General Broken Cambelt

[PRB123]

Hi, the cambelt snapped on my Ulysse about five weeks ago. It is just about four years old on a 54 plate, 81K miles. So OK it has been around the block and I know Fiat recommends changing the belt at around 70K, but it wasn't done :doh:

So be warned......and if only one other person reads this and avoids making the same mistake then it will at least be some consolation. Is it my imagination or is the Ulysse prone to broken or jumping cambelts? Personally I'd change the belt at 60K/four years not 70K/five years.

Anyway, after four weeks of sucking air in through their teeth and kicking the tyres the garage has now informed me that it is beyond economic repair . A new short engine at £3K, injectors fused into the head + labour = a little more than the car is worth.

I thought I'd get a good salvage engine, but cant find one for love nor money (not a 2.2 anyway). So I'm faced with breaking a 54 plate Ulysse for spares just because a belt snapped. Call me old fashioned, but it just don't seem right.

If anyone out there knows how I can get out of this hole then I'd be really pleased to hear from you!!!!

Cheers.

 

[dave]

a better garage will be ably to do the repair for under a grand.
you will probably find the same engine in other cars vans

 

[ArgieBee]

This as happened to a lot of people with 2003-2005 diesel EV2s (Ulysse, 807, C8, Phaedra). Search for snapped cambelt (or timing or distribution belt) on this forum, eurovan2.com etc., and it seems to be related to water coming off the windscreen and being directed towards the cambelt. Peugeot and Citroen even produced a new part to stop this.

VOSA has had sufficient complaints that they have asked Fiat to investigate the premature failure of the cambelt.

You are lucky/unlucky that it lasted so long. You could still try Fiat as they may make a goodwill contribution (but this would have been more likely at 60k and 3 years).

The killer is the injectors and if you cannot get those out then it usually means a new engine. Even a reconditioned engine can cost £2k because there is such a demand. You could try 247spares or contact Swan Street Salvage www.midlandpeugeot.com.

It would be really useful if anyone who has managed to get the injectors out to share their tips. I have heard that Coca Cola can help or welding a bar to the injectors to get more leverage. Border Engines in Berwick on Tweed managed to get them out
http://www.citroen-owners-club.co.uk/citroen/index.php?showtopic=6817&pid=35504&st=15&#entry35504
for this unlucky C8 owner so maybe you could give them a call.

Good luck.

 

[Pat H]

Knowingt he damage a snapped belt can cause we had ours done at 60,000 miles as I didn't want to risk waiting.
It wasn't cheap as we had the whole kit replaced (tensioner etc)
But worth it for the peace of mind.