ASV TDi Engine: Cambelt failure

[stan_deezy]

Need some help guys!!

ASV engine code, 110 TDi engine, cambelt, tensioners and water pump changed at 120k miles (2nd change).

That was six months ago, and 15k miles.

Yesterday the cambelt snapped :eek:

Car recovered to the specialist who did the original work and initially, on the phone, they said they were shocked and had never experienced this before........

When the car was finally delivered to them, on the back of an AA truck, the owner of the garage said this was a common fault and was down to a "pin" failing.

What pin is he talking about ?

Has anyone else heard of this happening before?

To say I'm angry is an understatement!

Won't know the full impact of the damage until later today but if it's too expensive it may well be the end of the car.

It's a 2002 model by the way.

[Tom_vRS]

Thats awful.

Did you have the waterpump done too? He may have meant the "impellor" failing is a common fault.

Sorry to hear it anyway fella, hope you get it fixed with limited damage to your wallet...

[stan_deezy]

Funny you should mention the water pump......................

They were specifically told to change the water pump as the coolant level had started to drop slowly and no trace of a leak could be found.

They said they'd done this and for the last five months the coolant level has been okay. In the last couple of days the coolant level had started to drop again......

I suspect that they swapped the o-ring on the water pump and the impellor has now failed, taking the timing belt with it!

It will be very interesting to see what they have to say when they contact us with the results of their investigations.............

[Dr Zoidberg]

Hello Stan. Good to see you back here but it's a shame about the car.

I've not heard of any mysterious pin snapping.

Obviously it's going to be in the garage's interests to say that it's not their fault so you may need to get the car looked at by an independent expert - something that the AA and RAC can help with if you are a member.

[KenONeill]

:iagree: - Stan's theory sounds plausible, and Alex's advice is sound, particularly in that case.

[stan_deezy]

Now thanks for that!! I hadn't thought about using the AA for that sort of thing, so that is a big help!

Yes, apologies for not being on so much recently, I took up a new project car and have been infesting their forum with questions instead

[stan_deezy]

Oh, and by the way, I've had a word with someone quite senior in VW who assures me that the mysterious pin could well be the crank pulley key that was upgraded and redesigned ages ago, long before the ASV engine was launched

[Tech1e]

Or the pin could be the securing part of the tensioner. There is a small tab which locates into the rear cover and cylinder head. This counterholds the back of the tensioner so it can be tightened, if this fails (which isnt uncommon) then the belt goes slack.

Usually if the impellor fails on the water pump the car just starts to overheat, doesnt usually cause the belt to come off as the front part of the pump stays intact.

[KenONeill]

Ross, you might know different, but I was wondering about a probably rare failure mode where the pump rotor came apart, jamming the pump, and causing the belt to jump.

[Niall]

I'm not a mechanic or owt but when I had my cambelt changed at 120k the tensioner was also changed as it wasn't looking too pretty, apparently.

Would need to dig out the invoice to say exactly what he changed in addition to the pump and the belt. May well be back with an edit......

Either way fingers crossed it can be fixed for not too much!

Niall

[Tom_vRS]

Ross, you might know different, but I was wondering about a probably rare failure mode where the pump rotor came apart, jamming the pump, and causing the belt to jump.

I thought exactly this was fairly common. Certainly is on zetec engines anyway.

[stan_deezy]

Well here's me eating a huge slice of 'umble pie and apologising for doubting the specialist

They have stripped the engine down and found that the adjustable tensioner had seized after only 15k miles :eek:

Damage done: basically scrap the head and replace everything with new!

The garage are happy that the car had covered 15k miles in six months as it goes some way towards proving it wasn't their fault and that a claim against the supplier will be successful.

I'm happy because they are replacing the head and all the previous parts with VAG parts.

I'm also happy that they have agreed to take my other ASV engined car in and replace the OE-spec timing belt and parts that they fitted a few months ago which had also come from the same supplier.

Lesson to be learned? When it comes to parts like this, buy from the dealer only!!

Thanks to everyone who advised, supported and commiserated on this one, really appreciated it

Ps, the repair will be in excess of

[stan_deezy]

Ross, you might know different, but I was wondering about a probably rare failure mode where the pump rotor came apart, jamming the pump, and causing the belt to jump.

Must admit that had been my thought too, especially as the coolant had started to drop again with no obvious signs of a leak.

I've asked that the water pump be replaced anyway: turns out they fitted a plastic impellor one

[Dr Zoidberg]

Well here's me eating a huge slice of 'umble pie and apologising for doubting the specialist

They have stripped the engine down and found that the adjustable tensioner had seized after only 15k miles :eek:

Damage done: basically scrap the head and replace everything with new!

The garage are happy that the car had covered 15k miles in six months as it goes some way towards proving it wasn't their fault and that a claim against the supplier will be successful.

I'm happy because they are replacing the head and all the previous parts with VAG parts.

I'm also happy that they have agreed to take my other ASV engined car in and replace the OE-spec timing belt and parts that they fitted a few months ago which had also come from the same supplier.

Lesson to be learned? When it comes to parts like this, buy from the dealer only!!

Thanks to everyone who advised, supported and commiserated on this one, really appreciated it

Ps, the repair will be in excess of

[Tom_vRS]

Nowt unreasonable about fitting a plastic impellored pump.

So the tensioner supplier is picking up the bill?

[stan_deezy]

The garage are doing all the work at absolutely no charge to myself.

It'll be passed back to the supplier as a warranty claim and I expect they'll pass it back to the manufacturer.

I'm just very. very glad that I didn't have to foot the bill myself

[Tom_vRS]

I'll bet! The garage is worthy of a recommendation for that alone!!

[stan_deezy]

Well I must admit, once the car is back in my hands and checked over I'll be happy to name them.

I won't be naming the supplier of the parts though as it is not their fault they were supplied from the manufacturer with a faulty tensioner.

I will, however, only be buying VAG parts from now on!

[Tech1e]

Ross, you might know different, but I was wondering about a probably rare failure mode where the pump rotor came apart, jamming the pump, and causing the belt to jump.

Although possible I've not seen it happen. The rotor usually just sits in the housing still while the pump shaft turns in the middle. There isnt really anything on the pump shaft to jam up against its just a spindle.

[KenONeill]

Although possible I've not seen it happen. The rotor usually just sits in the housing still while the pump shaft turns in the middle. There isnt really anything on the pump shaft to jam up against its just a spindle.

Cheers mate. I've encountered the "stripped splines" one, on a colleague's car, and impressed his garage by fingering the cause of his overheating diesel from the opposite end of the country!

What I had in mind was a lump coming off one side, leaving a D shape, and a wedge which might catch in the inlet or outlet connection.

[cheezemonkhai]

That I guess is an advantage of the plastic in that it would just break apart and cause the car to overheat quickly, giving time to turn off rather than just jam up and strip the belt.