Never be cheap when it comes to mechanics/repair!

S@njay · 4 Apr 2006 at 17:37

My dad had a very very lucky escape with his car over the weekend.
As he was driving on the motorway to dudley, the car begain to make some strange noises, as he cam to his destination, he looked at the engine.

Seemed as if it was coming from the cambelt area, so he called th AA and got to go in the yellow lorry all the way home!

Went to the garage today, and found out the tensioners had broken, could have caused some serious damage!

Lukkily it didnt, but the moral of the story is when you replace the cambelt, dont be cheap and not get the tensioners!!

(when we brought the car, it had the belt changed, but obviously they were to cheap to get the whole lot done :rolleyes:

(cars a ford mondeo btw 1997/8 R)

Also goes with everything else with cars, dont be cheap, get it done properly!

thebrasso · 4 Apr 2006 at 18:07

He was very lucky there, it could have been rebuild time for his engine.

I won't buy cheap parts now, especially tyres. The first time I've spent a few quid and bought a decent set and over the winter they have been worth every penny :cool:

F355 · 4 Apr 2006 at 18:31

That happened on my car, but it was too late and the tentioner took 8 inlet valves with it.

How many miles has the engine done?

[TW]Fox · 4 Apr 2006 at 19:03

It's essential that you change the tensioners on Silvertop Zetec engines - it's only the Blacktop ones where it isn't imperative.

Enfield · 4 Apr 2006 at 19:06

[TW]Fox said:
It's essential that you change the tensioners on Silvertop Zetec engines - it's only the Blacktop ones where it isn't imperative.

Oh great. I have no idea when mine was done as I have no service history! It's done 90k miles so i'm hoping it has had it done already!

ajgoodfellow · 4 Apr 2006 at 19:07

I'd do it asap

Hell, £300 cambelt bill or £2k for a new engine? It's just not worth it

[TW]Fox · 4 Apr 2006 at 19:09

Enfield said:
Oh great. I have no idea when mine was done as I have no service history! It's done 90k miles so i'm hoping it has had it done already!

I wouldn't have thought the engine in your car is a Silvertop Zetec engine? :confused:

Enfield · 4 Apr 2006 at 19:14

[TW]Fox said:
I wouldn't have thought the engine in your car is a Silvertop Zetec engine?

1.6 16v DOHC with a silver head. Or is that not how you identify a silvertop?

Nozzer · 4 Apr 2006 at 19:21

[TW]Fox said:
It's essential that you change the tensioners on Silvertop Zetec engines - it's only the Blacktop ones where it isn't imperative.

I'd say it was essential to change the tensioners on all engines.

[TW]Fox · 4 Apr 2006 at 19:31

Nozzer said:
I'd say it was essential to change the tensioners on all engines.

You might, but the manufacturers don't

Mickey_D · 4 Apr 2006 at 19:32

Enfield said:
1.6 16v DOHC with a silver head. Or is that not how you identify a silvertop?

I believe the colour reference is to the rocker cover. Was I right in this WAG Fox?

Nozzer said:
I'd say it was essential to change the tensioners on all engines.

Generally yes. But I believe the inferrance was that in non-interference engines it's not quite so catastrophic of a failure.....

[TW]Fox · 4 Apr 2006 at 19:33

Mickey_D said:
I believe the colour reference is to the rocker cover. Was I right in this WAG Fox?

Spot on, as always with you

Enfield · 4 Apr 2006 at 19:36

So I was right then

EDIT: Just noticed something......an American spelling coloUr correctly

Mickey_D · 4 Apr 2006 at 19:36

Heh, you do know what a WAG is, right?

paradigm · 4 Apr 2006 at 20:08

Mickey_D said:
Heh, you do know what a WAG is, right?

Wild *** guess?

Nozzer · 4 Apr 2006 at 20:16

[TW]Fox said:
You might, but the manufacturers don't

Just seems silly to me not to do the tensioners when you're doing the belt(s).

Mickey_D · 4 Apr 2006 at 21:15

paradigm said:
Wild *** guess?

* ding, ding, ding!! *