Northern Auto Tech - ECU and Blue & Me Repairs

Technical Cambelt Snap

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Technical Cambelt Snap

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MarkSims

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Nov 3, 2007
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Hi Guys,

Had a disaster yesterday. Cambelt went.

Just wondered if anyone else has had one go and likely damage report? It was a new cambelt just under 3 years ago and has done 40,000 miles since then, so well within the changing period.

Been serviced every year by a Fiat specialist and is mostly driven out of town on major A roads.

Anything I could have done here or is it just incredibly bad luck to kick off the New Year?

Cheers,
Mark
 
MarkSims said:
Hi Guys,

Had a disaster yesterday. Cambelt went.

Just wondered if anyone else has had one go and likely damage report? It was a new cambelt just under 3 years ago and has done 40,000 miles since then, so well within the changing period.

Been serviced every year by a Fiat specialist and is mostly driven out of town on major A roads.

Anything I could have done here or is it just incredibly bad luck to kick off the New Year?

Cheers,
Mark
Click to expand...

40,000 miles and 3 years...

You haven't said what engine... but never the less...

Fiat advised me - 40,000miles or 4 years, which ever comes first.
Looks like you hit 40,000 miles and it was just about due a change.

Was the car running and under load when it went?
 
Not much you could have done except changing it sooner than the recomended service interval.
I do believe at some point they lowered the original service interval for the timing belt on some Bravo engines, after a few had gone within warranty.
I do mine every ~60k km or 4 years. (original, i believe, was 5 years or 120 k km)

Depends how it happened:
- if the car was in neutral.at idle.. damage could me minimal.. a few bent valves.
-If it was in gear at any speed then you can expect the worst.. ~all valves bent, maybe a piston or two, bent conrod....etc.

Anyway it's a head off job, so they will see when they take it off.
 
Sorry for the lack of info, was still in a bad mood.

2.0 mjet. Went whilst I was coasting in 4th doing 30mph under no power, pressed the clutch as soon as it went.

Heard sometimes the mjets can cope with snaps a bit better than some other engines? Any truth in that?
 
So, just heard from the garage.

No bent valves...but rockers are all knackered (to be expected) injectors all need something doing to them but not replacing and the gasket needs replacing.

Water pump seized to cause it to snap.

£1,100 all in. Love this new year...
 
That's not right! if there are rockers bent/broken i would bet at least some of the valves are bent as well...i mean they are pretty thin..and would bend well before rockers would brake... ok they might brake to save some other components conrods, pistons... but surely the valves would bend as well.

Do you know how they checked the valves? did they take off the head and make a leak test?
Just make sure they take full responsibility of fixing it right!
You don't want to have problems after you spend all that money on repairing it.
 
aurick86 said:
That's not right! if there are rockers bent/broken i would bet at least some of the valves are bent as well...i mean they are pretty thin..and would bend well before rockers would brake... ok they might brake to save some other components conrods, pistons... but surely the valves would bend as well.

Do you know how they checked the valves? did they take off the head and make a leak test?
Just make sure they take full responsibility of fixing it right!
You don't want to have problems after you spend all that money on repairing it.
Click to expand...

It's a garage I trust and have been using for years as they're a Fiat and Alfa specialist. If anything is still wrong it will be on them and they will have to put it right free of charge.

Either way, £1,100 is still a pain in the arse.
 
chris3234 said:
Do you know if the water pump was replaced when the belt was changed as I know a lot of people recommend doing them both in case of this failure
Click to expand...

Yeah I checked with the garage that changed the timing belt and the pump was done at the same time. Think I've just been incredibly unlucky.
 
If the valves are vertical, they can be hit by the pistons and not bend, if you're lucky. On many engines these days, the rockers are designed to be a weak link, so they break to reduce the damage. Always worth removing the head to check it all though.

Really bad luck with the pump seizure.
 
When I bought my Bravo I asked about cam belt chnge frequency. I was told that if the car is serviced by Fiat dealers and the belt changed at the appropriate time, Fiat would look favorably at a claim. It was strongly suggested that they would pay for the damage. I would accordingly ask for help and see if they will help with at least some of the cost. Your belt is only around half way through its design life.
 
The Panda Nut said:
When I bought my Bravo I asked about cam belt chnge frequency. I was told that if the car is serviced by Fiat dealers and the belt changed at the appropriate time, Fiat would look favorably at a claim. It was strongly suggested that they would pay for the damage. I would accordingly ask for help and see if they will help with at least some of the cost. Your belt is only around half way through its design life.
Click to expand...
Belt has done 40kmiles so is near the end of the lifespan rather then halfway
 
The Panda Nut said:
When I bought my Bravo I asked about cam belt chnge frequency. I was told that if the car is serviced by Fiat dealers and the belt changed at the appropriate time, Fiat would look favorably at a claim. It was strongly suggested that they would pay for the damage. I would accordingly ask for help and see if they will help with at least some of the cost. Your belt is only around half way through its design life.
Click to expand...

Agreed..but only within the standard 2..
(3 at a push) year warranty that FIAT uk offers.

I had a pump bearing fail..at 1 year..upsetting belt tension..so it does happen..thankfully on a FIRE so no damage ..just needed to fit more service parts.

FYI..
Its far from unusual to see the intervals cut drastically.
Things are often given unrealistic life targers to boost initial fleet sales.
The old Alfa went from 72k to 36k..

Tough break..:(
 
Hi, I’ve just had a very similar experience to Mark, and I would appreciate peoples comments on the next course of action with my car. Bravo 150 sport -
146,000 miles. Cam belt has snapped due to seized water pump. I was driving approximately 30 miles an hour when the engine cut out I just coasted to the side of the road. Foolishly tried to turn the engine over once. Now with a garage and my options are -

A £350 to fit a new Cambelt set and water pump to see if it will run.
B £500 take the head off check for bent valves
C say goodbye to the car and look for another one.

I was tempted to try option A until the garage called me back and advised the pump has gone as well. Should I just scrap the car and look for another? Comments welcome thanks
 
roogy said:
Hi, I’ve just had a very similar experience to Mark, and I would appreciate peoples comments on the next course of action with my car. Bravo 150 sport -
146,000 miles. Cam belt has snapped due to seized water pump. I was driving approximately 30 miles an hour when the engine cut out I just coasted to the side of the road. Foolishly tried to turn the engine over once. Now with a garage and my options are -

A £350 to fit a new Cambelt set and water pump to see if it will run.
B £500 take the head off check for bent valves
C say goodbye to the car and look for another one.

I was tempted to try option A until the garage called me back and advised the pump has gone as well. Should I just scrap the car and look for another? Comments welcome thanks
Click to expand...

£500 to take the head off seems a bit extreme... Shouldn't take them that long with the appropriate tools.
 
They said the work was 9 hours labour, it may have included some other tests but its a significant sum
 
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