Urgent help required Passat Tdi 97

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Tue 24 Jun 2003 12:35
Urgent help required Passat Tdi 97 - BB
Hello everyone,

My car is currently in the VW garage being looked at after a breakdown this morning.

My Alternator (water pump and power steering) belt snapped whilst on the M1 this morning. The water temp rose to 120 degrees c before I had the space to pull over to the hard shoulder.

RAC came and replaced the belt, but when we tried to start it after, it wouldn't. After a couple of attempts, we got it going, but it sounded like a bag of spanners. RAC man immediately phoned his once Audi servicer friend who diagnosed that the timing may be out. After dropping the car off at VW garage to be fixed, I was told that the timing couldn't possibly be out after an alternator belt snapping and it could be more serious.

I am waiting for a quote to fix, but would like to know (before they come back to me) what the possible causes are.

Can Anyone help? Thanks in anticipation.
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Tue 24 Jun 2003 13:13
Urgent help required Passat Tdi 97 - BB
One thing I forgot to mention was that I found bits of the alternator belt in the Cam belt covering. Is it possible that it has just jumped? Could this damage the valves or is it just the timing? i assume that I will need a new cam belt anyway.
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Tue 24 Jun 2003 13:43
Urgent help required Passat Tdi 97 - RichardW
Sounds pretty certain the cambelt has jumped one or more teeth. As it ran, after a fashion, you MIGHT have got away without bending any valves - garage should be able to determine how far out it has gone when they get a look at the belt. Cheapest way to find out if there are any problems is to refit belt and see if it will run, and what it feels like. Proper way is to the lift the head and have a look (although a well equipped garage could maybe whip out the injectors and have a look in the cylinders with an endoscope). However it turns out, I doubt it is going to be very cheap.....


RichardW

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Tue 24 Jun 2003 20:26
Urgent help required Passat Tdi 97 - Andrew Moorey (Tune-Up)
I had a Volvo do the same thing last thursday, the auxiliary belt shredded and threw the belt off the crank sprocket. Discovered also the key on the cam sprocket had sheared (cheaper by £10 from Renault than Volvo) Replaced belt and away she went. Touch wood all ok but watch this space!!
Andrew


Simplicate and add lightness!
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Wed 25 Jun 2003 07:34
Urgent help required Passat Tdi 97 - David Lacey
We've got a Peugeot 306 DT in our workshops right now that has done exactly the same :-(
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