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22-02-2018, 03:02 PM
(This post was last modified: 22-02-2018, 03:02 PM by Gravity.)
Gates are makers of timing belts (and loads of other belts), so it's possible that your car has had a belt change - but if there's no date or mileage record it doesn't help you much, because at 150k miles the belt could have been changed over 100k miles back.
Personally I would go with the advice above, and change it along with the water pump.
Peace of mind is a great motoring asset!
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23-02-2018, 09:10 AM
(This post was last modified: 23-02-2018, 09:11 AM by cancunia.)
+1 for a new belt.
At 150k it could be on it's last legs or done 50-80k before, or done last week. Odds are 2-1 that it needs doing. Added to that, you probably have no feel for how it's been driven in the past, town & city stop / start will put a bigger strain on the belt.
A few years ago, I bought a Volvo, as is usual for me I saw the car & decided I needed to have it. The seller told me he'd replaced the belt but strangely had no receipts. After paying and getting the car home, I discovered he'd put false stamps in the service history so I decided to check the belt myself. I found the spring tensioner in the idler had failed. One belt & three years later it was still going fine.
Since then, changing the belt is the first thing I do when I buy a car if I'm not sure. My Berlingo was done by the seller just before I bought it, at least that's what he told me! Actually he gave me the receipt & the box the belt kit came in.
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