Timing Belt Peplacement

[cmpizza]

Hi All:

I have a Perkins Prima 50 on a 38 foot cruising sailboat. I installed the engine in 1994 and it now has 1500 hours on it. The timing belt shows very little wear and no cracking. The manual says to swap out the belt after 2000 hours or two years -

Should I wait for an obvious sign of wear before swapping the belt out or be proactive and swap out now?? Opinions

[ontherocks83]

Timing belt or drive belt?

Huge difference and if it is the timing belt which I am having trouble believing then if you can see it most of the removal is already done and you should replace it. Are you sure you don't mean the fan belt/drive belt?

[Sailmonkey]

My opinion?

Get rid of the whole engine and replace it with something that uses timing gears!

But if it were me I'd replace it now before it becomes a problem or expensive, seeing as you're on borrowed time according to the manual. Then you're good for several more years.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

My opinion?

Get rid of the whole engine and replace it with something that uses timing gears!

But if it were me I'd replace it now before it becomes a problem or expensive, seeing as you're on borrowed time according to the manual. Then you're good for several more years.

Well that's a bit of nonsense. Many small diesels are now timing belt based , especially those derived from car engines

Just follow the recommended replacement, it's not a big job or cost on a small engine. There is a fair amount of tolerance in the replacement dates

Dave

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Well that's a bit of nonsense. Many small diesels are now timing belt based , especially those derived from car engines

Of course it's nonsense.....tongue in cheek sort of stuff.

There are a lot of them out there. And there are lots of other options too. I wouldn't have one on my boat, but with better access to the engine it my not be such a bad thing.

[sartorst]

The diesels that I know of that had timing belts had 0 interference which means that if it breaks the pistons were damaged along with the rods, valves,head ,cam etc! as in total destruction so change that belt before recommendations Note also that I have seen many broken belts with no sign of wear, belt tension is critical !!!! and usually required a special tool. also time is as important as hours

[cmpizza]

spoke with the people at transatlantic diesel and they confirm sartorst's comments - a broken belt will destroy the engine - I am changing the belt out during winter layup and fell that I may have dodged a bullet