Problem carrying out timing belt change

[agentz]

I had my car booked in at my local dealer for MOT and timing belt on Monday and got a phone call to say that there had been a problem getting the belt cover off and that a stud had been "threaded". I've just had a rant over in the dealer reviews section about them wanting to charge me £180 or more to repair the damage, but I'm curious whether anybody else has had a similar problem?

The message from the service manager relayed to me through the person on the service counter said "it's metal fatigue", and at one point they were telling me that if they couldn't fix it it would require the head to be replaced.

I think mine is the BKD engine but can't check right now as it's still at the dealers. Anybody else had a similar issue?

[Gregie]

Metal fatigue my arse. More like stupid apprentice and wrong spanner or similar. I wouldn't be paying a single penny more than the belt change they damaged it they fix it. Call SUK and complain to them if the dealer does not accept liability.

[booke23]

Head needing replaced!.....Only the lower belt covers are held on with (quite a few) bolts. The upper cover is just held on with clips. They could just drill it out and not bother replacing it.....the cover will stay on just the same with one bolt missing. 

 

Is it definitely a cover bolt that is stripped?

Edited 9 April, 2014 by booke23

[rwbaldwin]

I don't buy metal fatigue, but you do sometimes find problems cause by a previous change that add cost to a job. For example, I've seen a car where ever part removed at a previous change had been red-loctited back on.

The only stud that I can think of is the tensioner stud.

[agentz]

Phonecall this morning to say car is ready and they've "agreed to waive the additional cost", so I guess I'll find out more about exactly what went on shortly.

[TeflonTom]

How do you get metal fatigue in a casting?? Haa that's a new one on me.

[fordfan]

I would think tensioner stud as well.  Sometimes the threads pull when the stud is removed, such is the quality of some components.  A colleague did a belt on a Passat a while backin which the stud was replaced and everything torqued down to specification.  A week later we had to tow the car in as the tensioner stud had fatigued and broken.  It cost our parts supplier £5500 for a new engine.

 

We've done them in the past where we've had to drill the stud hole and tap it to take a stud which is over size at one end.