About 1000 miles before i dropped the new engine in, I had the head gasket go, detailed in another thread.

I took the head of skimmed etc, and refitted new plugs, water pump, thermostat, tensioner, and cam belt.

The head was still leaking so I did it again, and refitted but it carried on with a drip, that's why i changed engines.

I went to investigate the cam sensor on the old engine today, so I pulled the covers off and was faced with the below










As you can see, there is cam belt fibre over the casing, the teeth are missing and chewed up badly!!! What on earth could cause this too happen. I think the tension was fine on it!

I can't belive it did that in 1000 miles, and that it was still runnign fine aprat from the leak!

All I/ can think of is that the water pump was wrong and didn't mate up with the belt??!!! The belt seemed fine with the teeth on the cram and cam pullies?!

Any takers? Just out of curiosity really. I'm going to be breaking or selling the old one anyway

Kristian

Makes one wonder how the engine could run at all No really any good ideas, but do I see some oil all over? I had an oil leak from the camshaft pulley once and that messed up the belt a bit, but faaaar from what you have, all teeth were in place and engine running fine, just making funny noises when really hot. Or simply a dodgy belt... did you put a new one in when the head gasket was done?

Cheers,

Woj

Yeah, there was oil seeping out from the head gasket all over, both front, side and back. After the second time of doing it I gave up and just drove it for about 1000 miles with the leaking. There was oil all over the underside of the car as well, was a right mess.

Yeah, it was a brand new belt from Fiat along with all the other bits I mentioned as well.

It was me intrigued, but also I am pleased I swapped the engine when i did! It has to be close to total failure.

Kristian

There are two types of belt. Fine pitch and not so fine. Somewhere along the line you've used a wrong belt / waterpump / crank pully / cam pully which has mated with the other components.

A mistake i almost made.

View attachment 28352 <<-- this says it all... looks like the wrong tooth pitch on the water pump!

Yeah, the waterpump looks the same as my belt pitch. I've got a cambelt here that's your pitch...I nearly put it on mine lol. Why on earth would Fiat make two pitches, surely they would save money with uniformity across the range.

Fuzzing wang cars....I gave FIAT my VIN etc to make sure I got the right stuff!!! If you can't get it from them who can you trust?!

Looks like the belt was ok but the pump was wrong. Shame I never did a side by side of the old and the new

At least I can sell the temsioner and pump for the right model for a few ££ and know I'm not going to mess anyone else about!

Cheers for the help guys,

Kristian