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Imagine an idea so brilliant that it promises to revolutionize the automotive industry, but in practice it turns into a nightmare for those who use it. Well, the famous oil-immersed belt emerged in the 2000s as a miracle solution for engine operation, with promises of greater durability and efficiency. However, as many vehicle owners have discovered, the dream has turned into a mechanical horror film complete with flashing warning lights and costly repairs.
How did the oil-immersed belt come about? The timing belt was already well-known in the 60s, when it began to be used in engines due to its ability to efficiently actuate the valve train. In the 2000s, a new version was introduced: the oil-immersed belt. In theory, it seemed perfect: lubrication promised to reduce friction, increase service life and improve performance. Ford pioneered this innovation with the Dual Torque 1.8 TDCI engine, used in several models in Europe.
The main advantage would be reduced wear, allowing the belt to last up to 240.000 km, or 10 years, much more than conventional ones, which last an average of 160.000 km. However, in practice, this solution began to present serious problems, with reports of premature wear, debris in the oil and serious damage to the engine.
Why didn't the oil-bathed belt work?
Although the idea seemed brilliant, in practice, the oil-immersed belt began to cause a series of headaches for owners. The main problem was that, contrary to what was expected, the constant contact of the belt with the lubricating oil caused accelerated wear of the part. Over time, the belt released debris that accumulated in the crankcase, impairing oil circulation and clogging the engine's lubrication system.
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The operation of the engine with this belt suffered from the temperature. The oil reached between 85°C and 90°C under normal conditions, which, added to the constant pressure of turbines in some engines, such as three-cylinder engines, further accelerated belt wear.
The risks and costs of using this technology
When an oil-immersed belt wears out, the risk is not limited to simply replacing the part. If the belt fails, the engine's timing is lost, which can cause the valves to collide with the pistons, causing serious damage. A blockage in the lubrication system can result in a drop in oil pressure, causing the engine to go into emergency mode or even cause it to stop completely.
And the problem doesn't stop there: repairs are expensive and complex. Changing the belt on an engine with This technology requires disassembling several parts of the car, and maintenance costs skyrocket. There are reports that in vehicles such as the Ford Ka, Chevrolet Onix and Tracker, popular models in Brazil, owners face difficulties in keeping the mechanics in order.
A solution that didn't work
Despite the initial promises, the oil-immersed belt proved to be a more problematic solution than efficient. With complaints coming from various parts of the world, including Brazil, the technology was gradually abandoned by automakers, who returned to investing in simpler and more reliable systems.
For those who own vehicles with this mechanic, the recommendation is clear: redouble your care with maintenance, always use the oil recommended by the manufacturer and change the belt before the specified deadline to avoid unpleasant surprises.
What seemed like a revolutionary innovation ended up becoming a mechanical nightmare, leaving many drivers frustrated and the automakers with a tarnished reputation. Who would have thought that a simple belt could cause so much hassle?
This is not technology. As a mechanical engineer, it was the biggest nonsense created by the car manufacturers.
As a mechanical engineer, you should check the pros and cons of the solution before making this statement, and prove your theories. You should also consider how a vehicle is produced and why you chose solution ab or c.
Timing belt: change every 50-60 thousand km, or 3 years and change the tensioner every two changes: value per change: 700 reais
Pros: low noise, does not generate stretching
Cons: low durability, frequent replacement
Roller chain: changes over 200 and can reach up to 300 thousand km, value of the change: a kit without labor does not cost less than 2500… can reach more than 7.000 reais.
pros: durability
cons: noise, stretching over the useful life. high cost to replace.
Oil-immersed belt: changes every 200-240 thousand km or 10 years, change value approximately 2500 to 3000 reais.
pros: durability, lower noise.
cons: requires care when changing oil. engine disassembly required for change
Now look at the breakdown rate of engines with oil-bathed belts, normal belts and chains: it's practically the same...
In a country where experts add diesel to the gasoline mix, or mechanics recommend using thicker oil in tired engines (when they don't recommend the excellent Militec-1), or oil for diesel engines because it comes out clean when changed... it's a miracle (or an engineering feat) that there isn't a car with a blown engine on every corner.
