Ford Fiesta 08 fanbelt damage

Bikeboo

Hi,
Can anyone tell me if it's possible for an 08 Ford Fiesta Diesel engine to turn over but not start without a fanbelt.
I was driving, battery light came on and engine cut out. I had to be towed off motorway. Mechanic says it'll cost hundreds to strip engine to see if pieces of the fanbelt have dislodged the timing belt. Possibly looking at new engine. Is there a cheaper way to diagnose why the car will turn over but not start.
If a fanbelt is fitted and I start car could I do more damage.
Thank you if you can help.

jca

If the battery is charged the engine should run without the belt. It should be obvious without going in too deep into the engine if the broken belt has interfered with the timing belt behind it.

martyc5674

Is it 1.8tdci engine?.
There's 2 timing belts in them.. Wetbelt and regular they are linked by a twin pulley in diesel pump. If it goes your going to do damage.

When it's turning over does it sound slightly different... Like it's spinning a bit faster???

You need to remove engine on those to properly flush out bits of broken belt... It's a big job and cheaper to swap engine of you search for a good one.

Now if it is just the fan belt then it won't have impacted timing belts and engine should start but either oil pump or water pump(can't remember which) is driven off this so not to be recommended either.
Marty.

Bikeboo

It's a 1.4 zetec if that means anything. To me it sounds the same when turning over. The only noise I heard when the engine stopped was the fanbelt hitting off bonnet.

martyc5674

Bikeboo wrote: »

It's a 1.4 zetec if that means anything. To me it sounds the same when turning over. The only noise I heard when the engine stopped was the fanbelt hitting off bonnet.

Ah ok not filial with that engine but fan/aux belts have been known to come off cutting through engine casings protecting the timing belt so maybe that's what has potentially happened here.
Someone more familiar with that engine can hopefully help you out.
Have you a scan tool?.. You'd usually have an error on camshaft or crank sensor position with a timing belt failure.
Marty.

Bikeboo

Just an update on what happened in the end in case someone else had the same issue.
After being told I would need the engine stripped down a bit to see if the time by belt had been dislodged and damaged pistons, for a few hundred euro! It turns out...
This 08 Ford Fiesta 1.4 diesel Sty TDCI (if that means anything) has a sensor that will cause the engine to cut out if the fanbelt comes off. This was pointed out to me by an 18 year old apprentice mechanic I know.
Back on the road for €80!
Glad I didn't leave it with the garage who wanted hundreds to check.
Thanks for the replies.

RWD

Glad to hear it's sorted,fair play to the apprentice lad.

hamburg

What sensor ,was it exactly?? Just out of curiosity ?

jca

hamburg wrote: »

What sensor ,was it exactly?? Just out of curiosity ?

The alternator knowing Ford!!! I'd love to know what this mysterious sensor is too.

hamburg

I am gonna guess crank sensor.......? Do I win a cigar?

jca

hamburg wrote: »

I am gonna guess crank sensor.......? Do I win a cigar?

I fail to see how the crank sensor would know if the fanbelt was broken.

hamburg

If ,when the fan belt initially snapped/broke the belt was whipping around it might have severed/damaged the wires going into the crank sensor. Resulting in no crank signal being sent to the ecu. Therefore no start.

jca

hamburg wrote: »

If ,when the fan belt initially snapped/broke the belt was whipping around it might have severed/damaged the wires going into the crank sensor. Resulting in no crank signal being sent to the ecu. Therefore no start.

Very true it could have easily happened but hardly a design feature intended to stop the engine safely as the op was lead to believe. I thought the cas was on the flywheel end of that engine... Anyway he's up and running which is the main thing.