Garage took 4 days to diagnose problem...bill?

GotToChange

rodenal wrote: »

All cars with cambelts have idlers/tensioners - these should be replaced when the belt is done. It is advised that the waterpump be replaced at the same time.

It is not hard to locate a noisy waterpump/tensioner and as such if they stripped once to replace waterpump then once again to replace a tensioner without asking / advising what parts you should replace I would be inclined to say I wouldn't be paying for the second strip and rebuild.

*meant to add what you're looking at in the pictures is the cambelt area of the car - the broken plastic is an idler that has totally failed, the waterpump is located here too - you need to strip everything you can see in terms of belts and runners to work on the waterpump on most vags as it is belt driven.

I'm getting [STRIKE]even more[/STRIKE] so confused...
Does a tensioner = idler?
Is there more than one?
What kind of bearing could they be referring to when I am told that it is water pump (which they discounted last week - after trying, i.e. fitting/taking off again) AND and a bearing?

So, do you think I should query - IF I am given it in any kind of itemised form -the fact that they did the whole stripping/rebuilding thing more than once....?

(Sigh.
I need a man on this. I really do think they see me coming.)

mcjordi

normally theres 2 pulleys with a cambelt.. tensioner - does exactly that. keeps the tension on the belt. the idler makes sure the belt runs true.

oh and its common to have the w/p done at the same time as the belt..

DELLBOY_2

WE NORMALLY RECOMEND A FULL CAMBELT KIT IE TENSIONERS BELT AND IDLERS AND SUGEST A WATER PUMP AT THE SAME TIME , THE EXTRA LABOUR IS MINIMUL .
As for noise diagnostics it can be a nightmare and having worked in main dealers the normal action would be to replace everything in that area at the customers expense ...
What car is it ?

mcjordi

yeah thats why i had it all done on my xsara.. luckily for me tho my mate is a citroen trained mechanic.. charged me less than an hours labour £30. i had to get the bits.. but cambelt kit and pump done for under 100quid