Timing belt failure. is my mechanic at fault? (with Pics)

[coupcoup]

So last week I had the timing belt and water pump done at the local garage. 52k miles 2018 150hp
It had been squeaking and I was planning on taking it back to see what was going on but then the squeak went away so there was nothing to show him. This was Friday. Tonight, I packed my caravan and van ready for the long drive from north Glasgow to Glastonbury for work and for play. I was about to leave but when I was hooking up the caravan I could hear the squeak had been added to with a sort of slap. This was making me nervous now and I opened the bonnet and looked in at the aux belt which had been changed but I couldn't see anything wrong. It was midnight and I was getting pissed off. My girl was getting upset and impatient and said lets just go but I felt like if we broke down we'd be at the mercy of a random mechanic not to mention having to have a van and caravan recovered. Also I know enough to know that a water pump, aux belt or timing belt failure could be many thousands and a lot of hassle to fix.

So I messaged the mechanic and then made the excision to hold off till tomorrow to talk to him. I sent him a video of the squeak/slap and then went back outside to have another look. I took off the timing belt cover out of curiosity and this is what I found.




I feel very lucky to have noticed this. I'm not sure we would have made it out of Glasgow but if we had and were hauling down the motorway with a heavy van full of tools and a heavy caravan and this had failed it could have been really bad. I now have to borrow a friends Hilux and will be away for two weeks. while I'm away...

The question is do I trust the mechanic to fix this? what even could have caused it?
Or do I wait and get it to VW to do the job?

 

[Drifterman]

Sorry to hear your pain, but really pleased that you caught it before it went - you're a lucky man!

If it's the same guy that changed it for you 2 weeks ago, I wouldn't even think about going back there. In the words of Iron Maiden....run to the hills!

I've got nothing against an independent garage, but replacing a timing belt should be their bread and butter; the quality of workmanship should be beyond reproach every time.

 

[Paynewright]

How do you know its not due to a faulty part?

I’d at least speak to them.


Good save BTW!!

 

[Insert Coin]

Dodged a bullet there mate, great spot!

 

[coupcoup]

I noticed the squeak a couple days ago. Its done 270 miles since the belt was replaced and it failed on the side. It almost looks like something was jammed between the belt and pulleys on that side of the belt.

The truth is I don't know what happened.

would you take it back to him if you were unsure?

 

[coupcoup]

Are there any mechanics on here who could say if this was due to a faulty part or not?

Logically, Id say that if it was a faulty part ( in the manufacturing process) it would have failed entirely not in such localised way.

 

[True Romance]

What belt did he fit? OEM or 3rd party?

 

[Dellmassive]

Jeez lucky day for you.

Not sure caused that....

But I think I'd take mine to VW and let them do it....and happily accept there 2 year warranty on parts and labour.

Those belts are supposed to last 4+ years and 100k.

Not two weeks..... So something wasn't right?

 

[DXX]

It almost looks like something was jammed between the belt and pulleys on that side of the belt.

Exactly what I thought, stick a magnet into the lower timing belt cover and see if there is any foreign body there.

 

[alex_p]

Exactly what I thought, stick a magnet into the lower timing belt cover and see if there is any foreign body there.

Agreed - looks like something got caught up in there - not sure how the sprockets get locked when the belt is off, but perhaps some improvised “tool” got left behind and mangled up in it?

 

[coupcoup]

Wow!! I don’t know. I have done hundreds of these without any problems. Possibly a faulty part?

I can only offer that you leave it with me on Monday and I can get a new belt and fit it.



This is what the mechanic says. Of course this is what he says. But if I take it to him to repair and there is something in the casing that caught ion in the belt. You think he is going to tell me? I doubt it. And am I going to trust he has done a good job? I asked him to use g12 for the coolant and he used g40. I didn’t ask for a diesel filter but he did one anyway. I asked for six belt and tensioners. He said the tensioner was fine. So am I going to trust him with my hard earned money? Probably not. Unless someone has a good argument otherwise.

 

[catfood12]

That's shocking! Something has been trapped there between the sprockets and the belt, which has then torn. I bet there's some witness marks on one or more of the sprockets. That's never a faulty belt from the factory.

