Cam belt kit - seized engine!

vindiesel34

Hi, i had my Renault Clio (2003 model 1.2 16v) cambelt changed in august 2010. A cambelt kit was fitted by a local garage. Waterpump was not changed.
This weekend the car cut out and wouldnt start, i called the RAC out who said cambelt fault. He checked the damage to find out that the tensioner had seized locking the engine up causing serious damage!!!
It was only changed 6 mths ago and the car has only done 54K miles.

What i need to know is who is at fault?
are there guarantees with cambelt kits fitted at local garages? Im worried the garage may say its not there fault and id have to foot a repair bill of about £1400!

Please help!
Thanks

KillerWatt

Did you pay for just the belt to be changed, or the whole kit (kit = tensioners & belt)?

If it's the former then you are on your own, and I expect the garage will steer you in the direction of the tensioner manufacturer if it transpires they changed it and it was faulty.
Even if the manufacturer of the tensioner accepts responsibility for failure, I expect they will only replace the cambelt kit at their expense.

vindiesel34

It was the whole kit = tensioners & belt that were changed, i saw the components he took off.

Seems unfair that the kits may be replaced if they fail but no cover for the extensive engine damage if it fails.

I will ring the garage tomorrow but im expecting him to say id have to pay for all repairs.

what should i do?

flashg67

I'm no lawyer, but isn't your contract with the garage who did the repairs, just the same as when you buy a TV etc? If they're reputable, they may sort it all out and claim from the parts supplier/manufacturer.

If not, and you can prove the tensioner did fail through faulty manufacture, then the manufacturer warranty should help you.

I know that Coopers filters would put your car engine back to it's previous condition if it was proved one of their (eg oil) filters caused the damage?

Definately explore all the options before you cough up the cash!

vindiesel34

Until i speak to the garage tomorrow i dont what make of cambelt kit was fitted so i cant check what kind of warranty it had. Id expect 12mths at least?

I feel ill at the thought of paying out approx £1400 after i had it replaced last year to give me peace of mind from the very failure thats happened.

The rac man showed me the damage, belt still on, but everything stuck, tensioner to blame according to him.

I will let you know the garage reaction to the damage tomorrow.

johnnyroper

vindiesel34 wrote: »

Until i speak to the garage tomorrow i dont what make of cambelt kit was fitted so i cant check what kind of warranty it had. Id expect 12mths at least?

I feel ill at the thought of paying out approx £1400 after i had it replaced last year to give me peace of mind from the very failure thats happened.

The rac man showed me the damage, belt still on, but everything stuck, tensioner to blame according to him.

I will let you know the garage reaction to the damage tomorrow.

i find it hard to believe RAC diagnosis personally,if tensioner was seized then over time the belt would have melted and snapped after being dragged over the surface of seized tensioner.

I would defo wait on the diagnosis from garage as it sounds like it could be something different to seized tensioner.

did the engine turn over when trying to start the car???if so the engine is not locked up.
if however it just clicked like a flat battery then yes it is locked up.

bigjl

I would be very sirprised if the cause of the failure wasn't actually the waterpump.

Either that or the Garage didn't change the tensioner, lets face it less than 6 months for a tensioner isn't good.

Definately take it back to the garage that did it and keep hold of the old parts, in case they didn't replace the whole kit, some garages will try to save money by just changing the belt. The new belt will make short work if an old tensioner or old water pump.

The wifes Cliois due a cambelt soon, will be 5 years old in October, we will be getting the complete kit from Renault, with a new water pump aswell.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

bigjl wrote: »

I would be very sirprised if the cause of the failure wasn't actually the waterpump.

Either that or the Garage didn't change the tensioner, lets face it less than 6 months for a tensioner isn't good.

Definately take it back to the garage that did it and keep hold of the old parts, in case they didn't replace the whole kit, some garages will try to save money by just changing the belt. The new belt will make short work if an old tensioner or old water pump.

The wifes Cliois due a cambelt soon, will be 5 years old in October, we will be getting the complete kit from Renault, with a new water pump aswell.

why dealer. twice as much and dont know what make they use?
take to the garage and ask them for some figures to fit a gates timing kit and firstline or quinten hazel water pump.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

OP if it was the new tensioner that seized you prt of call id the garage, the will strip down the kit and send back to supplier who will then send it off to the manufacturer of the belt, if found faulty the belt manufacturer are liable to pay for any damage and part or full labour, garage will explain to you im sure.

Flying-High_2

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

why dealer. twice as much and dont know what make they use?
take to the garage and ask them for some figures to fit a gates timing kit and firstline or quinten hazel water pump.

That what I'd be doing aswell... but I'd be fitting it myself although I understand others cant etc...

atrixblue.-MFR-.

Flying-High wrote: »

That what I'd be doing aswell... but I'd be fitting it myself although I understand others cant etc...

i used to do all mine, if i didnt have to purchase a special pully tool.

if i didnt have the special tool i wasnt falking out for one either just for single use. just let my mate put in his garage as they could source or hire a tool for the job and pay hime the cost of hire if he couldnt borrow one.

always have bought gates powertrain kits and aux belts and a firsline water pump had a querken urkel one that give up one me once after 14 months never used them again.