Timing Belt Failure - How Much Damage Done?

[ArchieBrown]

G'day,

I recently bought a 97 850R with 115K on the clock, took it to my local Volvo Dealer (Bilia) and yesterday I dropped 1600 AUD on the 125,000 km service.

On the way back from the supermarket tonight, I drive through a puddle (raining - puddles are everywhere) and I hear a slapping sound coming from the engine bay. As soon as I could I pulled into a carpark (about 500m later), and opened the hood with the engine running, just as the timing belt snapped and twisted itself around a bunch of objects around the front part of the engine. This made me move like a ninja - and I just had time to see the dash come up in Christmas lights before I'd switched off the ignition.

While I've read some evidence on this board that suggests that a broken timing belt means limited damage (https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/2009/1 ... ming-belt/) I'm about to open a can of 'very unhappy' on the mechanics who serviced my baby and I'd like to be make them acutely aware of the things they should look at while they're attending to the crap job they did.

Sounds like Im being precious, and I am - but I'll be damned if I let these donkeys let me drive away with faults that only show themselves at full noise 2 months from now.

Would you mind sharing with me what damage you think may have been done in the time between the timing belt actually snapping and the engine being shut down. All up about 5 seconds - if that. Worst case scenarios are perfectly fine by me.

Your help - as always is greatly appreciated.

Regards

Arch

[jblackburn]

At the very least, valves are going to be smashed and you're going to need either a valve job or rebuilt head.

The valves give pretty easily, but every now and then piston damage does occur - a friend actually had something like this happen on a VW Jetta when his belt let go.


(Not his picture, but pretty crazy to look at)

Have the valve stem seals replaced at the same time if you choose to go with replacing the valves. All in all, they are expensive and it may run you about the same just to get a rebuilt head from Clearwater.

[JRL]

Your serpentine belt snapped, not your timing belt
No problem, put another belt on and go. (Don't drive, you have no water pump)
You said you drov for 500m then pulled over, if a T belt breaks, your engine stops RIGHT THERE. You could not have been able to pull over!
Usually you can't see a broken T belt, it's behind the cover, you should be fine
You bit the bullet

[precopster]

You've been ripped off. I would be asking questions, and plenty.

Call Euro Auto Imports in Box Hill 9899 6683 and order a serpentine belt; around $25

There are many Volvo specialist repairers in Melbourne. Don't trust your pride & joy to a trainee mechanic.

Berry Motor Group in Mitcham know their stuff: http://www.berrymotorgroup.com.au/

[renns]

I agree with JRL. From your description it sounds like your accessory (serpentine) belt failed, not the timing belt. You could probably start and drive the car a short distance if needed, but your alternator, A/C, and power steering will be inoperative. The water pump will be fine though, as it's driven from the timing belt inside the plastic cover. The belt is easy enough to install though. If it were me, I'd go buy a belt, and install it where the car sits now.

edit: You should go back and have words with the dealer as well. There's no way they should have missed changing out an old accessory belt during service work.

[jblackburn]

Right they are! And if the belt was cracked enough to the point where it'd just shred like that, unless one of the pulleys seized up on you when you drove through the water, they should have seen that and fixed that as part of the service - they just got me on state inspections for that on 2 cars.

[Jack Rock]

If the belt's not cracked, perhaps some oil (engine or power steering) from the service got on the serpentine belt causing it to spin and burn through.

[ArchieBrown]

Thank you gentlemen,

I am relieved its not the timing belt and feel a little embarrassed that I misdiagnosed the issue.

It makes sense that its the serpentine belt. When I collected the car on Wednesday they said that they replaced the alternator belt, which according to the Hayes Manual and this board is the serpentine belt. The sheared belt looks just like this one: https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/serpentine_belt.php and is brand new (give or take the fact its now trashed).

I am thankful its not the timing belt, and after I give Bilia an earful I will be taking Precopsters' advice and contacting Berry for any future services.

Thanks again to the board.

Arch

[precopster]

Archie, You are fortunate as the serpentine belt could have wrapped around the crank pulley stopping the engine suddenly and caused the timing belt to slip. This would have been catastrophic.

Very curious as to the parts list that BILIA claims to have replaced. With a labour rate of $175/hr and parts prices which are magnified by 400-500% I can only speculate how small this list is.

[ArchieBrown]

No - It is not a huge amount of parts, Precopster

The list of replaced items is below:

Castrol SLX Oil = 138.90
Sundry Consumables (Gasket glue, paper towels?) = 19.63
Thermostat Kit = 50.00
Gasket = 5.11
Oil Filter = 22.83
Belt (possibly the one that broke) = 70.00
Anti-freeze = 51.58
Toothed Belt Kit - Clay = 383.63

Turns out that one of the idler pulleys was put on backwards, which has a little notch that should keep the belt on, but because it was reversed, the little notch worked the belt off.
Amateur mistake, and for the money you'd expect better, but they were very good about it.
I even got an S40R to drive as a courtesy car, so while I wouldnt repeat the experience, there was a little bit of upside to it all.

Arch