Well I have just bought a year 2000 Panda 4x4 like new with only 17.000km!!! and I'm VERY VERY happy I don't have it yet and I will have to drive about 100 miles on motorway to bring it home. The timing belt has been never replaced and I'm scared to brake it but searching the forums I have read that a broken timing belt in a Fire engine makes no additional damage thank just having to install a new one. Is this true or urban legend? Also true if you are running at max speed on motorway? What does the engine if it happens?
I don't want to kill my almost brand new Pandilla in its second life's first day... nor myself

Thank you

Rellinars said:

Well I have just bought a year 2000 Panda 4x4 like new with only 17.000km!!! and I'm VERY VERY happy I don't have it yet and I will have to drive about 100 miles on motorway to bring it home. The timing belt has been never replaced and I'm scared to brake it but searching the forums I have read that a broken timing belt in a Fire engine makes no additional damage thank just having to install a new one. Is this true or urban legend? Also true if you are running at max speed on motorway? What does the engine if it happens?
I don't want to kill my almost brand new Pandilla in its second life's first day... nor myself

Thank you

Click to expand...

Absolutely true on an 8v Fire engine. It's non-interference and I have seen 2 personally (Mum's old Punto did it despite being only fitted a couple of years before) where the belt failed & a simple replacement belt was all it needed. It just stops dead.

This does not apply to multi valve Fire engines (the mk1 Punto 1.2 60 is fine, the 1.2 16v isn't for example), but I'm guessing these never found their way into the Panda (we didn't get the later ones in the UK, so info is a bit limited for a 2000 version!).

Actually a 1050 engined 127 Sport I had shed its belt and did no damage, but that was pure luck I guess - it's not meant to do that..........

Palio said:

This does not apply to multi valve Fire engines (the mk1 Punto 1.2 60 is fine, the 1.2 16v isn't for example), but I'm guessing these never found their way into the Panda (we didn't get the later ones in the UK, so info is a bit limited for a 2000 version!).

Click to expand...

Correct, 16v Super FIRE engines are interferance, as are current 8v FIRE engines used in the late mk3's, the mk4 Panda and 500 currently.

Most Easterly Pandas said:

Correct, 16v Super FIRE engines are interferance, as are current 8v FIRE engines used in the late mk3's, the mk4 Panda and 500 currently.

Click to expand...

How late a model mk 3 - what about the 1.2 in a 2007 panda dynamic. Is that interference or not?

We didn't get Mk2 4x4's after 1992 so plenty of pics when it arrives please.

I can also confirm that nothing happens if the belt breaks other than you're left stranded at the side of the road. I assume you will be fitting a new belt once you have the car in your possession, a wise move even at that low mileage as it's now thirteen years old.

stu0710 said:

How late a model mk 3 - what about the 1.2 in a 2007 panda dynamic. Is that interference or not?

Click to expand...

2007 is ok I think.

Some say its only Euro 5 FIRE engines, and other say when the rocker cover had a make over on the mk3.

Most Easterly Pandas said:

2007 is ok I think.

Some say its only Euro 5 FIRE engines, and other say when the rocker cover had a make over on the mk3.

Click to expand...

Not sure about the 1.2 but all 1.4 8v FIRE's are interference because they have VVT on the exhaust valves.

a spare timing belt is just one of many things i keep in the boot of the car.. just incase..

i have seen some pretty horrific looking timing belts in my time. Talons original being one of the worst! (and i do believe it to have been the original factory fitted timing belt from when the car was new! 42,000 miles but 23 years old!)

Dragon Man said:

a spare timing belt is just one of many things i keep in the boot of the car.. just incase..

Click to expand...

Are you talking about a timing belt or an auxiliary drive belt? I wouldn't class a timing belt as a roadside replacement so wouldn't think anybody would carry one in their car.

Rubber deteriorates with age so you are probably better buying a timing belt only when you need it.

MN500 said:

Are you talking about a timing belt or an auxiliary drive belt? I wouldn't class a timing belt as a roadside replacement so wouldn't think anybody would carry one in their car.

Click to expand...

I'm more then sure that DragonMan was meaning timing belt and 40 minute job at road side.

:yeahthat:
Got one in my boot

MN500 said:

Are you talking about a timing belt or an auxiliary drive belt? I wouldn't class a timing belt as a roadside replacement so wouldn't think anybody would carry one in their car.

Rubber deteriorates with age so you are probably better buying a timing belt only when you need it.

Click to expand...

Every day is a school day.... Welcome to the world of panda ownership.... ..

Didge3 said:

Not sure about the 1.2 but all 1.4 8v FIRE's are interference because they have VVT on the exhaust valves.

Click to expand...

Correct, VVT is interference on all FIRE engines.

yeah i replaced the one on my 4x4 in a pub car park.. in the dark and it takes 20 mins
a stone jumped up and got caught between a pulley and punched a hole strait through the belt causing it to skip a few teeth.
at the time i did not have a cover on the timing belt as it was broken, but now i do

Dragon Man said:

yeah i replaced the one on my 4x4 in a pub car park.. in the dark and it takes 20 mins
a stone jumped up and got caught between a pulley and punched a hole strait through the belt causing it to skip a few teeth.
at the time i did not have a cover on the timing belt as it was broken, but now i do

Click to expand...

I suspect the OP's Panda has the same 1.1 FIRE 8 Valve that was in an italian
panda I broke in 2003,
sent all the engine to the yard as I couldn't see a use for it:bang:

12 months later I saw all the same gear in our new 2004 panda:bang:

Charlie

MN500 said:

Are you talking about a timing belt or an auxiliary drive belt? I wouldn't class a timing belt as a roadside replacement so wouldn't think anybody would carry one in their car.

Rubber deteriorates with age so you are probably better buying a timing belt only when you need it.

Click to expand...

Never underestimate Dragonman!

i helped fit some big end bearings in a ford escort van in our local scrap yard car park. the van had done 350k miles and we replaced the shells with some from out of one that had done 80k miles

what you got to remember is that cars of those days were much more easy to work on.

If the cam' belt goes drop the clutch pedal as soon as possible!

The belt went on my Bianca doing 70-ish and the off cycle compression blew the head gasket.

So it took an hour and a half to fix instead of a few minutes.