Engine destroyed . . . help and advice needed please

[B6277]

Please bear with me, I'm at my wits end and desperately need help. The car is a Clio 182 Cup btw.

HISTORY
Had all the belts/kits, tensioners and dephaser changed by a main dealer 15 months ago plus a full service (mileage 50k). Since then the car has only done 9500 miles and recently had a further oil and filter change by a Renault specialist. Car running like a dream.

PROBLEM
Last Friday, pulled out to overtake another car on the motorway, dropped to four gear and when under load the engine made a bbrrrrrr noise and cut out. Coasted to a stop and then wouldn't start. No smoke and no oil. RAC thought the timing belt had slipped and caused a lot of damage but engine would need stripping to be sure. Recovered to main dealer who have stripped it and found that a valve has snapped, one of the spark plugs is badly damaged and two of the pistons are also knackered. They have stated that the timing belt had moved two teeth but was still tight, the tensioner was as it should be and none of the belts had any signs of damage or marking to them. As a result they don't think the timing belt was the initial cause of the destruction and the fact it has moved two teeth was simply down to the engine eating itself! They also said that if the belts were not fitted correctly the problems would have occurred before now.

Does this sound possible or are they trying to avoid taking responsiblity?

Any help/advice would be most appreciated, as presently my car is effectively worthless.

 

[The Boosh!]

Your first point of call should be Renault Customer Relations mate.

 

[Gt rob]

+1

 

[Alastair.]

15months ago, out of warranty my friend

 

[The Boosh!]

15months ago, out of warranty my friend

Goodwill...

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

4th gear or 2nd gear ?!

Good luck...

I'd be sourcing a new engine and taking it to all in a box to Fred, TBQFH.

 

[Gt rob]

now get yourself a meg F4RT lump in there

 

[Fred@BTM]

one of my customers is selling a mint 182 lump, i did the belts, dephaser etc on it few weeks ago, then the car hard a heavy rear end shunt, think he wants £800

 

[B6277]

one of my customers is selling a mint 182 lump, i did the belts, dephaser etc on it few weeks ago, then the car hard a heavy rear end shunt, think he wants £800

Fred is this customer of yours on the forum?

Are you able to offer any opinion on whether the the belt slipping is likely to have been cause or effect?

 

[James105]

My gut instinct would be to say the timing belt slipping was an effect.

I could be wrong but i would possibly say that the engine dropped a valve which caused the timing belt to slip a couple of teeth.

 

[Fred@BTM]

Theoretically speaking if it was going to slip it would've done long ago, without seeing the engine/damage i couldn't really say

sounds odd that they say "the timing belt has moved 2 teeth" - erm how do they measure that exactly??? - answer is you can't


i'd want to know how tight the inlet, exhaust and cracnk pulleys were, also ask for the crank pulley bolt off your engine, another cause could be from them reusing the bolt (needs to be measured)

I think you will struggle to get anything out of renault unfortunatley!