Skimping on servicing?

[GTO Scott]

Well don't.



This is the remains of a cambelt on a Mitsubishi GTO I bought last weekend. Now the previous owner was good enough to tell me that the car was due a cambelt change, so I planned to drive the car home and take it straight for a cambelt and water pump service at the specialist who looks after these.

I got within 20 miles of home when it lost all power and the engine stopped.

The water pump and idler pulleys had seized - the belt then shredded itself, wrapping the cam wheels, crank pulley and just about everything else in the region in melted rubber. The plastic covers got coated and damaged too.

Internally, all 24 valves were bent, and some (not sure how many yet) of the valve guides were damaged too.

I don't blame the previous owner, he was more than happy to drive the car so he had no idea of the impending meltdown.

If you're putting off a cambelt change, look hard at the picture above and picture your car at the side of the road, with your wallet trembling in fear.

Edited by GTO Scott on Friday 23 April 19:02

[Parrot of Doom]

At least when its done you'll have reclaimed some of the horses it'll have lost over the years...

[GTO Scott]

Thats my way of looking at it. At least the car will be properly sorted.

[Parrot of Doom]

Get the head polished while it's off

[Silent1]

Reminds me of a subaru liberty i had the pleasure of driving in OZ.

Fortunately it was a non interference head so when it snapped i fitted a new one and it gained about 100% more horsepower than it had on the old belt!

[redstu]

Frightening ! Is it recomended that the water pump is changed with the belt? Do you know what interval had gone between the changes? However this only shows one great benefit of a chain driven cam, I had a siezed water pump on a dolomite sprint many years ago and it stopped the car in it's tracks from about 25mph!

[nowheyman]

redstu said:

Is it recomended that the water pump is changed with the belt?

Definitely worth replacing the water pump, they are not expensive. I had one of the rubbish plastic impellers on my water pump, it failed, so I replaced the (15,000 mile) cambelt also, works both ways. Quite a big job to do yourself on so it’s worth it imo.
Do modern BMW's still have chains?

[Ricky_M]

My 116i did.

[BMWBen]

nowheyman said:

redstu said:

Is it recomended that the water pump is changed with the belt?

Definitely worth replacing the water pump, they are not expensive. I had one of the rubbish plastic impellers on my water pump, it failed, so I replaced the (15,000 mile) cambelt also, works both ways. Quite a big job to do yourself on so it’s worth it imo.
Do modern BMW's still have chains?

Yup, every single one.

[chris1roll]

Yes the golden rule -
Thy shalt change thy cambelt and tensioners immediately upon purchase!
I broke this rule once, as there was supposedly another 10k till it was due.
SNAP.
You were pretty unlucky to have it go on the way to get it done though!

I must admit I haven't changed my wifes yet, it was done the week before we bought it, but it was just the belt, not the idler/tensioner.....

[Welshbeef]

Only intend to own cam chain engine now such a saving and means only oil filters coolant brake fluid discs and pads that's all that needs changing

[Rich_W]

So tell me, when you were checking over this car prior to service. What did you think when you looked at the belt?

[mugs]

Perfect timing. Thanks for the warning and I shall heed it. It occurred to me just on friday that my car is now 4 years old, and although nowhere near the recommended mileage for a change, it's due age-wise. I had been considering putting it off as finances are particularly tight just now, but having seen this thread I'll get it booked in on monday. Cheers!

[Welshbeef]

One car I had previously needed it's cambelts changed when I bought it 7yeaes later and 80k more miles still not changed chekced the belt oftenand it looked fine no cracking at all. I guess the risk was tensioners.

That said with hindsight any scerario eith a car of some worth it's worth while changing the belts otherwise bangeromics run it until it breAks.
I will now only buy cam chain cars. Barely any more to buy andso much cheaper to run

[GTO Scott]

Rich_W said:

So tell me, when you were checking over this car prior to service. What did you think when you looked at the belt?

I believe my first response after getting the covers off and being met by melted rubber and bits of string wrapped around the cam wheels was 'bks.....'

I didn't check the condition of the belt when I bought the car - the plan was to drive it home and the next day book it in for a cambelt change.

[GTO Scott]

Welshbeef said:

One car I had previously needed it's cambelts changed when I bought it 7yeaes later and 80k more miles still not changed chekced the belt oftenand it looked fine no cracking at all. I guess the risk was tensioners.

That said with hindsight any scerario eith a car of some worth it's worth while changing the belts otherwise bangeromics run it until it breAks.
I will now only buy cam chain cars. Barely any more to buy andso much cheaper to run

It's not the belt you really have to worry about - it's more to do with the tensioners. When the idler, water pump or tensioner bearings fail, you probably wont have any warning, just a lot of smoke, loss of power and an engine that needs a top end rebuild at least.

[carreauchompeur]

That's extremely bad luck for it to happen on the way home. Sorry to hear that, but obviously as you say it's hardly the kind of problem you could forsee as a seller... golden opportunity for some major engine fettlage though

[Welshbeef]

carreauchompeur said:

That's extremely bad luck for it to happen on the way home. Sorry to hear that, but obviously as you say it's hardly the kind of problem you could forsee as a seller... golden opportunity for some major engine fettlage though

or depending on car value scrap/sell as spares.