Uh Oh! Cambelt issue

[barker22]

Hey guys, just after any sort of input regarding the car.would be nice. I believe the cambelt has decided to go its own way.

Scenario is, pulled out of a junction at about 12mph then the car just died and wouldn't start. No loud bangs, just cut out.
called the RAC and he came and had a look, we noticed the auxillary belt is still on, however the belt has literally been split down the middle. See photos below.

Is there any way I can access the cambelt to see if it is still actually on there, I imagine it won't be as the camshaft isn't turning when the engine is turned over when looking through the filler cap.
Any ideas how this would have happened. Some facts.
Car is on 96k
Cambelt done july 09 on 70k (so 15months to go until due)
aux belt done sep 12 on 89k (so 6/7months ago it was done)
both full genuine kits.

At the minute I am hoping perhaps that the aux belt split and took the cambelt, will I have any recourse with the garage who fitted it?
If not and the cambelt went first, is it likely it would have only taken half the aux belt.
I am hoping to get a garage to take a look soon but any input/ideas now would be appreiated.
Thanks

 

[Jonny1*2]

Assuming the belt was changed then that's bad luck mate. The belt must have been chaffing somewhere. Who changed it? Engine may be ok if it was turned off straight away although unlikely.

 

[Fred@BTM]

If it was genuine bits then they come with a 12month "fitted part" warranty, but that's assuming the garage know their arse from their elbow (not sure how Renault prove/disprove that part!)

Basically what happens is the car goes to the main dealer (whoever supplied the parts will tell you which dealer to send it to) and they strip it down and find the cause, now this is where it gets interestng..... "IF" its a part at fault they'll sort it no bother, "IF" its a fitting fault, they kindly say piss off and here's the bill for stripping it down, but the garage who did the work will be the ones who are responsible for all of the above

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

I can't see the garage who fitted it taking a hit four years later mate.

Is the cambelt still intact?

 

[DannyR]

If you jack the engine up and remove the top engine mount/cam belt cover you'll see the state of your belt.

Which garage did it? Local or a specialist? Was the tensioner replaced?

Edit: picture looks like the tensioner was replaced as its still fairly shiny.

 

[Filippo]

Who provides the 'fitted part' warranty Fred? Renault? How does that work 4 years down the line?

Lets hope the garage that fit it are decent enough!

 

[DannyR]

The aux belt looks all over the show aswell, half the pulleys its on the engine side and a couple its on the other side so something's gone a miss.

Need to know who did the work and if it was Renault or not?

 

[Fred@BTM]

Who provides the 'fitted part' warranty Fred? Renault? How does that work 4 years down the line?

Lets hope the garage that fit it are decent enough!

Yeah Renault, Aux kit was replaced 6/7months ago, if its fitted incorrectly or faulty (unlikley on both counts but possible) then he has a come back, if the PAS pump/AC pump/Alt is knackered then he has no chance

 

[barker22]

The cambelt was done in 09 and has never been an issue until now, car has always run sweet, it was done by a well respected specialist on here. So I don't doubt their workmanship.
Aux belt was done by a different garage in sep 12, albeit another garage that appears on here that does hundreds of rs's. Although I was led to believe any independent could tackle an aux belt.

 

[lemonnobby]

you can see bits of belt behind the crank pulley so i expect the timing has slipped.
its a hard one to pro under warranty who done the work etc?

edit the belt looks old to me and your sure the full kit was done. i bet the name of the place begins with n

 

[barker22]

If the cambelt is nowhere to be seen when I take the mount of tomorrow, is there any way to tell if the aux caused it by splitting and taking it out, or is it an 'on the chin' jobbie

 

[barker22]

Well there we go chaps, cambelt confirmed

Slight update on the facts as I was a bit out before, car has covered only 2588 miles since fitted full new aux kit.

​

 

[barker22]

I have found the other half of the aux belt!

It is well and truly wedged into the cambelt behind the crank pulley

My theory atm is that somehow the aux belt has sheared, worked its way into the bottom pulley, that has then basically locked up the bottom and as the top pulleys are trying to carry the belt over then it has snapped? It is going into renault next week so will find out eventually I would imagine.

 

[Fred@BTM]

i had one in today where the aux belt has been fitted 1 groove off on the crank (too far out) it had jumped 1 groove out on the PAS and started shreding the aux belt, luckily i took my brain with me to work today and i spotted it! It had been like that for a while!

Specialist breakers are in Accrington if you need an engine (will be a bit cheaper i think)

 

[barker22]

i had one in today where the aux belt has been fitted 1 groove off on the crank (too far out) it had jumped 1 groove out on the PAS and started shreding the aux belt, luckily i took my brain with me to work today and i spotted it! It had been like that for a while!

Specialist breakers are in Accrington if you need an engine (will be a bit cheaper i think)

Well it is going to renault next week to diagnose what actually went wrong, if the PAS did as your example above will I be covered if I had the PAS pump changed at the same time as the aux?
I guess I am just trying to hold onto some hope that perhaps I won't end up paying out.
​
What's the worst case scenario price wise if I had to go for an engine swap, I don't think I would be doing the belts(gulp) as I intend to get rid soon after, just my luck really as I was going to sell it last month.

 

[darrenclio172]

Come across this kit on ebay, genuine drive belt, idler and tensioner. Item number 190655682776

Would highly recommend changing them if you havent recently

 

[barker22]

Come across this kit on ebay, genuine drive belt, idler and tensioner. Item number 190655682776

Would highly recommend changing them if you havent recently

Erm, I think you are a bit late buddy. The kit was done only 2500miles ago and the belt has failed taking the cambelt with it.

 

[darrenclio172]

Its for the other people that havent had this problem......... yet. Was the kit you had fitted genuine ?

 

[barker22]

Its for the other people that haven't had this problem......... yet. Was the kit you had fitted genuine ?

Yep, all genuine renault parts.

 

[barker22]

Car diagnosed at Renault. Power steering pump cut through the belt due to incorrect fitting. The power steering pump was changed with the belt 2500 miles ago so the car is going back to the original garage to be fixed.
So an incorrectly fittted few hundred pound job has now turned into a full rebuild with new belt kits. Brilliant. Won't have a car for a few more weeks.

 

[jonnyrobert]

Which garage was it and are they honouring the repair

 

[Alastair.]

I was going to say i bet its incorrect fitting of the flange which has to be pressed onto the pas pump. Winner though, rebuild and new belts ftw.

 

[jenic]

Winner though, rebuild and new belts ftw.

Depends how you look at it, they fucked up last time, now they are doing a bigger job, will they do it correctly? Who knows.

 

[barker22]

I was going to say i bet its incorrect fitting of the flange which has to be pressed onto the pas pump. Winner though, rebuild and new belts ftw.

can you explain a bit more about this flange (ohh err) as I can't say I know much about the PAS fitment.

 

[barker22]

UPDATE!!

Car is back on the road, runs like a dream
New power steering pump and both belts
Car bent all 16 valves

The cost - FREE OF CHARGE

Power steering pump reconditioned incorrectly, the shaft was too long and caused the pulley to be out of line eventually cutting through the belt and taking out the cambelt.

 

[Spinksy]

UPDATE!!

Car is back on the road, runs like a dream
New power steering pump and both belts
Car bent all 16 valves

The cost - FREE OF CHARGE

Power steering pump reconditioned incorrectly, the shaft was too long and caused the pulley to be out of line eventually cutting through the belt and taking out the cambelt.

good news mate, Glad to hear it didn't cost you anything

and interested to know who the garage was? (fairplay to them for fixing it)