Help - Cambelt failure!!

[AlanHod]

Right,

My car is a 54 plate Clio182 thats currently on 52500miles. The alt/accesory belt was replaced at 36k as per the service guide by a Renualt dealer, this was done on 19/11/2007. The cambelt was replaced at 46,038miles on 3/04/2009 by a vat reg. independent dealer. Now, on the way to work this morning the cambelt failed. I called the RAC out and he said within 15 secs of looking under the bonnet that the alt belt tensioner was failing which caused fraying etc which in turn has lead to the cambelt failing. I don't know what levels of damage have been done to the engine as I had the car towed back home.

Do you think I have a case with Renault as they did the initial belt replacement? I'm going to my local dealer tomorrow to see what they have to say armed with the service book, cambelt replacement invoice and the RAC engineers report stating the altbelt tensioner failure.

Has anyone had a simlar problem and got any compensation etc?

thanks

 

[mini-valver]

I dont think you'll have much luck as you only replaced the belt. I'm not sure what the Renault service manual states as to wether they say the belt alone should be replaced or the whole kit.

Good luck anyway.

 

[jim cook]

Does the cambelts come in kit form only on the clio's ?? If so you should have a case are parts guaranteed for a year ????

If a belt was just replaced probably not

feel sorry for you

 

[AlanHod]

I dont think you'll have much luck as you only replaced the belt. I'm not sure what the Renault service manual states as to wether they say the belt alone should be replaced or the whole kit.

Good luck anyway.

It says belt with tensioners in the service guide so guessing its as a kit.

 

[AlanHod]

Does the cambelts come in kit form only on the clio's ?? If so you should have a case are parts guaranteed for a year ????

If a belt was just replaced probably not

feel sorry for you

The invoice states cambelt kit in the parts breakdown.

 

[mini-valver]

Thought as much. Did you have the KIT changed or just the belt? Were you advosed at the time to have a kit fitted if you didn't ask for it?

 

[sideways danny]

Aux belt should have been replaced again at the time the cambelt was done so the earlier aux belt change is insignificant. No idea what will have caused it without actually seeing the car, but i have seen it happen before. Likely the tensioner is seized so the belt became slack and wandered across one of the other pulleys and sliced it

 

[Daniel]

I'm a little confused...

Was the Aux belt tensioner replaced by Renault or did they do just the Aux belt??

 

[sideways danny]

I'm a little confused...

Was the Aux belt tensioner replaced by Renault or did they do just the Aux belt??

shouldn't matter a f**k, it's been apart since they had it and worked on by someone else

 

[AlanHod]

Thought as much. Did you have the KIT changed or just the belt? Were you advosed at the time to have a kit fitted if you didn't ask for it?

It was done previous to me owning the car but is clearly noted in the service history book that the belt had been changed and its with a Renault stamp.

 

[jaysjetski]

i think you will not get anything either as they say to change the aux belt kit(including tensioners) every 36k or 2 years(which ever comes sooner) yours has unfortunally gone after 2 years and 3 months.

sorry to here your bad luck.

 

[Daniel]

shouldn't matter a f**k, it's been apart since they had it and worked on by someone else

You're right i'm wrong. Reading fail on my part.

 

[maynard]

I'm a little confused...

Was the Aux belt tensioner replaced by Renault or did they do just the Aux belt??

Sounds like they just changed the aux belt and then later on the full cambelt kit. If that's the case then possible cause of the problem is aux tensioner failure as this may have not been replaced.

 

[Daniel]

i think you will not get anything either as they say to change the aux belt every 36k or 2 years(which ever comes sooner) yours has unfortunally gone after 2 years and 3 months.

sorry to here your bad luck.

Parts are only covered by a 12 month guarantee anyway aren't they??

 

[maynard]

Yeah it's 12 months.

 

[AlanHod]

i think you will not get anything either as they say to change the aux belt every 36k or 2 years(which ever comes sooner) yours has unfortunally gone after 2 years and 3 months.

sorry to here your bad luck.

The manual says every 36k or 5 years for the belt.

