I couldnt get all the work done, only the lambda sensor as they found I had a leaky rear caliper and had to replace it

Everything else will be done Tuesday now. It seemed a bit smoother on the drive home, but that was probably because the engine had warmed up properly.

Well, in a shady turn up for the books the garage I was praising and using before somehow passed my cars MOT without a rear fog (I thought they had fitted it to the rear high level brake light, it now turns out that they didnt but still charged me for it). So thats £20 for light & switch + labour... but now I have a rear fog lamp in my bumper; praise to MX5 City theyve done a really good cutout job in the bumper, its very neat.

Second, the previous garage I was using appear to have arsed up installing a new cambelt at the same time last year - its missing a spoke. I had my timing stepped up to 14 degrees BTDC and now its running even worse than before, the garage said this was likely down to the cambelt as when they were using the timing gun to check it it was totally off, so of course theyd have to strip everything down to take a proper look at it and now my car feels like someone has poured treacle in the engine, I put my foot down and it makes a lot of noise but sod all happens

Im really quite angry with it all, Ive had a whole day off sat in the reception while they sort everything out and give me a new MOT, to find Im paying for work that should have already been done last year and my car has come off running worse. I really dont want to have to fork out for more labour stripping off the cam, etc to get the belt checked properly and get my timing sorted

welcome to the shady world of english MOTs

Id put my neck out and say 4/10 cars in England that passed their MOT TODAY would fail here tomorrow.


Is there a tooth off the belt or one of the camshaft pulleys? If so you should NOT BE DRIVING IT AT ALL!!!!!

It will need at least a new belt, immediately if not sooner - and if you absolutely have to drive it, I would drive it as slowly as is possible with very little revs

Its actually ridiculous that they let you drive off with a damaged belt/pulley

Actually, when i move to the North East in a couple of years, Im opening a garage that does proper MOTs, with the work actually being done to standard.

Its "missing a tooth" I think is what he said, but Ive been driving it with it like that for a year now it must be? I would have thought it would be gone already if it was due to break. Thankfully if it does go they are non-interference on the MX-5s... do you think this could be related to my tachy problem?

Other than lack of power now the car is actually running smoother, but Im putting that down to the new lambda sensor.

Id get it off to someone who will change the timing belt for you, and degree the cams correctly - most garages will do this the half assed way as theyre either too lazy, or dont know how to find proper TDC and how to use a degree wheel

Timing belt isnt worth gambling on - the chances are it will still be a disaster if it failed

I can get it back to them to strip it down and fix it/change the belt as necessary, its going to be expensive though isnt it?

How come it has lasted so long without a problem and going unnoticed?

pure luck, or it has just broke before getting it to them and is now on its last legs - hard to say

You will notice some difference when the cams are set right

I should think so, I cant believe how sluggish it feels like its running now the timing has been adjusted. I guess Im going to have to take it back to them to fix on Monday then...


 :rage:

Im booked in for Monday. £170 its going to cost me - if they swap the belt - which they might as well. Just opening up the engine is going to be £150. Im so pissed off...

Do I have any recourse with the previous garage? Its been over a year and I suspeect theres not even a guarantee I can claim off.

Quote from: Clockd 0NeIm booked in for Monday. £170 its going to cost me - if they swap the belt - which they might as well. Just opening up the engine is going to be £150. Im so pissed off...

Do I have any recourse with the previous garage? Its been over a year and I suspeect theres not even a guarantee I can claim off.

?

Quote from: Clockd 0NeIm booked in for Monday. £170 its going to cost me - if they swap the belt - which they might as well. Just opening up the engine is going to be £150. Im so pissed off...

Do I have any recourse with the previous garage? Its been over a year and I suspeect theres not even a guarantee I can claim off.

Id say yes take it back, why have you gone to another garage? The belt should have a longer life expectancy than 1 year.

Ive moved further north, hence taking it to the nearby MX5 specialist Mx5 City rather than just the local garage. Plus I was starting to feel the other garage were not doing that good a job, this has proved it. Its all the NVQ wasters they take on board Im sure, as soon as I see a 17 year old working on a car Im certain they wont have a clue what they are doing now and will be lazy and do a half arsed job. You want someone in their 50s, with the filthiest overalls youve ever seen and hands like a bears working on your car - someone you know could rebuild your engine blindfolded.

tell me about it !

I ended up with a £1700 bill to replace an exhaust gasket !

(van needs to be checked by a garage every 6 weeks for the opperators liscence or Id have done it myself!)

im not following this at all?

you had your cambelt changed at one garage last year? and the car was running fine ?

now recently youve gone to another garage, theyve told you the belt is missing a tooth, adjusted your timing and now the car is running like a bag of nails?