Help - timing belt off

[JBC27]

Just took car into Kwik fit for an MOT and it failed, minor bits, insufficiently supported rear exhaust, offside coil spring incomplete and lambda playing up. Wasn't too happy with this as kwikfit fit put the exhaust on about 2 yrs ago and I was under the car yesterday changing the oil and checking the cv joints etc.

Anyway took it off the forecourt and it was making a rattling sound but put this down to the unsuppoorted exhaust banging against something.

Got it home popped bonnect and the timing belt is off. See picture. Just rang kwikfit and they are insisting it's a cooincidence and that they don't touch the car mechanically during an MOT and didn't do anything to the timing belt. Had a long rant but they aren't willing to do anything other than see about putting it back on if I bring it down.

What do I do now? I'm assuming the 3 mile drive home will have royally screwed the engine and I don't think driving it to a garage is a good idea as it will only cause more damage (and certainly wouldn't take it back to kwikfit). I'm not skilled enough to do anything with the timing belt and don't have the tools anyway.

Is there any easy way of finding out how much damage has been done, getting the belt back on and what sort of sums are we talking about for fixing/replacing an engine (it's a 2000 plate x reg 1.4 8 valve clio sport).

 

[JackJack]

Is that not the aux belt it wouldn't run without the timing belt on.

 

[sideways danny]

1. That is the aux belt, not the timing belt. Not nearly so bad. about a 10-15 minute job to fit a new one (dont just pop the old one on, it's come off for a reason so find out why)

2. kwik-fit....really?

 

[Jonny1*2]

if you'd drove home in your 1.4 cliosport with the timing belt like that, it wouldn't have got home. lol. It might just be coincidental that it came off. Cold weather recently has a habit of messing with belts. They shouldn't have gone anywhere near that on MOT unless they are a dodgy garage trying to make more money.

 

[todd100]

i have exactly the same car same year and that, that is definitely the aux belt, had mine done in april and tightened before xmas, wont have done any damage to your engine, take it to the garage (non quickshit) and get it sorted, also find out why it has come off

 

[JBC27]

1 . Phew You've made my day, thank christ for that. So with a new Aux belt i don't need any special gear just the belt and looking at the haynes (whichj I should have looked at more carefully before panicking) should really get a proper garage to check the tension on it?

2. Yeah I know, not sure what I was thinking. Took it there last year after I'd serviced it and she flew through the MOT, thought the same would be true this year. So wrong.

 

[bmh.01]

Don't be thinking you can drive round forever with it like that btw, the alternators not being turned hence not charging the battery so once that drops below a voltage the ecu isn't happy with its game over until its sorted + a booster pack.

 

[keirravn]

you in newport as in fife? i can pop the belt on for you if so im in dundee.

also, dont ever go to kwik fit for an mot

 

[JBC27]

Cheers for all the responses. Right have been under the car and had a proper look now and one of the wheels the belt goes round has either sheered off or come out of it's mounting. Looking at the diags in the haynes manual it's the power steering pump

Have attached pics to show the "wheel" in two different positions and also a picture showing the relevant section of the haynes manual with the pen pointing at what is loose.

Anyone happen to have had this happen before or have any idea what it's going to cost to get this fixed. Just a ballpark would be handy so I know what I'm dealing with

 

[JBC27]

Newport Gwent unfortunately cheer for the offer though

 

[JBC27]

Re: Help - Aux drivebelt off and power steering wheel snapped

updating the title since it's not the timing belt

 

[bmh.01]

Has the shaft sheared/come away from the pump? Looks like its been leaking or has that come from the shaft? Replacement pump and new belt kit should see you ok.

