used all Gm parts and changed all pulled, idlers, tensions, water pump and thermostat. Probably won't have to do it again. Old parts were in great shape.


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## pacolino (Aug 1, 2015)

Cruzator said:


> I did mine around 110k. I was going too wait until 125 but had all the parts and had the time, so figured it would be silly not to do it. I used all Gm parts and changed all pulled, idlers, tensions, water pump and thermostat. Probably won't have to do it again. Old parts were in great shape.


from where did you buy your parts and for how much?


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## Diesel4Ever (May 30, 2018)

Rockauto had everything for mine except the OE water pump and a couple bolts which came from GMpartsnow.com

The Opel cam lock tool came from eBay


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## pacolino (Aug 1, 2015)

Diesel4Ever said:


> Rockauto had everything for mine except the OE water pump and a couple bolts which came from GMpartsnow.com
> 
> The Opel cam lock tool came from eBay


thanks. What's the cam lock tool part # from eBay?


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## Diesel4Ever (May 30, 2018)

pacolino said:


> thanks. What's the cam lock tool part # from eBay?


Sorry it was from Amazon Amazon.com: Highking Tool Diesel Timing Locking Kit Compatible for GM Vauxhall Opel SAAB Alfa Romeo Engines 1.9/2.0 CDTI: Automotive


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## Cruzator (Dec 31, 2014)

pacolino said:


> from where did you buy your parts and for how much?


I got everything from Amazon. Looks like $328. All Gm. Timing belt, serpintine belt, water pump, both tensioners and idlers. I also replace my thermostat, which isn't included in that cost.


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## electrozap_29 (Mar 9, 2017)

I replaced my first timing belt at 123k. When folded back it had some good cracks starting at the base of the ribs. I'm getting ready to hit 250k and will be doing the timing belt again soon.


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## electrozap_29 (Mar 9, 2017)

Timing belt at just over 250k miles total 127k on timing belt and components. I'm including pic of tensioner pointer.


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