Who Approved This and Why Is It Still Being Made? Wet Belt aka Belt in Oil Engines

For 40 years, every mechanic, every manual, every DIYer said the same thing about rubber timing belts: keep them away from engine oil. Oil makes a rubber belt swell, crack, and fail. It was gospel. And then in 2007 a major manufacturer released an engine with the rubber timing belt submerged in engine oil ON PURPOSE — and called the oil a lubricant instead of a contaminant. Today it's one of the most notorious engineering decisions in modern car history, responsible for thousands of catastrophic engine failures and a growing pile of lawsuits. In this video: what a wet belt is, why it fails, and the real question — who looked at this and said "yes, ship it"? What we cover: THE BACKSTORY — why rubber timing belts were a genuinely good idea (quieter, lighter, more compact than chains), and the one iron rule that came with them: belts and oil do NOT mix. THE 2007 BETRAYAL — how Ford's 1.8 TDCi put the timing belt IN the oil, and then EXTENDED the service interval, rebranding a 40-year contaminant as a "lubricant." THE SPREAD — how wet belts jumped into the 1.0 EcoBoost and across the industry: Renault, VW, Opel/Vauxhall, Peugeot. THE DAMNING MATH — the claimed 1% fuel saving works out to about €15 per year. That's what a wet belt "saves" you in exchange for thousands of destroyed engines. WHY THEY FAIL — why special compounds don't make rubber immune to hot oil, why 15-20k km oil intervals doom the belt, and why hot, rich-running little 3-cylinder turbo petrols are the worst possible home for one. THE HIDDEN KILLER — how a wet belt doesn't even need to snap to destroy your engine: rubber flakes clog the oil pump strainer, causing oil pressure loss and catastrophic wear. THE WORST PART — why all of this was common knowledge for 50 years, the rubber O-ring precedent that already proved the point, and why manufacturers almost certainly knew. THE RECKONING — the latest developments: Stellantis switching back to a timing chain and opening a compensation program, Ford's recall and active class-action (with engines reportedly called "time bombs"), and why almost no Japanese manufacturer ever touched wet belts. If you're shopping for a new or used car, check whether it has a wet belt. My honest recommendation: avoid. 👍 If this opened your eyes, hit like and subscribe for more. 💬 Does your car have a wet belt? Let me know in the comments. — Disclaimer: This video is for educational and informational purposes only and reflects my own analysis and opinion based on publicly available information. Always research your specific vehicle and consult a qualified professional. #wetbelt #beltinoil #timingbelt #ford #ecoboost #puretech #enginefailure #cartech #automotive #howenginesworks #carmaintenance #stellantis #carbuying #engines