Cambelt Snapped - Options/Parts 1.4 TDI 75

Foghorn

Foghorn

Member
Well after 16+yrs of ownership and 180k miles spending very little on the A2 ended up with some bad news. Yesterday the bearings in the pulley on the alternator failed and sheared the drive belt and car comes to a stop. My wife was out in it and when I went to recover her I then tried to restart the car successfully turning it over but it wouldn't catch and fire up. After a few goes I get what turns out to be the 'death click' from the starter and engine fails to turn over. Car has been recovered to our local garage who usually do the work/MOT on it and after fitting a new drive belt and believing it to be a low battery charged it up but got the same as me. They took off the cambelt cover and found it broken 😢. Cambelts, water pump and tensioner pulley have always been changed at the required intervals and it appears given the lack of tension with the drive belt off this has tipped the cambelt over the edge.

So the next steps are to refit a cambelt on Monday and hand turn the engine to see what resistance there is and go from there. Usually this would be the death knell for a car of this age/mileage and value but of all the cars I've had it might be a bit rough around the edges but its my favourite and my wife refuses to drive anything else. I vowed never to get rid of it and despite what I'm facing that's still my preferred option. My hope is given it snapped whilst trying to start it instead of at 30mph the damage 'could' be minimal.

Before the diagnosis I had a suspicion in the back of my mind it could be the cambelt :rolleyes: and started looking for replacment engine options but couldn't find any! In terms of valves etc wheres the best place to get parts?
 
I suspect you will be OK if it was only driven by the starter when the belt snapped. I've had my pistons locked solid against the valves supporting the weight of the car on a slope, no damage. Hopefully your engine will be good likewise.
For an engine try the A2 breakers, heads can be had rather than messing with valves but I think you may be OK and not need either.
 
Phil
Thanks and fingers crossed so that the phoenix can hopefully rise again from the ashes. My thoughts are a replacment secondhand engine may be the easier way forward than breaking the original unit down.
 
I have my fingers crossed for you, if it runs fine you must be the luckiest A2 owner ever. Not because of the mess with broken belts but because if the auxiliary belt had not snapped while running the timing belt would have done, probably on the same journey, then you would most likely have needed an engine. Wait and see if it runs.
 
Worth throwing a belt on it, did the alternator drive belt break up as its much more likely debris have been dragged into the belt
 
Foghorn said:
Phil
Thanks and fingers crossed so that the phoenix can hopefully rise again from the ashes. My thoughts are a replacment secondhand engine may be the easier way forward than breaking the original unit down.
Click to expand...
There are several amf TDI engine on eBay, cheapest is 275 delivered. Good luck.
 
Howey said:
Worth throwing a belt on it, did the alternator drive belt break up as its much more likely debris have been dragged into the belt
Click to expand...
Yes that's what led to it. The bearings in the pulley on the alternator failed and sheared the drive belt first. My subsequent attempt to restart the car the threw the cambelt.

The garage did tell me the pulley on the alternator should ideally be changed at set intervals (60k miles?) but it's the first I've heard of it. If I'd have known about it I'd have done it as routine maintenance :rolleyes:
 
Verdict from the garage 👎 handturning has confirmed the pistons have been struck and we're at the point where it has become uneconomical to go any further paying for someone else to do it. There's the cost to strip down and if the head comes off that's a reskim along with any pistons/valves to replace. Whilst the latter are not expensive it's the labour that will push this to over £1k.

So, options limited I'm taking time out to consider what to do with it but in the meantime I'm on the hunt for another TDI SE to get my wife back on the road. Called on three adverts and all sold :rolleyes:
 
Foghorn said:
Verdict from the garage 👎 handturning has confirmed the pistons have been struck and we're at the point where it has become uneconomical to go any further paying for someone else to do it. There's the cost to strip down and if the head comes off that's a reskim along with any pistons/valves to replace. Whilst the latter are not expensive it's the labour that will push this to over £1k.

So, options limited I'm taking time out to consider what to do with it but in the meantime I'm on the hunt for another TDI SE to get my wife back on the road. Called on three adverts and all sold :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Mine stripped 32 teeth on the belt & I drove /limpt 5miles to a lay-by
Where it stopped but when I was revived by the AA I was then able to strip the head down myself & the only damage found was to an injector internal spring retaining collet , so it may not be as bad as you think.
 
Ami said:
what's your budget ?
Click to expand...
Varaible depending on the condition of the car taking account these cars are 20yrs old and my inclination is to buy the wife a newer VW Polo but she'd prefer an A2 :rolleyes: I have owned one since 2002 so they're kind one of the family.
 
Have the garage timed it up and put a belt on it and it's locking up now is that what you mean
 
Foghorn said:
Varaible depending on the condition of the car taking account these cars are 20yrs old and my inclination is to buy the wife a newer VW Polo but she'd prefer an A2 :rolleyes: I have owned one since 2002 so they're kind one of the family.
Click to expand...
Morning,

I may have a lead on an AMF engine. PM incoming.

Kind regards,

Tom
 
PM received and thanks all for the support and advice.

The problem I have is the local garage I have used for years is not willing to do an engine swap as it will take them away from their general servicing work for 2-days and they have concerns about buying an untested secondhand engine without some form of warranty. Ideally a place that can supply and fit a replacement engine is the best outcome. Finding a place and then the logistics of getting the car creates further issues.

Whilst all this goes on I'm now actively looking for a A2 Tdi replacement to get us back in our natural habitat.
 
Foghorn said:
PM received and thanks all for the support and advice.

The problem I have is the local garage I have used for years is not willing to do an engine swap as it will take them away from their general servicing work for 2-days and they have concerns about buying an untested secondhand engine without some form of warranty. Ideally a place that can supply and fit a replacement engine is the best outcome. Finding a place and then the logistics of getting the car creates further issues.

Whilst all this goes on I'm now actively looking for a A2 Tdi replacement to get us back in our natural habitat.
Click to expand...

You’re not a million miles from WOM….
 
How known pd engines survive belt failures, worth putting a belt on but appreciate most garages like spinning filters and can be costly
 
Can it not be transported to a fellow club member along with a. Replacement cylinder head?
Im sure some here would be wiling to do it?
if it were down south I’d take it on, or perhaps Chris Warren.
its still an option if the only other option is to scrap it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top