General engine fault

[funkydon]

hi
my bravo 1.4 t-jet stopped running the other day. there has been compression problems but also damage to the pistons. the garage are not sure what has caused this but are qouting me for a new engine.
has anyone else had similar problems, how have they been sorted.
the engine has only done around 50000 miles!!!

 

[cainy1989]

cam belt at a guess, it is meant to be changed every 4 yrs or i think 36k to be safe, if it has snapped then the pistons would have bent the valves causing the compression fault, how old is the car?

 

[funkydon]

car just over 4 years in nov

 

[wegi]

Agree with cainy, its more than likely a cambelt issue.

 

[keifos]

I'm guessing as the garage is saying there is piston damage they would have inspected the cam belt before removing the cylinder head? In which case they should have identified a cam belt issue. Either that or the tensioner has failed.

If you have had the belt recently changed it may have been fitted incorrectly, in which case you should claim against the garage that fit it.

I have recently had to replace 3 valves in my 8v engine, and it cost £480 just in parts, which included a new cam belt kit. Chances are, as yours' is 16v, there will be more cost involved, and if there is piston damage it will most likely be an engine out job to repair, so may end up cheaper to get a second hand engine instead.

Good luck.

 

[Tad-bravo]

Not to rub salt and peper on a wound, but lately all the problems people are having are on petrol engines.

Multijet wins.