Cam Belt Change Advice

Bang on! It isn't with the risk- a broken cam belt will smash your engine up! 

The best advice is get it changed.  It's well past its sell by date. I don't know if it applies in your case but not all engines will bend the valves if a timing belt lets go. It's the difference between what is know as an interference & non interference engine. either way get it changed and insist on a genuine parts belt not a pattern part  

Been connected with the supply side of the motor trade all my working life ( 58 yrs ) 

Advice  simple - belts - like tyres  - age change rather than mileage - unless of course you really are a large mileage user - then go by service intervals.

I'm lucky I have a cam belt Chain, - not a belt. But I will change it anyway at about 120,000 miles. It is simply not worth the risk of a smashed up engine!

TF

Get it changed unless you can find evidence it has been changed recently by someone capable. My Fiats have all had cam belt changes based on age, not mileage. It's a long term investment in the van that could save you additional expense and heartache.

I find it hard to believe that you even ask the question.  At that age I'd be having it towed to the garage to have the belt change.  Oh, and I would be having a full service as well including a brake fluid change, no matter what the seller told me.

I hope that I didn't come over as too aggressive in my response to your query.  Truth is I was quite shocked and only meant to be helpful.

However looking at it again I realise that it was under "New to caravanning and touring" and if you are not particularly mechanically minded it is a very reasonable post.

The thing is that yes, the timing belt does deteriorate with time, not just miles.  At  18 years of age it could break at any moment.  Personally I would not even start the engine.  It should be quite straight forward for a mechanic to change it depending on access to the engine.  You might be able to get it done where it stands. 

It might well be that the belt has been changed at some time but personally I would still have it done at the start of your ownership  then you are good for a few years.  It seems quite bizarre to me that the owner could let it go for so long!

Also it's not just the belt, it's all the associated other bits.  I had the job done last year on a C-max we own, at  8 years old and under 35000 miles.  The mechanic said that the belt was still fine but a nut had come loose on the pulley and was only being kept on by the plastic cover.  It could have wrecked the engine at any time.

Chains aren't bullet proof though. If I could post pictures, I'd show you pictures of the chain & sprockets from my/our Smart Roadster,  at less than 40 000 miles they were goosed. The car had obviously not been looked after properly prior to our ownership.

At least chains do a lot of rattling before they give up....normally! 

Whereas belts are just silent assassins

don't just have the cambelt changed. you also need to fit a new water pump and tensioner. if the bearing go in the pump you can say goodbye to thousand of pound for a new or engine rebuild. 4/5 years weather you use vehicle or not. better safe than sorry.