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My brother has just telephoned to tell me that he had a cambelt replaced on his 10 yr old Mitsubishi 1.8 GDI Space Star by a main dealer three months ago but the car broke down Tuesday. The dealer is saying that the belt is ok, but they did not change the tensioner as it is spring loaded, and the bolt holding this has now sheared. No advice was given with regard to changing the tensioner. They are now saying that they have to strip down the engine as a faulty valve could have caused the bolt to shear. I thought that it is usual for tensioners to be replaced at the same time as the belt, as it is normally the belt breaking that damages the engine and not the other way round. As a regular reader of your column I have always valued your advice and any you can now offer would be greatly appreciated.
Asked on 20 February 2010 by D.B., Biddenham
Answered by
Honest John
That's right. You are not stupid. The tensioner should have been changed at the same time as the belt, but, of course, increases the cost of the job. The belt coming off caused the valve damage, not the other way round. The service receptionist is trying to con you that the consequence of the tensioner failing was the cause of it failing. That could very quickly be disproved in court.
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