 

[JBC27]

Hi

Not entirely sure to be honest. The pulley is completely loose and sideways danny suggested the screws may have vibrated loose from the pulley hence the pulley is just banging around in there. Like you say I'm assuming the best way to sort it is a new pump which will include the pulley. They seem pretty easy to come by on ebay. I'm not that clear on how it all fits together in there, from what i understand there are 2 belts one for the power steering and one for the alternator. Both seemed loose but if it's just the power steering pulley that's gone I don't see what effect that could have on the alternator belt.
The bugger of it is the MOT runs out on Saturday so I've no chance of getting it sorted myself before then so am gonna have to get the old girl off the road while I sort it (don't have a driveway though so that's an issue). The MOT it failed included a few other bits including the lambda giving odd readings so am going to need to order one of those too and swap the old one out and hope it was the sensor and not something up with the emissions. Mind you one of the comments on the mot was "engine is noisey" genius.

Not sure about leaking the mot does mention under advisory items that there is some seepage from the power steering pipes but I have to admit to doing the messyest oil change ever yesterday. Had the sump and filter loose before I even thought about a container and didn't have a funnel to hand when replacing the oil so there is oil all over the place which probably explains that, will need to give it a good clean and check etc though.

 

[Sean6545]

Its Part of MOT to check the security of the PAS pump! Ooops!

 

[bmh.01]

Should be a common aux belt driving both the alternator and pas pump. To get the pump off you remove the bolts holding the pulley to the pump shaft and then the bolts that hold the pump to the aux bracket are behind. Then disconnect the pump pressure union and return hose and it should be removable. Then refit a replacement pump and you're away.

 

[MicKPM]

2. kwik-fit....really?

You can't get better than a Kwik-fit fitter... apparently! LMGDAO

In a way you're very lucky its an older, bomb proof engine as the newer 16v engines wouldn't like this happening one bit!! I'm with Danny on this with the bolts coming loose allowing the pulley drive to fall away. Strange though how it goes to Kwik-fit and the wheel mysteriously comes off shortly afterwards. Was the engine was making the knocking noises before hand?

 

[JBC27]

Na not a peep out of the engine before hand was running a treat even in the cold weather. The prat at kwik fit was like oh there's insufficient support of the exhaust (which they fitted 18months ago) so I jumped in thnking I'd baz it home sort the problems out and bobs your uncle. Literally had moved 15 feet and I could hear this sort of dinking rattle which at first I thought was the car in front. Opened the window and realised it was me. Assumed it must be exhuast rattle from whatever they said was loose and drove it about 3 miles home. Realised when I turned the engine off it wasn't the exhaust as the rattle didn't match the sound of a loose exhaust when you turn it off, sounded more like someone had put a penny in a washing machine so popped the hood and the belt was all over the place. It was obviously the PAS pulley being clanked about I had been listening to.

Aye it is a bit of a cooincidence but to have got in there to loosen the screws to disconnect pulley would have been a fiddly job and as much as I distrust kwikfit I don't think they are sabotaging cars to that extent.

This will make you laugh mind, on the advisory items section they have noted "008 - Engine noisey" no clues as to what they mean by that, just noisey. I have stuck a k&n induction kit on there just because when i bought the car I was desperate to start fiddling about and it was a very simple job so obviously when you rev it it makes more noise than if the std air filter assembly was on there but other than that the engine is as sweet as a nut. I thought the advisory section was to draw your attention to items which if left could become problems like there is a bit of play in a wheel bearing or something so you can go away and take some remedial action. What the hell am I supposed to do with a comment like the engine is noisey, strap a pillow on it....

 

[MicKPM]

WTF, why did they advisory that - The technician was a qualified MOT tester yeah?

The image above shows new, young apprentices for K-F learning to use the cutting edge four wheel laser alignment equipment

 

[sideways danny]

You can't get thicker than a Kwik-fit fitter...

EFA

 

[ali1202]

where was the Kwik-fit garage?i know some off the renault engines have problems with idle (bearings) pullys failing causeing the belts to come off and usually the pully to come adrift.2min fix new belt and new idle pully alin key and 13mm socket or a spanner i think to adjust the tention!not to tight just so you can turn the belt sideway almost half way if you understand!get i sorted asap as said be four your batter will not be chargeing an you will prob have no power steering if this model has it.