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Lucky escape - Belts
#1384212
11/10/2012 21:56
11/10/2012 21:56
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,179 Sheffield
X19_pilot
OP
Enjoying the ride
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OP
Enjoying the ride
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,179
Sheffield
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I have been very lucky tonight and I thought I should share my experience by way of a warning to others not to do as I so foolishly did.
I left work in fading light and as I pulled out of the underground carpark, I noticed the battery light had not gone out as per usual after startup. I jumped out, popped the bonnet and in the poor light I couldnt see anything amiss, and put it down to a possible dying alternator.
In hindsight what I did next was somewhat foolish, after reading all the advice on here... I decided to make a run for home with daylight just about OK for sidelights initially and the heaters/radio etc switched off, the volts reading 7-9 - lower once dipped beam was needed.
I got home and parked her under a decent light in a garage to find the alternator/aircon aux belt (the double sided one) had come off the lower pulley I think, still intact but somewhat loose with an 8 inch outer sliver of the outer edge of the belt missing. I have no idea as to how this has happened, I think it must have occurred on start up this evening??? The Cam belt was changed about 2 and a half years ago, and the aux belts were done just over a year ago with a good few thousand miles done since.
It is getting towed to a specialist over the weekend for a full set of belts and a once over to be on the safe side.
Whilst I dont want to start scare mongering, I just want to stress the importance of checking the condition of your belts and if the battery light doesnt go out, stop and check things over properly. I consider myself lucky not to be staring at a bill for a top end rebuild through my own stupidity of not properly checking something that should have been imprinted by now!
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts
[Re: X19_pilot]
#1384225
11/10/2012 22:44
11/10/2012 22:44
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Turboman87
Unregistered
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Turboman87
Unregistered
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I'm happy for you nothing snapped.
I think that for all Coupe's the belts are quite a weak point. So I will check regular.
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts
[Re: X19_pilot]
#1384238
11/10/2012 23:08
11/10/2012 23:08
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johnnybravoturbo
Unregistered
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johnnybravoturbo
Unregistered
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Very lucky John. And you were just saying at the agm how reliable it had been over the last year. First time I have known the Aircon belt to fail and not take out the engine.
Be keen to see what's caused this when I see it on Monday.
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts
[Re: X19_pilot]
#1384243
11/10/2012 23:39
11/10/2012 23:39
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,179 Sheffield
X19_pilot
OP
Enjoying the ride
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OP
Enjoying the ride
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,179
Sheffield
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I have no idea what or how it happened, I do know that I have done a bit of motorway driving over the last couple of days, if it had gone then... Just thankful it happened (I think) on start up this evening and then lowish revs all the way home... all 8 miles of it I had a pull on the belt in order to try and see for myself how/what happened, thats how I found the missing sliver. I expected to pull out a broken belt, but it just seems to have jumped off a pulley??? God knows how I got away with it. In fairness, she has been faultless over the last year, so I cant complain too much! I have jinxed it even more now havent I?
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts
[Re: Theresa]
#1384278
12/10/2012 09:06
12/10/2012 09:06
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johnnybravoturbo
Unregistered
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johnnybravoturbo
Unregistered
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Very lucky indeed Gwar
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts
[Re: X19_pilot]
#1384279
12/10/2012 09:06
12/10/2012 09:06
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Big_Muzzie
Unregistered
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Big_Muzzie
Unregistered
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does a tensioner look to have failed? Any noisey running from the belts area prior / bearing noise?
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts
[Re: X19_pilot]
#1384293
12/10/2012 09:33
12/10/2012 09:33
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Nobby
Unregistered
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Nobby
Unregistered
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Perhaps we should do a survey of ever belt failure to see if we can find out whats happening.
- Belt age - Tensioners/idlers age - Snapped, frayed, perished - Previous history of belt problems - Engine modified (to xxx bhp) - Model belts fitted - What were you doing when it went (full power launch, slowing, turning steering) - Undertray fitted? - etc..
Does anyone remember years ago on 5th gear VbH was driving a Aston Martin (vanquish?) and everytime she tried to do a doughnut a belt would come off. AM flew in on a helicopter to fix it. -
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts
[Re: X19_pilot]
#1384319
12/10/2012 11:14
12/10/2012 11:14
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Nello
Unregistered
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Nello
Unregistered
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Glad you got away with it X19 - Its a little worrying reading how many similar stories to this there are on the forum recently. Is there something amiss here? I tried to settle myself a while ago for the first post or two thinking a pulley alignment issue perhaps but theres so many more stories like this occurring? Even when the belts are only a year or two old.... My aux belts are done every other year but I'm thinking now it may be time for a JBT modified pulley next time.......
