Technical 1.6 Timing Belt Problem

[Bruce Harper]

I had the timing belt on my Stilo changed in February of this year.

About a month ago part of the tensioning device on the new belt broke.
This bent 14 of the valves and required a head change/refurb.
My local garage informed me that the supplier of the belt, Dingbro Inverness, would cover the costs as the kit was defective.
The manufacturer of the kit was SKF.
The garage still charged me for 2 ignition coils on refitting the head. They said these had gone as well at exactly the same time!!!
They also said this was not related to the timing belt issue.
50 miles later the second belt kit broke at exactly the same point and all 16 valves were bent, another head change free of charge.
No coil problem this time and a Goodyear belt fitted.
The garage now say the metal part that broke both times is made from "pig iron" and not suitable.
I think I am still due a refund on the coil issue as I cannot believe that 2 faults appear at the same instant with no connection between the two.
Any comments either way?

 

[dave]

2 faults appear at the same instant with no connection between the two can happen a lot.
i wouldnt use dunlop or skf belts though, use gates

 

[Deckchair5]

Well it was the tensioner that broke on both occasions so it's either not suitable for the task or the tensioner was installed incorrectly.

Coils? I had 3 go all in the same week once and it's difficult to see how they could be related to a cambelt failure and bent valves. Like your plugs, coils have a certain amount of life and after that they can't contain the very high voltages any more and the internal coils break or or the insulation breaks down

 

[Argonought]

I'd say you were lucky the garage honoured the warranty (twice) although it rather begs the question why they didn't fit proper Fiat oem parts in the first place

Which engine BTW?

 

[beau]

id be very happy that its been covered by warranty, pretty unusual, usually the garage blames the parts and the parts people blame the garage- and nothing happens

 

[Bruce Harper]

Engine is 1.6 petrol, reg 02

Thanks for the feedback