I think I have destroyed my cam belt.

[John Gordon]

So, fitted the KTR engine mounts this weekend. Been having a squeaky AUX belt for a while, so yesterday I decided to spray the belt with this anti squeak stuff. Got to work this morning and I noticed my engine was making a horrible sound like bits falling off it. Popped the bonnet open and there was bits of rubber all over the engine bay and bits of string hanging out the AUX belt.

The AUX belt is still in one piece just with said string hanging out of it. I had to restart the car to move it and as I did there was a grauncing sound like the starter motor sticking or a belt slipping, I am paranoid as feck now that this is my cam belt.

Is it worth driving slowly to the nearest garage or is it a tow only job?

 

[Dan519]

Number 1 cause of bent valves on an f4r. Stop now and take it apart

 

[Budgie]

Yeah, spraying anything on your aux belt is a massive no-no.

 

[John Gordon]

How about if i cut the AUX belt off. Should be ok to drive then right?

 

[DaveDreads]

You'll have no power steering, no power assisted brakes
and no water being pumped round your engine, so i'd say no.

 

[John Gordon]

Oh, I thought an AUX only did the power steering, alternator and AC.

Crap.

Guess my car is stuck at work then.

 

[Dan519]

As above. Its OK to move and run for a few minutes, but not to drive far

 

[John Gordon]

As above. Its OK to move and run for a few minutes, but not to drive far

Kwik fit is less than a mile away. Cut the AUX off and drive that far? like less than 2 mins drive?

 

[Dan519]

Yes that's OK. Kwik fit though?? Really?? Do you hate your car?

 

[Corby G]

Yes that's OK. Kwik fit though?? Really?? Do you hate your car?

If you can't get it delivered to a specialist and your only option is kwik fit take it there.

Don't listen to the bollox people tell you about them, remember it's the techy doing the job not the brand.

I've said my bit.

 

[John Gordon]

Yes that's OK. Kwik fit though?? Really?? Do you hate your car?

To fit an AUX belt! And it is kinda an emergency.

 

[John Gordon]

Fingers Crossed I may have been lucky, just nipped down for a quick smoke so had a look at the damage. Seems the belt is fraying on the non cambelt side so I am hoping nothing has come in contact with the cam belt.

 

[roland rat]

Do you have AA cover mate?

If so use them to take you to a garage of your choice as I wouldn't trust Kwik fit with washing my car let alone doing any work on it!

 

[mattjk]

The aux belt inst a hard job (particularly without AC since you dont have the gay tensioner, but irrelevant as you do) problem is kwik fit i doubt wont replace tensioner/pulleys etc.

maybe best get it towed by AA if you have cover to a renault specialist?

 

[Chip-mk1]

I wouldnt turn that engine over again with the belt in place.

As Dave says if you try and drive it without it then you are going to lose the use of your water pump which isnt good, (pas and alternator dont really matter for a short journey and your servo brakes are from the inlet so wont be effected, he is thinking of a diesel)


Did any of the spray go onto the cambelt?
If so change that as well!


The reason for the squealing in the first place was almost certainly your aux belt tensioner, so if you wanted to bodge it on the cheap you should have just taken that off and free'd it off, but belts on these engines are best treated properly!
Changing just the belt will almost certainly NOT fix it, if the tensioner is seizing (which Id be pretty sure it is if the belt was squealing) then you need to change that too.
Do the whole Aux kit as a minimum IMHO and if there is a chance any of that s**te got onto the cambelt then change that too!

 

[John Gordon]

What does that spray stuff do? I just assumed that it was a form of weak adhesive to stop the belt from slipping.

 

[Chip-mk1]

What does that spray stuff do? I just assumed that it was a form of weak adhesive to stop the belt from slipping.

I believe it attempts to soften hardened old rubber to make it grip better, but that is not really anything more than a guess as its not something I would ever use, especially as like I said in the context of the F4R the tensioner on the belt normally starts to seize and cause problems before the belt itself has degraded anyway so you are treating a symptom not the cause.

 

[John Gordon]

Ahh, I see. Well I purchased a Stanley knife, cut the belt off and drove to kwik bodge. Engine seems OK but did not rev it. New gates belt and tensioner bearing should be fitted by the end of the day.

 

[CuppyDean]

Ahh, I see. Well I purchased a Stanley knife, cut the belt off and drove to kwik bodge. Engine seems OK but did not rev it. New gates belt and tensioner bearing should be fitted by the end of the day.

Is kwik fit doing the job?

 

[Chip-mk1]

Is kwik fit doing the job?

Aux belt doesnt need timing up or anything, I see no reason why anyone who works as a mechanic would struggle with it TBH.
Its not like the cambelt.

 

[CuppyDean]

Aux belt doesnt need timing up or anything, I see no reason why anyone who works as a mechanic would struggle with it TBH.
Its not like the cambelt.

Key word there Chip was mechanic and kwik fit don't do them, they struggle to fit a tyre never mind an Aux kit

 

[Chip-mk1]

Key word there Chip was mechanic and kwik fit don't do them, they struggle to fit a tyre never mind an Aux kit

I know nothing of the quality of mechanics who work in the kwik-fit branch in amsterdam TBH mate so cant really comment directly on the OP's odds of getting a decent job, but Ive met plenty of people who are good mechanics and end up working places like kwik fit so I dont think its out of the question that a branch would have someone capable of doing a simple job like a clio Aux belt.
It really ISNT hard, although its also not a tyre fitters job but presumably the branch manager will be aware of the difference assign the task accordingly?

 

[John Gordon]

Key word there Chip was mechanic and kwik fit don't do them, they struggle to fit a tyre never mind an Aux kit

I trust these guys to fit an AUX belt. Nice bunch of lads to be honest, Been there several times with punctures and when I was having my car tracked every other week with the s**tty VMAXX coil overs.

