300 TDI snapped fan belt - help/advice needed

Oliverryan96 · Saturday at 08:25

Hello all!

I’m In need of some assistance and knowledge from those far more qualified and clued up than myself on 300 TDI engines!!

I discovered last night after getting home from a a very long drive that the fan belt had snapped on my Land Rover 300 Tdi - this caused the power steering to fail whilst en route home but at that time I had no clue the two were linked and where it failed I thought I could limp home from so I do not know at which point the belt snapped.

When I returned home and opened the bonnet I discovered the fan belt had snapped at some point which was causing the engine to overheat. With one of the fluid compartments bubbling from heat. This quickly cooled.

My question is simply what is the best and worst case scenarios from this situation?

Please be gentle with delivering the worst case news…….

What things can and should I be checking to assess any damage caused or issues?

I realise the power steering will have been impacted as well as the battery likely now being dead - but I have no clue of the greater impact and I am slightly worried of the damage from this

tottot · Saturday at 08:39

Couple of questions first.
How long/far did you drive after belt went? Steering failed. [one belt does it all on 300]
Did you observe what the temperature gauge was saying?
Did the charge warning lamp come on?
Is there still coolant in the system, header tank?

Anaconda · Saturday at 08:48

Presumably it runs the water pump also?
You may be very lucky or not. Head gasket might be considered lucky, unlucky would be engine or head damage.

ER1C · Saturday at 08:52

Should all be fine, you would have seen the temp rise surely, I had fan belt go in tunnels in Switzerland and couldn't see the temp as it was so dark and dash lights so sh1t, first I knew was radiator top blew which you should see steam coming from under the bonnet before too much damage is done so I am sure you will be fine.

Assuming you had fluid in there and haven't seen that it shouldn't be too bad. BUT mine were a 200 and it was a fan/alternator belt.

Oliverryan96 · Saturday at 09:10

Thanks for the quick replies guy!

So I have no real clue when it snapped off - my only gauge would be when the power steering failed which was maybe 20ish miles away from home…

In terms of the temperature gauge, unhelpfully the dashboard doesn’t have a temp gauge which I’m assuming was broken in the past and not been replaced by a previous owner - but has been missing since I purchased in Oct 2024.

The battery warning light did come on probably a little before the power steering went.

It did drive the whole way back with no issues other than the steering, and there was no visible smoke or steam to be seen - just the sound of the fluid bubbling when I stopped. Once this stopped bubbling it then drained rapidly from the tank.

Thankfully it received a full service last week from a specialist so I’m confident that all coolant levels were high.

I need to get out this morning to look over it - but wanted to get some info in advance!

What things do you guys think are the main checks at this stage before anything gets looked at seriously? Would there be any visible/noticeable signs of damage?

Hicap phill · Saturday at 09:11

It was running when you got home so hopefully not seized. Put a belt on it,check fluids(dip stick showing no water only oil) header tank(showing water no oil)
Check water level in radiator(check make sure no oil again)
Top up what’s needed(leave cap off header tank)
Start up. Look for leaks listen to engine noise

Hope for the best

If all good bleed engine & drive. Watch temperate after taking for a drive

Now if it was serviced why did they not replace the belt?

Oliverryan96 · Saturday at 10:14

Hicap phill said:
It was running when you got home so hopefully not seized. Put a belt on it,check fluids(dip stick showing no water only oil) header tank(showing water no oil)
Check water level in radiator(check make sure no oil again)
Top up what’s needed(leave cap off header tank)
Start up. Look for leaks listen to engine noise

Hope for the best

If all good bleed engine & drive. Watch temperate after taking for a drive

Now if it was serviced why did they not replace the belt?

Hey - thanks for the advice.

So I won’t be able to get a belt on it for a little while - is it Ill advised to start or try to start it until the belt has been put on and these checks done?

Hicap phill · Saturday at 10:55

Oliverryan96 said:
Hey - thanks for the advice.

So I won’t be able to get a belt on it for a little while - is it Ill advised to start or try to start it until the belt has been put on and these checks done?

Don’t start it until you have a belt.

At the moment no water will be flowing round the engine.
You can check everything else

And put the battery on charge to make sure it starts

Anaconda · Saturday at 11:39

Hicap phill said:
Now if it was serviced why did they not replace the belt?

Because most places do a half arsed job and to keep the price down.
How much is a belt on a 300tdi, not a great deal
Edit: £10

Anaconda · Saturday at 11:48

Do as been mentioned above. You could use water and check for leaks, taking note how much you put in. But be aware you then have to drain and fill with coolant mix if everything is OK.
Be a shame to spend on coolant if it needs engine work as it will need to be drained again anyway.
It's pretty vital to have a proper temp gauge, I would advice a capillary gauge as they are very good, in my experience.
I would also read up a little or watch some videos on YouTube to understand the workings of you Landy, you can then undertake some of the easier jobs to save labour rates.
You can manually turn the engine to see if it seized or not.

Anaconda · Saturday at 11:58

Cooling system info

Anaconda · Saturday at 12:00

Belt info

Oliverryan96 · Saturday at 12:02

Anaconda said:
Do as been mentioned above. You could use water and check for leaks, taking note how much you put in. But be aware you then have to drain and fill with coolant mix if everything is OK.
Be a shame to spend on coolant if it needs engine work as it will need to be drained again anyway.
It's pretty vital to have a proper temp gauge, I would advice a capillary gauge as they are very good, in my experience.
I would also read up a little or watch some videos on YouTube to understand the workings of you Landy, you can then undertake some of the easier jobs to save labour rates.
You can manually turn the engine to see if it seized or not.

Thanks ! I’ll get looking into all this today and tomorrow and I can see what needs done over the weekend. Thanks for all the advice!

Hopefully nothing major has came from this and it can be an easier fix

300 TDI snapped fan belt - help/advice needed

Oliverryan96

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tottot

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Anaconda

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ER1C

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Oliverryan96

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Hicap phill

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Oliverryan96

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Hicap phill

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Anaconda

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Anaconda

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Anaconda

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Anaconda

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Oliverryan96

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