Discussion
Driving home yesterday in my Berlingo 1.9 diesel van and pulling on the motorway when there was a sudden hissing sort of noise for a split second.
After this the engine management light came on but I kept driving as there was no noise fumes etc and all looked reasonably ok. The warning light then went off.
In the middle lane of the motorway when suddenly everything cut out, no throttle, nothing at all. Got it to the hard shoulder and van would not turn over at all.
Took it to garage this morning and cam belt has gone...sounds expensive!!
Have not heard the news from the garage as yet but is it likely to have totally destroyed the engine or could I be lucky? At the garage this morning when you turned the key it would turn over but obviously would not start.
Anyone had similar experiences or any thoughts would be appreciated.
After this the engine management light came on but I kept driving as there was no noise fumes etc and all looked reasonably ok. The warning light then went off.
In the middle lane of the motorway when suddenly everything cut out, no throttle, nothing at all. Got it to the hard shoulder and van would not turn over at all.
Took it to garage this morning and cam belt has gone...sounds expensive!!
Have not heard the news from the garage as yet but is it likely to have totally destroyed the engine or could I be lucky? At the garage this morning when you turned the key it would turn over but obviously would not start.
Anyone had similar experiences or any thoughts would be appreciated.
Sorry to hear that. I've not had any experience (luckily) but as a general rule, the cam belt letting go is a "game-over" moment.
The valves stay fixed in their position but the pistons keep on moving so you end up bending your valves and doing the piston crowns no favours. You’re probably best off looking for a second hand engine and dropping that in. Look in the right places and you should be able to fix it fairly cheaply as these things go.
Some engines are more resilient than others so you may be okay (certain engine designs or if the belt didn’t completely snap) but if the belt has snapped generally the engine is going to be in a bit of a mess. Sorry.
The valves stay fixed in their position but the pistons keep on moving so you end up bending your valves and doing the piston crowns no favours. You’re probably best off looking for a second hand engine and dropping that in. Look in the right places and you should be able to fix it fairly cheaply as these things go.
Some engines are more resilient than others so you may be okay (certain engine designs or if the belt didn’t completely snap) but if the belt has snapped generally the engine is going to be in a bit of a mess. Sorry.
All depends if the swept area of the valves overlaps with the swept area of the pistons.
If not = fair chance of 'getting away with it' (i.e. small-ISH bill).
If overlap = strong chance of buggeration to valves and possibly pistons, possibly more. = New engine please!
No idea if the PSA diesel is the former or the latter though...I'd suspect the latter as diesels are high-compression. Sorry...
If not = fair chance of 'getting away with it' (i.e. small-ISH bill).
If overlap = strong chance of buggeration to valves and possibly pistons, possibly more. = New engine please!
No idea if the PSA diesel is the former or the latter though...I'd suspect the latter as diesels are high-compression. Sorry...
havoc said:
All depends if the swept area of the valves overlaps with the swept area of the pistons.
If not = fair chance of 'getting away with it' (i.e. small-ISH bill).
...
I've had this happen twice to me in the past, once in a Volvo and once in a Vauxhall...both times the only damage was the broken belt itself....(both were a long time ago though)If not = fair chance of 'getting away with it' (i.e. small-ISH bill).
...
I dont understand how a belt can have "not totaly broken"
Either it broke, or it didnt!
We had a cambelt break on one of our work berlingos and it cost 1200 to fix the damage. Mechanics told us that the Alternator belt broke and wrapped around the bottom pulley, which then broke the cambelt.. damaging the head. Out van had done less than 30k miles.
Either it broke, or it didnt!
We had a cambelt break on one of our work berlingos and it cost 1200 to fix the damage. Mechanics told us that the Alternator belt broke and wrapped around the bottom pulley, which then broke the cambelt.. damaging the head. Out van had done less than 30k miles.
leothetiler said:
Its a 2004, the problem with contacting citroen is although it has always been regularly serviced, it has not been at a main dealer for the last few years.
I dont know if this would give citroen the opportunity to get out of paying towards the repairs.
If it has just dropped out of warranty I'd give it a go with citroen. Taking your servcing out of the network weakens your position, but worth a go. Nowt to lose. I dont know if this would give citroen the opportunity to get out of paying towards the repairs.
I used to work at a Pug dealer, there will be some conciderable damage as the tolerances are very tight.
Cambelts can lose teeth if water pumps or bottom pully's etc tighten up.
Also you might be s
t out with Clit-oren as the intervals are 60k OR 2 years which ever come first.
HTH
Monkey Man
Cambelts can lose teeth if water pumps or bottom pully's etc tighten up.
Also you might be s
t out with Clit-oren as the intervals are 60k OR 2 years which ever come first.HTH
Monkey Man
If you're the first owner, I'd expect Citroen to pick up the tab for that. If its got a wonky SH, I'd still expect a good will gesture off them if not the total repair value.
If they're messing you around, take it to VOSA - they've got a manufacturing defect arm to them, currently looking at the DMF on my Mondeo
If they're messing you around, take it to VOSA - they've got a manufacturing defect arm to them, currently looking at the DMF on my Mondeo
Holst said:
I dont understand how a belt can have "not totaly broken"
Either it broke, or it didnt!
We had a cambelt break on one of our work berlingos and it cost 1200 to fix the damage. Mechanics told us that the Alternator belt broke and wrapped around the bottom pulley, which then broke the cambelt.. damaging the head. Out van had done less than 30k miles.
cam belts rarely "break" they tend to looses teeth, this is why a visual inspection on the car cannot determine its condition. For a belt to snap it usually takes excessive tension, due to possibly the failure of one or more of the other pulleys/tensioners or through the ingress of a foriegn body, like a stone or similar.Either it broke, or it didnt!
We had a cambelt break on one of our work berlingos and it cost 1200 to fix the damage. Mechanics told us that the Alternator belt broke and wrapped around the bottom pulley, which then broke the cambelt.. damaging the head. Out van had done less than 30k miles.
Very few modern engines are considered "non interference" or "safe" engines and I always recommend changing a belt sooner rather than later to friends and customers alike. I always fit a new cam belt when i buy a car(if it has one) and change it more frequently than the manufacturers recommendations, I certainly wouldn't trust one beyond two years any way. As a side note, when buying a year old car for my G/F a few years ago, i demmanded a new cam belt and full service on the car despite it being several thousand miles away from its due date, I insisted it was noted on the paper work, needless to say the belt failed and kind old Henry footed the bill for a new engine after the threat of legal action!
About 15 years ago the father-in-law had a cam belt go on his Toyota Camry!
BUT, apparently (or so he was told) these cars have some device that prevents any other damage!
So he paid for a new belt and was back on his way.
Is this a yarn he was spun or the truth?
BUT, apparently (or so he was told) these cars have some device that prevents any other damage!
So he paid for a new belt and was back on his way.
Is this a yarn he was spun or the truth?
Edited by Fastra on Sunday 16th March 19:12
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