201 King Street, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 3ER
Open Mon–Sat 9am–6pm · Closed Sunday
Home › Services › Mechanical Repairs › Wet Belt Replacement
EcoBoost · PureTech · Transit EcoBlue · Fenton workshop
Some modern engines run their timing belt inside the engine oil. It’s called a wet belt, and when it wears out it can block the oil supply or snap and wreck the engine. We replace wet belts on Ford EcoBoost and PureTech petrol engines and on Ford’s 2.0 EcoBlue diesel in the Transit and Transit Custom, and we do the oil side of the job properly too.
Ford EcoBoost, PureTech and EcoBlue engines
Belt, tensioner and oil pick-up checked
Correct-spec oil and filter fitted
Fenton workshop, Monday to Saturday
Get a wet belt quote
Send us your reg and we’ll check whether your engine has a wet belt and when it’s due, then give you a price.
Since 2021
Trading in Stoke-on-Trent
2,500+
DPF cleans completed
Mon–Sat
9am–6pm
Fenton
201 King Street workshop
How we do it
A wet belt job isn’t just swapping the belt. The oil system has to be right too, or the new belt won’t last.
We confirm the engine, check when the belt was last done and look at the oil for signs of belt debris or diesel in it.
New timing belt and tensioner, plus the oil pump belt where the engine has one. Single-use covers and seals are replaced, not reused.
Belt debris collects in the sump and the oil pick-up strainer. We clean or replace them so the engine gets a proper oil supply.
We refill with oil to the manufacturer’s spec, fit a new filter and check oil pressure before it goes back to you.
Warning signs
A wet belt often gives little warning before it fails, so the age and history matter as much as the symptoms.
A red oil can on the dash, even briefly. Belt debris can block the oil pick-up and starve the engine. Stop and call us.
Black flakes or grit on the dipstick or in drained oil. That’s often the belt breaking up. It needs looking at straight away.
The brake pedal goes firm and the car is harder to stop. On some PureTech engines belt debris can block the brake vacuum pump supply.
Warning light, lost power or a rough run. A worn or jumped belt can put the timing out. A diagnostic check will tell us.
No symptoms, but it’s getting on. Wet belts age in the oil whether you drive it or not, so time matters as well as miles.
Bought it used and there’s no record of the belt. Send us the reg and we’ll check what it should have had.
Which engines
Ford brought wet belts in on the 1.0 EcoBoost in 2012 and switched the timing drive to a chain in late 2018, so early cars like the Mk7 Fiesta and Mk3 Focus use a wet timing belt. Later 1.0 engines still use a belt in oil to drive the oil pump. Some 1.5 and 1.6 EcoBoost engines also use one.
Peugeot, Citroën, DS and Vauxhall cars with the 1.0 and 1.2 PureTech petrol engine use a wet belt, as does Ford’s 2.0 EcoBlue diesel in the Transit, Transit Custom and Kuga. If you’re not sure about yours, send us the reg and we’ll check.
Stellantis has offered extended cover and compensation on some PureTech engines. It’s worth checking with your dealer whether yours qualifies before you book.
Vans and diesels
The 2.0 EcoBlue diesel in the Transit and Transit Custom uses a wet timing belt plus an oil pump belt. Ford has shortened the recommended change interval on these vans to 6 years or 100,000 miles, down from 10 years or 150,000.
The reason is oil dilution. When the DPF regenerates, a little diesel can end up in the oil, and that thins it and wears the belt faster. Short runs and stop-start work make it worse, so we check the oil as well as the belt.
Lots of short trips that dilute the oil also block the DPF. We clean DPFs here, so we can look at both in one visit.
Vehicles
We replace wet belts on cars, vans and 4x4s, from small EcoBoost and PureTech hatchbacks to Transit and Transit Custom vans.
Family cars, small runarounds and diesels doing the school run. We’ll explain what’s wrong in plain English.
We know a van off the road means lost work. Transits, Sprinters, Vivaros, Relays and the rest. Tell us when you need it back and we’ll be upfront about whether we can hit that. Running several vans? See our fleet DPF cleaning too.
Heavier vehicles put more wear on brakes, clutches and engines. We regularly work on 4x4s and pickups.
Garage services
Not a wet belt? We also replace conventional cambelts and timing chains, and carry out engine repairs and rebuilds when a belt has already failed.
FAQs
Straight answers to what people ask us most about wet belts.
What is a wet belt?
It’s a timing belt that runs inside the engine, bathed in oil, instead of running dry behind a cover. It’s quieter and more efficient, but it can break down over time and the debris goes into the oil.
Does my 1.0 EcoBoost have a wet belt?
Early 1.0 EcoBoost engines, roughly 2012 to late 2018, use a wet timing belt. Later ones moved to a timing chain but still have an oil pump belt running in oil. Send us the reg and we’ll confirm which yours has.
Do PureTech engines have a wet belt?
Yes. The 1.0 and 1.2 PureTech petrol engines in Peugeot, Citroën, DS and Vauxhall models use a wet timing belt. Newer hybrid versions have moved to a chain.
Does the Ford Transit have a wet belt?
The 2.0 EcoBlue diesel in the Transit and Transit Custom, from 2016, uses a wet timing belt and an oil pump belt. Ford now recommends changing it every 6 years or 100,000 miles.
What are the warning signs?
An oil pressure light, black bits in the oil, a hard brake pedal on some PureTech cars, or a warning light and lost power. Often there’s no warning at all, which is why changing it on time matters.
Why does the oil matter so much?
The belt lives in the oil, so the wrong oil, overdue oil changes or diesel in the oil all wear it faster. We always refill with oil to the manufacturer’s spec.
How long does a wet belt change take?
It depends on the engine, and some jobs mean taking the sump off to clean the pick-up. We’ll give you a time when you book.
How much is a wet belt replacement?
It depends on the engine and what else needs doing. Send us your reg and we’ll give you a price before we start. Nothing gets done without your OK.
Do you come out to the vehicle?
No. All wet belt work is done at our workshop at 201 King Street, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent.
Send us the reg and we’ll tell you if it has a wet belt, when it’s due and what it’ll cost. No surprises.
201 King Street, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 3ER · Open Mon–Sat 9am–6pm, closed Sunday · Visits by appointment