 

[DaveD]

Wow!! I don’t know. I have done hundreds of these without any problems. Possibly a faulty part?

I can only offer that you leave it with me on Monday and I can get a new belt and fit it.



This is what the mechanic says. Of course this is what he says. But if I take it to him to repair and there is something in the casing that caught ion in the belt. You think he is going to tell me? I doubt it. And am I going to trust he has done a good job? I asked him to use g12 for the coolant and he used g40. I didn’t ask for a diesel filter but he did one anyway. I asked for six belt and tensioners. He said the tensioner was fine. So am I going to trust him with my hard earned money? Probably not. Unless someone has a good argument otherwise.

I don't wish to add to your woes but I don't think I'd dare drive it anywhere with the cambelt looking like that.

 

[Crazymind]

my experience with so called indie in Glasgow has been terrifying. Out of many so far I value most Jaguar indie Paesly, Merc specialist in Linning park one mech in rutherglen and so far VW commercial bailieston provided expertise and support (however just discovered Vw broke my rear LED headlight sensor). If you ask Vw you are looking at 2 months before getting a spot available…

 

[DXX]

My advice is definitely don’t start the engine, get another reputable garage to recover it and do the work.
A review of the business that did the original work may help others avoid them.

 

[coupcoup]

Yeah I have been driving it for at least 50 miles like this. It’s been squeaking away although was noisier when I went to inspect it. Most advice I have is to use another mechanic. My guy didn’t seem to give a shit. At best it was negligence to drop something in there.

 

[coupcoup]

So as follow up this saga only just was finally resolved last night.

The initial problem appeared too be the clumsiness of the original mechanic from Balfron Auto Centre who cracked/broke the plastic lower timing cover either when he was removing or installing it and didn't notice. while he about it he also broke a lug off the airbox, and he previously broke the bonnet catch lever in my Lupo. All in he's got the touch of an elephant it seems. So after many a discussion where he insisted he should have the right to fix it and took the huff that I was getting it done else where he agreed to refund me what he had charged me to do the belt in the first place. big wow. He did it like he was doing me a favour. It was a midges willie away from a new engine so he should really have been thanking me for noticing.

Anyway the new garage used all VW parts and kept me informed about what they were finding and were boringly effective and good at what they were doing. A father and son outfit who have been around for 20 years - just what you want from a garage. I picked it up and all seemed good but there was a start stop problem. I drove it for a bit cause it seemed ok if a wee bit louder than normal but at the weekend I was passing the garage so stopped in and they stuck it on the computer. Camshaft Position sensor problem. I remembered reading that someone else had this problem after a timing belt change and took it to the garage and it came back fine. Funnily enough the Balfron Auto Centre changed the belt with tippex, the old school way, and there was no start stop error. So they took it back in yesterday stripped it down to check the timing then released that one of theVW pins they use to lock the pulleys was bent!! enough for the timing to be half a tooth out. Enough for it to run but also throw up errors. TBH had it not been for the start stop error I might not have noticed although it did sound a bit throatier. In the end it worked out ok. The Lennox Service Station are definitely recommended. They made a mistake and corrected it immediately. And it was a tool error not a human error.

After all that I read that VW now recommend belts be done at 120,000 miles. So if I was you i'd just hold off. Keep checking the condition of the belt and when you do need work done get it done at Lennox Service Station.

 

[coupcoup]

 

[Greybeard]

After all that I read that VW now recommend belts be done at 120,000 miles. So if I was you i'd just hold off. Keep checking the condition of the belt and when you do need work done get it done at Lennox Service Station.

Hi @coupcoup
So glad you’re now sorted and thank you for keeping us posted with all this info.

I think the VW service schedule in Germany, with their ‘long-life’ timing belt has always included a visual inspection of the belt at each service?

My local independent specialist, NL Motors, Trowbridge, always plug VAG vehicles into VW HQ Germany mothership and follows their recommended service schedule.
I haven’t been advised re a replacement belt as yet.

I will definitely double check they inspect it each time when I drop it off next week for its 5yr service!

Perhaps we should all ensure this is carried out whilst using main dealers or any other?
Andy