Timing belt broke...

tom_k

Hi all,

Just want to get some thoughts on this...

On last Friday my 02 A4 Tdi lost all power and stopped while i was driving home. Rang the recovery service who towed it into their garage and immediately identified the problem as being a broken timing belt.
As luck would have it I had the timing belt and water pump replaced at considerable expense one month ago by a reputable Dublin garage. I contacted this garage who agreed to tow the car to their premises on Monday. Now in fairness to them they admitted they were at fault but today I called them for an update and was told they're "getting the valves done" so the engine is obviously in bits. I enquired what I could expect when the work was done e.g. loss of power, fuel economy or increased noise and was told that there would be no difference.
Now my question is when an engine is repaired after such damage being done will it really be the same again? It was perfect before.

So I know there'll be a few of you on here with some experience in this area and any helpful advice or suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Tom.

Anan1

Assuming the job's done properly, the engine should be the same as, or better than, before.

tom_k

Well that'd be ok so, to be honest I think there's a certain degree of embarrassment on the part of the garage in question.

Just so long as i wouldn't be left with future problems related to what's already happened to the engine.

mike65

Did they give a clue as to what was not done properly?

Mike.

tom_k

Not yet, we'll be having a little conversation tomorrow about what exactly went wrong.

Haven't heard of a fresh timing belt going before, any idea on what might've gone wrong?

colm_mcm

possibly ordered parts without chassis number.

tom_k

Its a possibility. Pity though, up to this point all my dealing with this place had been very positive.

JHMEG

In fairness to the garage it sounds like they are making good whatever mistake they made. The repair work is not trivial and not somthing that a lacky could do. In all probability you will probably get back a better engine than what you had before.

pa daly

Sorry to hear that and hope it works out ok for ya.

If you lucky there wont be 'too much' damage.

What happens when a belt snaps is the pistons smash into the valves and cyclinder head, not nice...as other have said as long as they dont take any short cuts when repairing you should get back an engine as good as new.

Edit: AS to why it happened, if they didnt take the chassis number I dont think the parts would fit in the first place, not the tensioner and waterpump anyway..

OP do you know if they used genuine audi parts in the first place, Could also be something not tightened correctly or timing not set righr...

Esel

Anyone know why only a few engines are non-interference?

SouperComputer

esel wrote:

Anyone know why only a few engines are non-interference?

Performance, cost, built-in obsolescence.

Pick and mix any of the three. Would be hard for the TDi engine to output as much as it does without the respective compression ratio meaning interference is all but inevitable.

On weather the engine will be the same again, that depends on exactly how extensive the damage was and how extensive their inspection and repair was. Its not uncommon for the bottom end bearings to give in earlier than expected after a major top-end incident.

Mitch Connor

tom_k wrote:

Not yet, we'll be having a little conversation tomorrow about what exactly went wrong.

Haven't heard of a fresh timing belt going before, any idea on what might've gone wrong?

they could have changed the belt, without properly sorting the tensioners, which would result in the timing belt going.

ambro25

tom_k wrote:

Haven't heard of a fresh timing belt going before, any idea on what might've gone wrong?

Happened to me years and years ago on a Citroen BX 19 TurboD, fresh out of a big service (60,000 miles / 100,000 kms). Bent pistons and valves, camshaft like a big puzzle, cylinder head damaged.

Only mine didn't last a month, it lasted about 10 miles or so: an apprentice was put in charge of replacing the T belt at the garage, and somehow managed to mount it the wrong way around (so I was told - didn't know these are directional).

For what it's worth, after repair the engine did another 275,000 kms like a breeze.

oleras

Anan1 wrote:

Assuming the job's done properly, the engine should be the same as, or better than, before.

Exactly, and as it is there fault, make sure the engine rebuild is guaranteed, as far as you are concerned it was perfect when it was handed in initially. Although they sound like they are doing the right thing by you as it is. Have they arranged a loaner for you (if you need it)?

Tea drinker

I heard some of the spurious kits have poor quality tensioners.
The tensioners pukes it's bearings out / seizes and the belt is a gonner

The garage correctly changed the water pump the first time too... interested to see what the fault is.

unkel

JHMEG wrote:

In fairness to the garage it sounds like they are making good whatever mistake they made. The repair work is not trivial

I agree. We all make mistakes. The garage did, they admitted it and they are sorting it. I'd have no problem going back to them in the future

tom_k

Hi all sorry was away for a day but thanks for all replies.

Pa, original Audi parts all right, garage still puzzled as to why it happened although theres a groove visible on the belt that no-one can explain.

Oleras, they've given me a loan car until the work is complete without making a fuss, which is nice.

Unkel and JHMEG, although my first thoughts were that I'd never get work done by this particular garage again but I must admit my attitude has softened considerably since, mainly due to the professionalism that's been displayed by them in trying to rectify the problem.

Ambro25, hope my story ends up similar to yours. It'd be great to get another 275000 out of my wagon:)

Tom.