Camshaft replacement as a precaution?

[Kacper]

Hey,

my question: I was wondering if I should replace camshaft in my FiST even if there is nothing wrong with it (as a precaution)?

My car is 2013 Fiesta ST with over 38,5k miles on the clock (62k Km), engine is mapped to 213 HP and 350 Nm. As stated above, there is nothing wring with it but I know that in general you should replace camshaft once in a while. The quiestion is: when?

Best,
Kacper

 

[alexrex20]

Actually I think the service interval says you should replace the whole engine.

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[El_Zylcho]

Actually I think the service interval says you should replace the whole engine.

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Not thorough enough. Take the whole car to the scrapper and buy a new one.

 

[Jbooosted]

Is this a joke I seriously can’t tell XD

 

[apex1]

Hey,

my question: I was wondering if I should replace camshaft in my FiST even if there is nothing wrong with it (as a precaution)?

My car is 2013 Fiesta ST with over 38,5k miles on the clock (62k Km), engine is mapped to 213 HP and 350 Nm. As stated above, there is nothing wring with it but I know that in general you should replace camshaft once in a while. The quiestion is: when?

Best,
Kacper

I have a feeling this is a real question. The answer to your question is NO. In the future, you should ignore advice given to you by the person that suggested you replace a camshaft in an engine as a regular service item. That person is a fool. If, on the other hand, you were advised that a cam belt (better referred to as a timing belt) needs to be replace periodically, this is true. Do it about every 90,000 to 100,000 miles if a motor uses a belt rather than a timing chain. And that is miles, not kilometers.

 

[Xaendeau]

I LOL'D a little. Either the person who told you that is an idiot, or trying to sell you something.

Anyway, unless your car is an FCA product, the engines usually don't eat up the camshafts at any power level. On old pushrod engines, the lifter arms sometimes go out around 150,000 miles to 350,000 miles but the cams themselves are usually alright unless you oil starved the engine. Modern overhead cam engines seem to last much longer.

Now, if you ever oil starved the engine, the cams can get a lot of wear...but a lot of things start to go wrong if you start getting too low on oil. The valves or springs might need to be done at some time (300,000 miles?)...but by the time you need to do those, you usually need to do all of the main bearings as well (start seeing lead in the oil from the bearings).

Do, however, replace the spark plugs very frequently with one step colder plugs if you are tuned (Denso ITV22 works, IIRC). I've seen plugs go 20,000-30,000 miles, they get out of gap quickly on ecoboost motors. Mine has 15k miles and they are about toast on a stage 3 tune.

And of course, change the oil when you are supposed to.

Edit: Quoted the wrong person, sounded like a old woman. And also change the belts (serpentine and cam belts) in the engine every...100,000 miles as a precaution? if the car has cam "chains" they usually are alright till much longer unless the chain tensioner goes out. While usually is caused by low oil, or defective manufacturing in the case of S2K or a few VW engines I've seen.

 

[Probaholic1]

Damn..I was thinking he was asking about replacing the cams with some piper cams or something for more power (if they still make any for the car) ionno.

 

[Xaendeau]

Damn..I was thinking he was asking about replacing the cams with some piper cams or something for more power (if they still make any for the car) ionno.

They do? However, since these car's turbos can't flow enough air past 6k, you don't really have a need to do the cams unless you already have upgraded the turbo to something significantly bigger.

 

[Probaholic1]

They do? However, since these car's turbos can't flow enough air past 6k, you don't really have a need to do the cams unless you already have upgraded the turbo to something significantly bigger.

This is true.

 

[alexwlwsn]

Cams are also an expensive mod to gain a bit of efficiency. On my MS3 I was making 600whp on a stock cam. It's not necessary but if you got the spare money, I guess once you're big turbo and really trying to make a beast of a car you can spring for it.

 

[Kacper]

Guys,

sorry for my mistake - off course I ment the CAMSHAFT BELT (TIMING BELT).

I did not know how to translate it into English, I looked it up and it said "camshaft". But off course I ment the camshaft belt.

Therefore [MENTION=8493]apex1[/MENTION] was probably correct

What do you think?

 

[Kacper]

Thanks man, off course I ment the camshaft belt

 

[Kacper]

But with regard to the [MENTION=8493]apex1[/MENTION]'s reply, is 90k miles interval appropriate for a mapped engine? This year my car turns 5 and I heard also that even if you do not reach the mileage, the CAMSHAFT BELT )) shall be replaced every 5 or 6 years.

What's your opinion?

 

[apex1]

Your car is five years old with 60,000 miles on it. While it cannot hurt anything to do a timing belt, I don't believe it is necessary yet. If you are concerned about it at all, and you don't mind the expense, by all means change it. I don't think you have to be in a big hurry though.

 

[felopr]

I look over the service manual and i got to say, is not an easy job to do

 

[M-Sport fan]

I look over the service manual and i got to say, is not an easy job to do

What else (if anything) should also be replaced while 'in there', due to the parts not being even fractionally the cost of the labor (if not doing the work oneself)?

 

[Capri to ST]

The manual says replace it at 150k miles. That seems too long for me, especially because I'm only driving about 5k miles a year. I'll probably replace it at 75k miles or 8 years, whichever comes first. I believe ours is an interference engine, and if that's the case your engine is toast if you break a timing belt.

Also, doing the math, if I average 5k miles a year, that would be 30 years until a timing belt replacement. That seems a bit long to wait, not to mention I'd be about 90 if I make it that long.

Has anyone done a timing belt replacement at a dealer? If so, I'm curious what it cost.

 

[felopr]

What else (if anything) should also be replaced while 'in there', due to the parts not being even fractionally the cost of the labor (if not doing the work oneself)?

For sure the water pump. Timing belt tensioner.
And if it leaking : the camshaft seal that is on the timing side and the seal that is behind the pulley.
Also: serpertine belt, tensioner and idle

 

[felopr]

Is not that bad to do, taking in consideration is a timing belt change, but since you need special tools to do it and there is not a lot of space, yeah is kind of a pain

 

[M-Sport fan]

For sure the water pump. Timing belt tensioner.
And if it leaking : the camshaft seal that is on the timing side and the seal that is behind the pulley.
Also: serpertine belt, tensioner and idle

THANKS!

I kind of figured a lot of that has to get removed anyway to do this job, just was not sure since I never really studied an actual shop manual (WISH we could have an officially printed one! ).