Took the old gal in for them to investigate a noise in the engine department.  Turns out that some kinda timing belt tensioner was missing a spring and the cam belt was going doolally in there.

Mech said I was probably only days away from a full-on cam-belt nuclear event horizon inducing wallet killing chrimbo f**ker.

Id only replaced the timing belt 30k ago... but apparently they hadnt checked/replaced the tensioner.

Happy to be spending £500 on car repairs for a change.  

 

£500 to replace a tensioner? what car is it? Ferrari?

Isnt this one of those situations where you have to change loads of stuff, like doesnt the cam belt have to be changed again?

Im the sort of person that would get ripped off in this situation not knowing enough

belt, or chain ?

chain + tensioners etc. etc. = £££

Quote from: DEViANCE£500 to replace a tensioner? what car is it? Ferrari?

Cambelt Kit (better to replace it while shes stripped down - gives me an extra 40/50k without having to renew it again (was due in about 10k)
Water Pump (noticeable corrosion)
Aux drive belt
Antifreeze
Labour (always the killer)

Ive been on the receiving end of a full-on cambelt engine shred and its not a pretty sight seeing a fortnights wages go up in smoke.

£500 is still alot for an entire cambelt change, unless it is a pretty complicated car.

Most Ive ever spent is £450 on a MG with the v6 engine, 4belts, 3 tensioners, water pump, thermostat, whole front end of the car needs removing.

Ive been getting cambelts changed for around £100 plus or minus £10-20, £500 is a bit rich, i would like to know what car you drive cus there are some exceptions.

Out of interest who did the last Cambelt, did you own the car when it was done, was it by anychance the same mechanic as your using now? Its pretty stupid not to check the water pump and tensioner etc when the first Cambelt was done.

Tensioners are usually changed second time you replace cambelt but should be checked first time you replace it of course.

Its a Renault Megane.  The belt was first changed by a Renault dealer (probably explains it).

Quote from: EagleIts a Renault Megane.  The belt was first changed by a Renault dealer (probably explains it).

If its the "shakin your ass" Megane, like i had, then yes that is one of the exceptions, they are unusually pricy even from a cheap garage.

Nice cars, would have kept mine but i made around £1000 on top of what i paid so i wasnt going to hold onto it for long

Quote from: EagleTook the old gal in for them to investigate a noise in the engine department.  Turns out that some kinda timing belt tensioner was missing a spring and the cam belt was going doolally in there.

Mech said I was probably only days away from a full-on cam-belt nuclear event horizon inducing wallet killing chrimbo f**ker.

Id only replaced the timing belt 30k ago... but apparently they hadnt checked/replaced the tensioner.

Happy to be spending £500 on car repairs for a change.  

 

Is that on an Audi?

A guy I know had his belt changed not long ago, but the cheaparses just changed the belt and not the tensioners.
A couple of months later, Clatter.

Foolish bloke though, the cars got 170k on it, so he paid to have the valves replaced, new head, new gasket etc.
Cost over £1k all in.  On a 1996 Audi A4 Estate.

I did the belt on a mates Megane dci recently.

Gates timing belt kit (The only brand of timing belt you should ever buy) was £70.

Oh well....

Soaked up, moved on.  

V8 Soarer = Engine out.
Thats a bitch.