Honestly a competent and very knowledgeable bunch of guys.

EDIT: in fact, to prove the point, I phoned this morning explaining my problem asking if they could try and fix it in the day... they said depending on parts availability.. When I actually turned up with the broken belt in hand before even looking at the car the mechanic said "tensioner". He was obviously correct.

Should not judge people so harshly with little to no facts.

 

[CuppyDean]

I know nothing of the quality of mechanics who work in the kwik-fit branch in amsterdam TBH mate so cant really comment directly on the OP's odds of getting a decent job, but Ive met plenty of people who are good mechanics and end up working places like kwik fit so I dont think its out of the question that a branch would have someone capable of doing a simple job like a clio Aux belt.
It really ISNT hard, although its also not a tyre fitters job but presumably the branch manager will be aware of the difference assign the task accordingly?

I don't know the ins and outs of how Kwik fit organise labour on cars so can't answer your question, all i was trying to point out was that they don't have the best reputation and i would be a little concerned about letting them do work on my car, i hope the OP gets all sorted thats the main thing

 

[Chip-mk1]

I trust these guys to fit an AUX belt. Nice bunch of lads to be honest, Been there several times with punctures and when I was having my car tracked every other week with the s**tty VMAXX coil overs.

Honestly a competent and very knowledgeable bunch of guys.

EDIT: in fact, to prove the point, I phoned this morning explaining my problem asking if they could try and fix it in the day... they said depending on parts availability.. When I actually turned up with the broken belt in hand before even looking at the car the mechanic said "tensioner". He was obviously correct.

Should not judge people so harshly with little to no facts.

Yeah the fact he was able to just straight off say its the tensioner certainly implies he is familiar with the nature of how they tend to fail.

There arent always loads of mechanic jobs going, and consequently the lower pay but relatively high job security of a job with a chain like kwikfit can be quite attractive even to a reasonably good mechanic if he needs work.

 

[John Gordon]

Should be fine. Fingers crossed my cam belt escaped the flailing aux belt

 

[Amos91]

I'd say tensioner too - but I wouldn't know where to start with changing it!

 

[John Gordon]

I'd say tensioner too - but I wouldn't know where to start with changing it!

On the Subject of tensioners.....

200 f**king Euro for a tensioner!

 

[Corby G]

Aux belt doesnt need timing up or anything, I see no reason why anyone who works as a mechanic would struggle with it TBH.
Its not like the cambelt.

/Close thread.

Amen.

 

[Chip-mk1]

On the Subject of tensioners.....

200 f**king Euro for a tensioner!

To buy and fit a complete kit with new tensioners and belt?
If so that doesnt sound too bad as over here its around 100 euros for a full genuine kit.

 

[Dan@SJM]

Yeh the tensioner on its own is extortionate. Get a kit, it's actually cheaper and includes a belt and idler.

 

[John Gordon]

Yeah, they originally ordered just the bearing and a belt... bearing would not fit and gates don't sell the right one. So had to order the complete tensioner. Talk about an ouch moment.

300+ Euro job.

 

[Chip-mk1]

As dan says, you need to change the belt, and the tensioner AND the idler pulley (the little pointless looking one at the bottom) as if that collapses it can also either detension or dislocate the belt.

Buy it in a complete kit from renault.

(I realise it might be too late for you but should help anyone who finds the thread while searching in the future)

 

[John Gordon]

As dan says, you need to change the belt, and the tensioner AND the idler pulley (the little pointless looking one at the bottom) as if that collapses it can also either detension or dislocate the belt.

Buy it in a complete kit from renault.

(I realise it might be too late for you but should help anyone who finds the thread while searching in the future)

Thanks for the even more depressing news captain hindsight

All this and I am still praying the cambelt's not damaged.

EDIT, just realized that the part they ordered was the idler, and they thought that was a repair kit for the tensioner. And there was me being nice to the Kwikfit boys, haha

 

[Chip-mk1]

Thanks for the even more depressing news captain hindsight

All this and I am still praying the cambelt's not damaged.

Ha ha, well if you will ask questions and then get the work done before waiting for the answers its your own fault.

 

[mikeh]

The last time I needed a tensioner, the tensioner was £100+ on its own, or it was £60 for the full kit (tensioner, belt and idler).

Its not a hard job, even kwikfit would struggle to **** it up.

Unless they try using a 3/8 extension bar to hold the tension instead of a proper square bar.

 

[Chip-mk1]

EDIT, just realized that the part they ordered was the idler, and they thought that was a repair kit for the tensioner. And there was me being nice to the Kwikfit boys, haha

FLOL!

Although to be fair if not familiar with the car I guess its not the most ridiculous thing to think, but the problem you had was the spring on the tensioner seizing not the tensioner itself seizing I would wager, so even if that was a repair kit for the bearing part of the tensioner it wouldnt have solved your problem!

 

[Chip-mk1]

The last time I needed a tensioner, the tensioner was £100+ on its own, or it was £60 for the full kit (tensioner, belt and idler).

Its not a hard job, even kwikfit would struggle to **** it up.

Unless they try using a 3/8 extension bar to hold the tension instead of a proper square bar.

Lots of people use a jubilee clip instead of the proper tool, works brilliantly and is hands free so means you dont have 1 had in the way of the other etc, some "bodges" clearly work better than the official method, lol.

 

[mikeh]

I learnt the hard way about the extension bar thing, so I have no choice but to use a jubilee

 

[Chip-mk1]

I learnt the hard way about the extension bar thing, so I have no choice but to use a jubilee

Well you have the choice of making or buying a proper tool, but I wasnt digging at you as I didnt know you did it that way.
Was just saying its common, in fact I normally do it that way myself!