MG ZS CAMBELT / ALTERNATOR BELT PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4dice

hi plzzzzz help me! just bought an mg zs 1.8 driving it today n the alt belt/aircon belt snapped and the engine cutout straightaway......i know it is a simple job replacing alternator belt but i am worried as to why it cut out straight away .,...ive heard alternator belts can take cam belts out when they snap and i think it cud be a possibility, when i tryed to start the car it hardly turned over the battery seemed flat...on checkin the battery the indicator sugested so too...it was definatly flat which leads to the question why wud it flatten so quickly? i bought the car yesterday so maybe was sat on the forecort a while beforhand which could have deadened the battery alot....plus the alternator belt being on its way out wouldnt of helped things regarding rechargin the battery....my main question is do u think the it could have cut out because of the battery...or cut out because the alt belt took the cam belt out aswell? what are the chances of it taking the cam belt out at same time? greatful for any replies thanks very much

Mycroft H

Firstly do not turn over your engine without your timing belt, could result in serious damage.

Are you sure its the timing belt/cam belt? Its a common thing to call any toothed belt a timing belt. I havnt seen many timing belts with the air con/alternator running off it, more usually its just the water pump.

Secondly it should be under warrenty if you only have it a day, give the garage a ring first thing tomorow.

mickdw

Could it be that you drove it for awhile after the belt snapped and that caused it to go flat? or that you left the ignition switched on by mistake when it snapped and cut out . That would cause the battery to go flat over a short period of time in alot of cases.

4dice

sorry i didnt explain it correctly.....the alternator belt has snapped and that same belt also runs the air con, im fearing the snapped alternator belt has taken the cam belt/timing belt out as it cut out the engine straight away..sorry for the confusion mate am new to this please reconsider your answer mate.....no warranty with the car either

4dice

mickdw.....i dnt think it could have snapped without me knowing as im pretty certain i heard it happen ,it was fine one minute then all of a sudden lots of noise and end result alt belt snapped.......and it was as i was driving happened quickly checked under bonnet saw that it was snapped tried to see if it wud stil turn over and was very sluggish wiv near flat battery....im assuming the belt has lot to do with it and the fact that the car had been stood on a forecourt maybe a few weeks....my main concern is the possibility of the timing belt being taken out at the same time by the alt belt....what is the likely hood ? im worried at how fast the car cut out...a freind said it should stil have ran a while longer without the alt belt....maybe few minutes atleast...im suspecting more damge...what do u think?

4dice

any advice any1?????????????????????????? im desperate

mickdw

I would think the cam belt would have to be seriously on the way out for the breakage of the other belt to affect it unless it got badly tangled up on the pulley it has in common with the cambelt. You could turn over the engine by hand and see if anything is moving in the head to see if cambelt is intact. I dont know how the battery could be that flat all of a sudden if it was starting the car fine before. Is the belt tangled up in anything? I would advise you not to do anything til you get a mechanic look at it.

RonnieT

Unfortunately, it is possible for a snapped alternator belt on a K series to jam the timing belt, as they are quite close together.

Your best bet would be to have a good look - see if any of the parts of the belt have fouled the timing - rotate the cam pulley by hand, there should be a little play, see how easily it moves.

Mycroft H

Well as i said dont even try and start it, could make shyte of yer engine. Is it the 1.8 k series btw?

Easiest thing to do it to go out and open up the inspection hole for the timing belt cover and have a look. If its taut your probably ok.

4dice

yes ther was a slight tangle,not sure wot its called but if u knw the 1.8 k series engine the cover for the timing belt at the bottom of that,the belt was slightly tangled in that,cud that be the pulley?