fan belt disaster

Hi everyone, didnt expect to need help so soon, only picked up my 53 plate 2.0 petrol eleganza 3 days ago! First family outing and 10 miles into the journey we hear a belt start slapping the floor. (sounded like we'd run a branch over) clutch instantly and pull over. Then the engine dies. Quick look confirms the fan belt has lost about half its width and has left debris around the engine bay. Try to resart but no compression. RAC guy confirms my fears that the belt has probably taken the cam belt with it or wraped round the pully and forced belt off or similar. Bought privatly so looks like im in for a big bill, can anyone offer any hope that it might not be to bad or is it a definate new engine. Sob

That is really bad luck Gutted for you! But if your lucky, you might get away with just a few replacement valves.

private sell or not 10miles i taking the p*ss....if it was me it would be small claims court time

Cheers fellas, am severly hacked off at the mo but have sent a request to 1st choice part finders to get worst case out the way. Read about another fiat on here that has a none interference engine, am i clutching at straws or is it a common design feature..

only the 8v 1.2 and 1.1 engines im afraid

Hi,
If the engine was turning over on the starter motor without the banging of valves and piston crown you may be lucky enough that they didn't meet, normally it would lock up if a valve was down and the piston came up against it. Hope you are lucky.

Hi guys, spoke to national engines of cardif and it seems that this is not an uncommon problem. They also advised that there was no chance of getting away scott free so a rebuild or new(old) engine was the only solution so for collection, engine out, repair or replacement engine, service items and consumables and delivery... £1250 inc Not to bad I thought, I will up date as to the conclusion. What I have learnt from all of this is that fan belts are JUST as important as a cam belt if you want to avoid disasters, change them regularly..