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts
[Re: kaci]
#1384341
12/10/2012 12:45
12/10/2012 12:45
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proccy
Unregistered
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proccy
Unregistered
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You're a lucky boy, ginge, and if i were you i'd get JBT to fit one of his guards on whilst he's working down there anyway.....every little helps, and gawd knows you need it
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts
[Re: X19_pilot]
#1384345
12/10/2012 12:54
12/10/2012 12:54
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,367 Staffordshire
Nigel
Forum veteran
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Forum veteran
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,367
Staffordshire
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I'm still counting the cost of my aux belt failure - car is currently in bits, with a new head being ported by Barbz By the time I've paid Barbz to build the head, Paul to fit it and Leighton to re-map it, I'll be looking at WAY into four figures (or a few hundred if you're my missus... ) All for a £15 belt
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts
[Re: ]
#1384351
12/10/2012 13:24
12/10/2012 13:24
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,179 Sheffield
X19_pilot
OP
Enjoying the ride
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OP
Enjoying the ride
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,179
Sheffield
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I will try and get a couple of pictures posted tonight. Those of you who were not as fortunate, did your belts snap/fray? My belt was as near as makes no odds, 12 months old and has covered 7000 miles at the most if i were you i'd get JBT to fit one of his guards on whilst he's working down there anyway... The belt guard is a good shout proccy! I don't know what JBT works on 'down there' for you, but I can assure you I won't be asking for the same service!
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts
[Re: X19_pilot]
#1384354
12/10/2012 13:34
12/10/2012 13:34
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doug20vt
Unregistered
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doug20vt
Unregistered
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same thing happened to mine, when i still had it °(, no damage either, although mine did snap and wrapped itself round the bottom pulley, just good luck it never damaged the cam belt
to be fair from your maintenance other than driving it home with the battery light on which i did as well, i don't think there is anything you could have done to prevent it as the aux belts were only changed a year ago, seems to be a more prominent prob as these cars get older
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts
[Re: X19_pilot]
#1384526
13/10/2012 10:13
13/10/2012 10:13
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johnnybravoturbo
Unregistered
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johnnybravoturbo
Unregistered
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Clear to see what's failed here. Look at the last picture and you can see the tensioners let go.
The silver part visible near the timing covers,shows the bearing exposed. The pulley plastic has detached from the bearing itself.
If you look on my website,you can see the results of the last one I saw like that. Knocked all 20 valves.
And this isn't the first time you have been lucky with belt issues. I remember the ps pulley ripped itself off the pump one of the first times I saw it a few years back.
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts
[Re: X19_pilot]
#1384556
13/10/2012 12:13
13/10/2012 12:13
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porkypaul
Unregistered
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porkypaul
Unregistered
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Very lucky. I had the aux belt start too chew it self on the morning off a meet. Thankfully JBT had 1 in stock and came too the rescue. It was like a mini meet outside my house that morning.
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts
[Re: Nigel]
#1384651
13/10/2012 19:26
13/10/2012 19:26
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 6,192 Bristol, UK
Hovedan
Forum is my life
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Forum is my life
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 6,192
Bristol, UK
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I'm still counting the cost of my aux belt failure - car is currently in bits, with a new head being ported by Barbz By the time I've paid Barbz to build the head, Paul to fit it and Leighton to re-map it, I'll be looking at WAY into four figures (or a few hundred if you're my missus... ) All for a £15 belt Nigel - I assume you ARE getting an aux belt gaurd fitted this time
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts
[Re: ]
#1384890
14/10/2012 13:06
14/10/2012 13:06
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,179 Sheffield
X19_pilot
OP
Enjoying the ride
|
OP
Enjoying the ride
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,179
Sheffield
|
Clear to see what's failed here. Look at the last picture and you can see the tensioners let go.
The silver part visible near the timing covers,shows the bearing exposed. The pulley plastic has detached from the bearing itself.
If you look on my website,you can see the results of the last one I saw like that. Knocked all 20 valves.
And this isn't the first time you have been lucky with belt issues. I remember the ps pulley ripped itself off the pump one of the first times I saw it a few years back. Thanks for explaining this John, it has put the wind up me a bit, usually the phrase goes "third time lucky"... 2 failures now and I hope I dont have a third. Are the tentioners a common problem? Are there any improved aftermarket options? I think a belt guard will be the order of the day. The PS pulley was done just over a year ago - that memory of yours must be getting cold in these winter months without the former plumage to keep it warm and active! It happened just after I fitted my turbo after last years AGM. I was concerned that that one might have been caused by me, thank fully not, but I have never dare touch the belts since!
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts
[Re: X19_pilot]
#1384900
14/10/2012 13:29
14/10/2012 13:29
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johnnybravoturbo
Unregistered
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johnnybravoturbo
Unregistered
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Known two of these fail so its not common.
Some say belts set too tight but I think for it to detach in such a way it's down to the bearing seizing maybe. Speculation only at this point until I have a look Monday.
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts - Photos added
[Re: X19_pilot]
#1385234
15/10/2012 22:04
15/10/2012 22:04
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albertone
Unregistered
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albertone
Unregistered
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Run out quick now!!and do the lotto!!remember me when you win
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Re: Lucky escape - Belts - Photos added
[Re: X19_pilot]
#1385237
15/10/2012 22:31
15/10/2012 22:31
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johnnybravoturbo
Unregistered
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johnnybravoturbo
Unregistered
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I wouldn't play the lottery,you've used up all your luck .
I don't know how anything got in there as the ps belt was intact however the contaminats were plastic so the pulley must've made it's way into there by osmosis.
Of all the cars I would definitely say this one would've wrecked the engine as the tyre blew out on me once forcing me up a bank and then the oil cooler burst. I'm sure that was on the same day as well wasn't it John ?
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