Timing belt - twice!

Hello

Hope I've put this in the right place and I hope some of you Landrover enthusiasts know the answer.

Freelander (2003 I think) went into the garage to have its head cylinder gaskit replaced. While it was in, they recommended changing the timing belt and drive belt (they said the timing belt was due to be changed in 4000 miles anyway - so I agreed)

Anyway, to cut a very long story short, after 3 weeks I got the car back on Friday.

Today was driving along and the engine cut out completly (luckily only going 20mph at the time)

The AA came and said it was the timing belt, got towed to garage (same one that replaced it) and they confirmed the same.

Their actual diagnosis is that the new belt was ok - the Bolt holding the tensioner had sheared.

What I would really like to know, and I hope you can give me an opinion is, is this:

• a coincidence
• manufacturing defect
• bad workmanship on the first job

My gut tells me it's the latter - surely a bolt can only shear under great stress, so was the assembly put back together correctly?

I hope I've explained it correctly and thanks in advance for reading / your comments.

Thank you

What engine?

bolt overtightened???

Chaser said:

bolt overtightened???

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that would be my guess. ask what torque it was tightened to, then cross reference it with the haynes manual.

mick.

should have had a new bolt, i think they are only 6mm.

Are the garage trying to say its not their fault?

To replace the timing belt they would have had to slacken the tensioner (or ideally replace it) so I suspect they have not refitted correctly.

Thanks for all the quick responses.

I'm not sure what engine the car has - sorry

The first repair took over 3 weeks and had lots of issues with courtesy car / warranty and I am in the process of lodging a complaint over that. So really I'm here tonight to try and gain some background knowledge to pre-empt what they might say.

They haven't as yet said it's not their fault, but it just seemed too much of a co-incidence - so just wanted to gain an insight pending their response.

Thanks very much for the advise about the torque - I'll check that out.

did it . . . . Ping off ?

is the engine a straight 4 or a V6?

Lol Ming.

Ok - according to the insurance database, the car is:

LANDROVER FREELANDER SE 2005 1796cc Five Door Estate Manual Petrol

You have a 1.8 k series petrol Freelander, with a rover engine.

thanks Hippo - so what would your opinion be?

What do I think? If it's anything like doing the belts on my v6, then the manual states to change the tensioner bolts. Over torque isn't needed. Mine are thread locked - LR parts. I think it's unlikely thay chnaged the bolts. Most likely snapped as they had been used before. Shame this would be difficult to prove.

Has it damaged the engine?

Thanks Hippo. I'm not sure yet - they're going to strip it tomorrow. AA guy said it sounded like the valves would be bent etc.

under warranty so not too fussed about cost etc - just inconvenience (especially xmas week) and the fact that if it had happened 2 mins later, I would have been on the motorway. Had my 9 month old daughter in back - so worrying times.

They had to order the cylinder head in from LR dealership (this garage is a Toyota one) - so assume they would have ordered new belt / assembly from them too.

Only assumptions at the moment though - but as i'm expecting them to play the "co-incidence" card, I just want to equip myself with as much info as possible

Hippo said:

What do I think? If it's anything like doing the belts on my v6, then the manual states to change the tensioner bolts. Over torque isn't needed. Mine are thread locked - LR parts. I think it's unlikely thay chnaged the bolts. Most likely snapped as they had been used before. Shame this would be difficult to prove.

Has it damaged the engine?

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It normally fooks the engine completly,however i agree wiff Hippo
[should have changed the bolts] or they over tightened it. . . . .stoopid bastids

Thanks Ming

So I guess my question is, when replacing a timing belt do Landrover recommend changing the tension assembly / the bolts at the same time?

Sorry for my ignorance - I appreciate your assistance

I would say yes ,but to confirm this just ring up any dealer and they will tell you. . . . . but over tension would be the prime cause ,and that is going to be impossible to prove ,unfortunately . . . . . .

If it's under warranty why worry about the cause.

Although there is no official recommendation, for reliability it's considered good practice, with a belt change interval of 6 yrs or 72k miles, to change the water pump and belt tensioner pulley at the same time.

Chaser said:

If it's under warranty why worry about the cause.

Although there is no official recommendation, for reliability it's considered good practice, with a belt change interval of 6 yrs or 72k miles, to change the water pump and belt tensioner pulley at the same time.

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Hi Chaser

thanks for this. I'm worried about the cause because if the bolt had of lasted another 2 minutes, I would have been on the motorway, with an out of control car and a baby in the back.

With the previous repair taking 3 weeks and after getting so much hassle from them over courtesy cars and half truths about when they actually started the repair, I was beginning to think that it was more than a co-incidence that a fault re-occurred.

Spoke to the garage today - they say that they don't replace the bolts and/or the tension assembly when changing a belt. They say that they use a system call "Autodata" and that tells them what they need to do?

Anyway I still have lots of on-going issues with this garage, I will be taking action against them, so thank you all for your advice and your time.

Mr Ping said:

Spoke to the garage today - they say that they don't replace the bolts and/or the tension assembly when changing a belt. They say that they use a system call "Autodata" and that tells them what they need to do?

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Many garages use this, it covers most makes and models and gives basic timing belt data for each engine covering the change procedure, time allowed for the job and bolt torque figures. Even if they didn't change the tensioner they would still have had to loosen the bolt then re-tighten when fitting the belt so over to them