Hi..im new to the club

Got myself a 1997 Mazda 323f 1.5 Lxi (snotty green ) :P..lolz
It didnt come with a service book so i am starting to get worried about the timing belt after my uncle's diesel 626 went after 20,000 of it being change...
Does any one know how to change 1 or even check it the old 1 is in fine condition?? thanks...

im afraid to tell ya mate but the only way to see this is to take the top cover off!!! thats if you want to thats is anyways i found out recently that all of the 1.5 models have a chain instead of a belt so get it checked up !!

shouldn't a chain last longer than a belt???

Gotta admit..the cars really quiet to have a chain..I always thought diesels have chains and petrols stick with the quiet belts...is there anything i should check for?? ie rusts etc..

Just changed mine yesterday, I've a 1.5 M reg GLx and it was most definitely a belt and not a chain lol!

Apart from that, youll have to take the top off to have a look at it...unfortunately, there isnt much room to work with down there and so to pop the plastic side covers off it, i had to take the drivers side wheel off.

[quote="JohnB"]i had to take the drivers side wheel off.[/quote]

Is yours left of right hand drive?

I can hear the shouts...."NOOO, don't start that again!!!"



[color=red][b]Mark[/b][/color]

serious john b? hmm not sure then cos people on the forum chattin abt it at the mo, must be the foreign 323F's then not too sure

"[size=150]NOOO, don't start that again!!!" [/size]

:P

Lol, how did I know that that'd get brought up again lol :P

Was definitely a belt mate? Was quite funny as the previous owner wasnt too sure whether the cambelt had been changed at around about 108,000 miles or not and the invoice was inconclusive. He rang the garage and they said it HAD been done, but when we popped it off yesterday, the belt was Japanese - the chances of someone paying £60 for a japanese belt froma small family garage is mighty slim in my book, so my guess it was last changed at 60,000 at a dealership...good job we decided to go ahead with the change in my opinion lol!

What should i be looking for when i lift the cover...jus general wear and tear??