Cam belt question

bridiej

Driving home from picking some work up, huge bang, screech, car stopped dead, all the warning lights on and a horrible burning smell.

Cutting a long story short the RAC man said it's the cam belt tensioners and is probably terminal.

I had the cam belt changed January 2004 - is it under any sort of guarantee or is that long since expired?

Gutted, loved my Tigra....

BobToo

I don't think you have much chance of making a warranty claim, although it should have lasted longer.

Cam belt failure isn't terminal on all engines, some engines are "non interference", which means that the valves and pistons can never meet, even if the timing belt breaks. Unfortunately the big bang suggests that your engine is an interference one. Mechanics have databooks that tell them which engines are in which category.

Assuming that your engine is damaged I would recommend buying a replacement unit. It's possible to rebuild the existing one but it would cost nearly as much and I don't think an engine is ever the same again after a trauma like that. Needless to say you should have a new belt and tensioners fitted to the new engine before it goes in.

An engine needn't be expensive. I'm not 100% sure but I expect that the same engine can be found under the bonnet of more mundane Vauxhalls like the Corsa and Astra, there's no shortage of those in scrapyards.

Good luck with it all.

paul_h

Was it replaced by a main dealer at the scheduled time/mileage? If so, then you need a visit back to the dealer to complain. If you persist with a complaint they will sometimes make a contribution to the cost of repair.

If it was replaced by an independent garage, it is often more difficult to get any recompense, but have a chat with them first.

In any case, if you wish to pursue the matter, you may need an independent engineer's report (RAC?) detailing the cause of the cam belt failure.

Due to known defects with the tensioners fitted to many Vauxhall engines seizing, the main dealers also fit replacement tensioners at the time they fit cam belts, depending on which engine is fitted. Note that independent garages do not always fit them.

bridiej

Not a main dealer, an independant but had it done just after 65000 miles.

Ah well, if it's too expensive not worth doing, car only worth about £1500 and just advertised it today to sell!!!!

mr_accountant

Have you gone to https://www.honestjohn.co.uk and car by car breakdown, if not have a look at the link below, basically it states the timing belt AND tensioner should be changed every 40000 miles not the 80000 stated originally. Also it appears there was a recall for the idler pulleys that should be changed on 1993 to 1997 cars, was this done? If not you 'may' have a case against Vauxhall, although i think they will try to deny all responsibility. Also the garage who changed you timing belt will probably also try to deny all responsibility. Although being 18months from the date of change suggests it may not be the belt, but the tensioner or idler pulleys. Looks like tensioner is a weak part on this car, was this changed?

This is the problem with garages it is difficult to prove any incompetence. Personally I think you are stuck between a rock and hard place, sorry.


http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/index.php?url=/carbycar/index.htm

bridiej

Thanks Mr_a. Not sure whether it was recalled, although the car is a 1996 model but I've only had it the last 4 years.

Will wait and see what the garage says, he is a decent bloke so who knows.....

I just thank my lucky stars really that it hadnt happened 30 seconds later when I'd have been on the M20 motorway!

chrisw

It's unlikely to be cheap whichever way, but you won't really know how much until someone's had a look. You may have got away with a couple of bent valves which shouldn't be too bad, or damaged head, block, pistons, etc in which case a replacement engine is probably the cheapest option.

vansboy

A couple of things...

You really need to persue the garage that changed the belt.

If they did EVERYTHING correctly, they'll have some come back against the supplier of the components (assuming it was a FULL belt/pully kit).

If you're not into doing this, after you've checked prices of 'used' engines, get your garage to ask Vauxhall about the Trade Club offers. This is a scheme run by Vauxhall, which lets garages buy GENUINE parts at verrrrrry good prices & currently they are doing some excellent deals on NEW engines.

If you think about what the car is worth now, compared to it's value fixed, assuming you keep it another couple of years, this investment might just be worthwhile!!

Let me know precise model/engine size/year & I'll confirm the price for you.

VB
VB

bridiej

Right, the update is whole new engine required!

Apparently something broke (sorry, not good with technical things, I am a bird who drove a Tigra after all!) and caused the cam belt to come into contact with something hot which melted it. Severe damage caused and needs new engine.

Only option was either give to garage as payment of their time in investigating or sell spare or repair, and given the short time frame in which to sell it have given it to the garage. We've just got so much else to sort out really couldnt do with the hassle of it. The bodywork needed some TLC (it was red and all different shades as time has gone on) so really not worth a great deal.

VB: thanks for your offer, but I had only just put it in adtrader the night before to sell it.

Still, a sad day for me

Joe_Bloggs

It was not the cam belt that broke but rather an engine/cylinder head seizure . Cambelts are glass fibre reinforced polymer .The cambelt manages the timing of the pistons versus the motion of the valves. Often when the belt snaps the pistons whack the valves that are open. A cylinder head overhaul is the minimum diagnostic call. It might be more economic to change the whole engine given some models and extortionate garage mechanic rates. I'd rather do it my self.
J_B.

ohreally

You have my sympathy. Similar happened to my Vectra,a siezed water pump bearing resulted in 10 valves being kissed by the rising pistons. Even though i'm 'lucky' to have the ability to repair the damage myself it was still rather costly as once the cylinder head was removed i sent it off to be pressure tested and have the valve guides checked.
Was the damage to your engine greater than a cyl head?