Hello forumers,
If I'm back on here you know something's amiss...
Here's the story:
Well I've been getting a machine gun rat-a-tat noise from the engine bay the last few days. Methinks it's the fanbelt/aux belt pulleys etc. again making a noise (running OK otherwise) cos' it's that time of year, something's sticking, I'll just spray some silicone lubricant on the aux belt and all will be quiet again (the crank pulley and aux belt less than a year old). Making the noise at startup and low revs - sounds like an old-fashioned petrol lawnmower, sort of. So I'm coming home from shopping, doing *0 on my local bypass (no clues what digit the * is ;-) ), great engine these cars even at 18 years old... passing thru a local village on way home, and the engine just dies. Cranks over, but otherwise dead. I call the breakdown, he takes the oil filler cap off, asks me to crank the engine over while he checks the cams, and then tells me the cam belt is snapped, because the cams are not moving. This guy knows his stuff - it's turns out he worked as a car mechanic for years - telling me that if the valve system is non-interference it will just be a cam belt replacement, but if it's an interference system, it's an expensive job - head off, new valves, and potential piston damage. I don't know what interference/non-interference is, but then it dawns on me later that: non-interference is where the piston head and valves never occupy the same space, even with a snapped/faulty cam belt, and interference is where they do. So I phone my local Fiat dealer, give my car reg. and ask the question, and the answer is: "Your car is an interference system. Sorry". It's a Multipla 1.9 JTD 2001 reg btw.
Anyone had this happen with their Multi or another car?
What kind of physical damage can I expect?
How much did it cost to repair?
Is it worth repairing?
My fault that this has happened, I've had the car 6 years, and didn't think to have the cam belt replaced, I've easily done 60,000 miles on it. Didn't think.
I've had the car towed to a garage and they are going to let me know the score tomorrow.
I could be an ex-Fiat Forumer shortly.
PS. Anyone who doesn't have breakdown insurance, one breakdown and tow pays for several years breakdown insurance, particularly with an old car.
PPS. I've read this (yikes): https://www.fiatforum.com/multipla/432262-snapped-cam-belt.html
Mark
If I'm back on here you know something's amiss...
Here's the story:
Well I've been getting a machine gun rat-a-tat noise from the engine bay the last few days. Methinks it's the fanbelt/aux belt pulleys etc. again making a noise (running OK otherwise) cos' it's that time of year, something's sticking, I'll just spray some silicone lubricant on the aux belt and all will be quiet again (the crank pulley and aux belt less than a year old). Making the noise at startup and low revs - sounds like an old-fashioned petrol lawnmower, sort of. So I'm coming home from shopping, doing *0 on my local bypass (no clues what digit the * is ;-) ), great engine these cars even at 18 years old... passing thru a local village on way home, and the engine just dies. Cranks over, but otherwise dead. I call the breakdown, he takes the oil filler cap off, asks me to crank the engine over while he checks the cams, and then tells me the cam belt is snapped, because the cams are not moving. This guy knows his stuff - it's turns out he worked as a car mechanic for years - telling me that if the valve system is non-interference it will just be a cam belt replacement, but if it's an interference system, it's an expensive job - head off, new valves, and potential piston damage. I don't know what interference/non-interference is, but then it dawns on me later that: non-interference is where the piston head and valves never occupy the same space, even with a snapped/faulty cam belt, and interference is where they do. So I phone my local Fiat dealer, give my car reg. and ask the question, and the answer is: "Your car is an interference system. Sorry". It's a Multipla 1.9 JTD 2001 reg btw.
Anyone had this happen with their Multi or another car?
What kind of physical damage can I expect?
How much did it cost to repair?
Is it worth repairing?
My fault that this has happened, I've had the car 6 years, and didn't think to have the cam belt replaced, I've easily done 60,000 miles on it. Didn't think.
I've had the car towed to a garage and they are going to let me know the score tomorrow.
I could be an ex-Fiat Forumer shortly.
PS. Anyone who doesn't have breakdown insurance, one breakdown and tow pays for several years breakdown insurance, particularly with an old car.
PPS. I've read this (yikes): https://www.fiatforum.com/multipla/432262-snapped-cam-belt.html
Mark