Is there a perfect solution? No... Is there a better solution than the 3 presented, without noise, oil and stretching, with more durability? Yes... the problem is the price.
There's no point asking Brazilians to reason logically, most of them got far with what they received from state education ****. They blame things and others for their actions.
You cannot demand logical, questionable thinking from a population that does not read, does not know the politics and constitution of its country…
Dude, I'm not a mechanical engineer. I have a simple technical diploma from SENAI in Automobile Mechanics, so I'm not the most qualified to talk about anything here. However, I learned at some point in my career about the impacts of petroleum derivatives on rubber components, which accelerate their wear. That aside, we have here at the company right now a 2022/2023 Onix with 60.000 km and all the revisions done at a dealership, which broke the blessing of the oil-bathed timing belt. We never use any component outside the dealership, and something like this happens to me. My Commercial vehicle is stopped because of the lack of this car.
Don't you realize that what was promised on the oil belt is inconsistent?
Boy, you stated the obvious with the exception of placing the blame on the consumer in part.
Now I didn't understand the harsh response from the colleague above.
But speaking of technology, you don't need to be an engineer to know that it would be obvious that it would be a tremendous ****... Rubber components have never combined with lubricants under any circumstances, unless they develop a super belt from now on, otherwise it will always be a fiasco, combined with the terrible lubricants that exist on the market, terrible professionals that exist out there, and also poor quality fuel.
There you go… the time bomb is set.
Yes, especially our bad fuel, the worst factor. And many people try to reduce maintenance costs by using the wrong oil. Not all 5/30 is the same.
The problem is our fuel, the belt doesn't last 240 km/h on the Onix. Tips I saw would be 190 km/h for heavy use like Uber. I think 100 to 150 km/h. Using good fuel. If you used the specified oil, ok, if not, prepare your wallet.
You are very wrong. Look at the terrible history of oil-immersed belts around the world. Ford is facing several lawsuits because of this abroad and has learned nothing since it launched the Ranger with this garbage system.
I worked at Ford for many years, and they know that this technology is crap. The issue was just one: cost. The savings that can be made by using this junk timing belt in oil are huge. It costs Ford 1/10 of the chain, which also requires expensive peripheral components. The trick is to tire out customers so that only a small number require repairs, and the profit is guaranteed.
These belts never last as long as the manufacturer says, and you can use the recommended oil and it won't change anything.
We knew this, we used it anyway because it wasn't our decision, but this solution is useless. I feel sorry for the owners of this new Ranger, they'll follow the same path. And it's not just this problem, the entire project was made to reduce costs while sacrificing quality.
What was going on in the engineer's (or team's) mind when they developed this technology?
You don't even need to be an engineer to know that a piece of rubber immersed in oil and subjected to high temperatures would not be able to resist.
Didn't they study about chemical reactions, much less do tests on the reaction between oil, rubber and temperature? LOL
They should now do a reassembly and replace it with a timing chain, which would be ideal as the chain works with oil.
Belt bathed using the correct oil, does it not lose its properties? Is it not contaminated by our bad fuel?
Yes, our fuel is bad. The factor that reduces the useful life in heavy use especially… like Uber
Brilliant idea? The biggest cost today is labor and the brilliant idea significantly increased the number of hours needed to change a simple belt.
and why did they abandon the chain of command that didn't cause problems?
and why don't they use the chain again,
because the belt requires periodic maintenance and the chain only requires maintenance when the engine itself needs it.
It seems like they do things to sell parts, in this case belts.
The reason is simple: money... charging the end consumer... the idiot who thinks he's buying a new car and getting a guarantee... you can see... get a Toyota or Honda... see if he's stuck at the mechanics because of the belt... never... so no matter how expensive a chain kit is... it takes a long time for it to break... so there's no market flow... now, a belt in the oil... it looks beautiful... change it every year... and it's expensive... who wins? Car manufacturers and suppliers... the consumer can go to hell and buy... if he wants a new car, he'll pay the price.
Furthermore, these car and engine models should be tested under extreme and normal conditions of use by their manufacturers before being placed on the market and it seems that this was not done efficiently as it should have been done.