Timing belt nonsense

quattro

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Staff member
Not a Rover thing, but I just had a stand up argument (paid for the full 30 minutes) with a muckanik who I've had a problem with.

He rebuilt my van engine (Peugeot Boxer Diesel) and it lasted 80 miles before slowly coming to a halt on the M18.

After six months of him looking at it on his ramp, I lost patience and went and got it. It appears the timing belt had been shredded. His opinion, now he has been threatened with legal action, is that we allowed it to overheat and it seized, thereby shredding the timing belt? I have pointed out that if the pistons/crank had seized, there would be nothing else turning to put enough pressure on the timing belt, to strip its teeth. I asked him in a slightly mocking tone if there enough inertia in the camshaft to do it, but he still insisted that this was the cause.

Am I missing something here?
 
Hi, Is there anything else driven by the timing belt, water pump, vacuum pump, power steering pump etc, that could have seized and put undue load on it? Or have you exceeded the 50 mile/ 1hr warranty period?

Colin
 
I believe the high pressure fuel pump, on the back of the cam is the culprit here, as it should be timed when reassembled. If it isn't it can cause premature wear on the cam and can even break the cam.

My point though, is that this muckanik is insistent that a seized piston which stops the crank, can strip the teeth on the belt?
 
I believe the high pressure fuel pump, on the back of the cam is the culprit here, as it should be timed when reassembled. If it isn't it can cause premature wear on the cam and can even break the cam.

My point though, is that this muckanik is insistent that a seized piston which stops the crank, can strip the teeth on the belt?
If the whole belt is shredded then I doubt the belt would be damaged by the cams. two reasons: [1] not enough inertial mass in cam shafts (Assuming DOHC) and pumps. [2] Crankshaft pulley would have twice the engagement causing only the part the camshaft pulleys engaging to strip. So very unlucky.

Also if seized due to over heating there would be evidence of it in coolant loss, oil contamination (if head gasket goes). I've had a few experoiences with dense mechanics over the years. Sounds like you have one there.
 
Hi, I don't think he's dense at all, he knows exactly where the fault lies. That's why he's muddying the waters by saying it's something else.

Colin
 
I believe the high pressure fuel pump, on the back of the cam is the culprit here, as it should be timed when reassembled.
Isn't it a common rail injection? Common rail pumps don't have to be timed, even if they are driven by the cambelt.
 
Isn't it a common rail injection? Common rail pumps don't have to be timed, even if they are driven by the cambelt.

Hmm, there are timing marks on the pump gear and its housing, there are instructions to time it supplied by peugeot with a warning about damaging the engine if it isn't done, and it is apparently the same pump as a Mondeo one -
 
Sounds like you've been royally screwed over. The problem is proving it.

I've certainly been there with so-called classic car experts, to the point where I was advised to just pay up and walk away, as proving that the person was a cockwomble in a court is virtually impossible.

You have to ask yourself is the cost of repair worth the cost of possibly losing a court case, and having to cover both yours and his costs?
 
Thanks, i wasn't aware of this. It certainly looks possible for this failure then.

Me neither, but Peugeot mentioned it when they fixed the damage.

Sounds like you've been royally screwed over. The problem is proving it.

I have threatened court action and he turned up at work today with a mate in tow, seemingly to intimidate me, hence the argument. I'm not easily intimidated though :cool: so we have now agreed to a reasonable settlement, without court action.

The reason for the post though is that he was so adamant about the engine seizing causing the belt to strip?
 
A seizing piston and the only sign is a shredded belt?

Surely if it was then there would be a lot of metallic noise and metal in the oil, also poor performance before the engine went bang.:hmm:

Sounds like a kak theory.

Glad you got it fixed elsewhere before the belt snapped.
 
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