 

[jaysjetski]

The manual says every 36k or 5 years for the belt.

they changed it. 2 years or 36k for aux belt (kit)

72k or 5 years for cambelt(kit)

 

[Beef-Mc]

To replace the cambelt, the aux belt has to be removed as well, likely to have removed aux belt, fitted new cambelt then refitted the aux belt which is not recommnded.

 

[AlanHod]

they changed it. 2 years or 36k for aux belt (kit)

72k or 5 years for cambelt(kit)

How the hell are you spposed to find out these things when the car is brought 2nd hand?!?

 

[mini-valver]

I'm assuming the aux belt was done AGAIN, along with the cambelt here BTW. If not, you're well into the shitty bit of the creek.

 

[sideways danny]

they changed it. 2 years or 36k for aux belt (kit)

3 years

 

[maynard]

3 years

so to clear this up, what's the new belt change times and why have they changed?

aux belt - 3 years / 36k miles

cam belt - 5 years / 72 k miles

is this correct?

 

[Alastair.]

doh, unlucky, renault will tell you where to go as the belt has been off again since they fitted it

 

[AlanHod]

doh, unlucky, renault will tell you where to go as the belt has been off again since they fitted it

But what about the garage that fitted the cambelt last april?

 

[Daniel]

But what about the garage that fitted the cambelt last april?

If they were only asked to replace the cambelt kit, then you don't have a leg to stand on unfortunately.

 

[AlanHod]

If they were only asked to replace the cambelt kit, then you don't have a leg to stand on unfortunately.

Thats what i was thinking!!

 

[sideways danny]

so to clear this up, what's the new belt change times and why have they changed?

aux belt - 3 years / 36k miles

cam belt - 5 years / 72 k miles

is this correct?

That's what i work on. although i like to do the cambelt a little earlier if possible

 

[maynard]

That's what i work on. although i like to do the cambelt a little earlier if possible

When you do it, do you change the aux tensioner with the belt at the same time too?

 

[sideways danny]

few variables for that, but mostly yes

 

[iimushroomzii]

How the hell are you spposed to find out these things when the car is brought 2nd hand?!?

bought! FFS!!!!! :approve:

 

[maynard]

few variables for that, but mostly yes

Maybe on it's second belt change or something like that?

 

[sideways danny]

Maybe on it's second belt change or something like that?

say for example it's had a full aux kit 18 months and 10k ago and it's all perfect and i went to do the cambelt, I'd happily just put a new aux belt on if the pulleys are all smooth and quiet, and the tensioner is free moving

 

[maynard]

say for example it's had a full aux kit 18 months and 10k ago and it's all perfect and i went to do the cambelt, I'd happily just put a new aux belt on if the pulleys are all smooth and quiet, and the tensioner is free moving

Fair enough!

 

[AlanHod]

Has anyone had a cambelt fail on a f4r engine? If so, how much did it cost to fix?

 

[Daniel]

Has anyone had a cambelt fail on a f4r engine? If so, how much did it cost to fix?

I know an old member (No longer on here) had his rebuilt to the tune of £1200.

It all depends on how much damage has been done.

 

[AlanHod]

I know an old member (No longer on here) had his rebuilt to the tune of £1200.

It all depends on how much damage has been done.

I know the damage has to be assessed first, was just after an idea before I get some quotes.

 

[sideways danny]

Has anyone had a cambelt fail on a f4r engine? If so, how much did it cost to fix?

if it's just valve damage it should be fixable for around £800-900 inclusive. If the head or other parts are damaged, it'll be more

That's including new belt kits

 

[Daniel]

I know my mates Megane 1.6 16v cambelt snapped and it dod absolutely no damage whatsoever!

Fitted new belt, off he went! lol.

 

[AlanHod]

I know my mates Megane 1.6 16v cambelt snapped and it dod absolutely no damage whatsoever!

Fitted new belt, off he went! lol.

Lucky bas.....

 

[sideways danny]

I know my mates Megane 1.6 16v cambelt snapped and it dod absolutely no damage whatsoever!

Fitted new belt, off he went! lol.

very lucky indeed, they're worse for spectacular failures than the F4R