Can't believe it- broke the timing belt
#1
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Can't believe it- broke the timing belt
When I got my '86 928 at the end of '02 I decided to go through it and replace as many things that were "uncertain" as I could including a new timing belt and water pump. Since then I've averaged 4000-6000 miles a year on it, as I used it only for trips (I had been able to walk to work). Ran like a champ, with only a bad alternator and replacement shocks needed since.
In May I needed the car as a daily driver for a few months as I was changing sites for work. No problem, the car was up to it. But two weeks ago the belt tension light came on. Uh-oh. At least it only happened once, at high RPM. Maybe it was getting loose- made a mental note to recheck it. The next week it came on again, twice, so I made an appointment to drop the car off with a trusted mechanic who could look at it today. Last night I went to start the car (it ran fine when I parked it) *to take it for T-belt service* -- and no-start.
Had it towed over and left with the mechanic-- got the bad news this AM- snapped belt, bent valves in cyl. #3. He wants to take both heads off to have them redone, and at the car's mileage (180k) I can't blame him. Ugh- I'm sick. Really I felt I had been doing the proper maintainence, with just a bit of a lag on getting the belt checked out. But I had always thought that 4-5 years/30-40k miles wasn't too much to expect from a t-belt.
Partly this is a story of warning, and partly a request for advice- how much is this going to cost? I'm guessing- just guessing $3-4k? Any ideas?
Thanks all,
Mark
In May I needed the car as a daily driver for a few months as I was changing sites for work. No problem, the car was up to it. But two weeks ago the belt tension light came on. Uh-oh. At least it only happened once, at high RPM. Maybe it was getting loose- made a mental note to recheck it. The next week it came on again, twice, so I made an appointment to drop the car off with a trusted mechanic who could look at it today. Last night I went to start the car (it ran fine when I parked it) *to take it for T-belt service* -- and no-start.
Had it towed over and left with the mechanic-- got the bad news this AM- snapped belt, bent valves in cyl. #3. He wants to take both heads off to have them redone, and at the car's mileage (180k) I can't blame him. Ugh- I'm sick. Really I felt I had been doing the proper maintainence, with just a bit of a lag on getting the belt checked out. But I had always thought that 4-5 years/30-40k miles wasn't too much to expect from a t-belt.
Partly this is a story of warning, and partly a request for advice- how much is this going to cost? I'm guessing- just guessing $3-4k? Any ideas?
Thanks all,
Mark
#3
928 Collector
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Mark I'm sorry for your loss and expense. I think when the light comes on, one really should stop and tow. But you know that already. And many here don't do that. If I were you I would do the work for myself, because it will be expensive!
Best regards,
Heinrich
Best regards,
Heinrich
#4
928 Engine Re-Re-Rebuild Specialist
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That sucks!
Before you dump $$$, give some thought to doing the work yourself. If you're not comfortable with the whole job, at least pull the engine and remove the heads yourself. You can save a lot of $$ if you only have the mechanic replace the valves/guides/seals.
Speaking from experience!
Before you dump $$$, give some thought to doing the work yourself. If you're not comfortable with the whole job, at least pull the engine and remove the heads yourself. You can save a lot of $$ if you only have the mechanic replace the valves/guides/seals.
Speaking from experience!
#5
Inventor
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Bummer, dude.
Did it actually break or, more likely, slip? Only one set of valves is very fortunate, if that's all there are.
Did it actually break or, more likely, slip? Only one set of valves is very fortunate, if that's all there are.
#6
Nordschleife Master
sorry to hear
Honestly though to the post that it could be worse, well no not really, thats what happens when the belt breaks, you redo the heads, replace bent valves and rebuild. So not much else to go wrong there.
Honestly though to the post that it could be worse, well no not really, thats what happens when the belt breaks, you redo the heads, replace bent valves and rebuild. So not much else to go wrong there.
#7
Administrator - "Tyson"
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On the bright side your valve guides / seals are probably shot due to age, now is a good time to replace them.
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#8
Three Wheelin'
$3-$4K is on the low end of estimates I have heard. It depends largely on your mechanic's hourly rate because I think this job requires pulling the engine and a lot of labor hours. The good part of that is you should be able to get a lot of other jobs done at the same time:
- motor mounts
- oil pan gasket
- cam, crank and oil seals
- check the crank, rods and bearings
- cam cover seals
- cam cover and intake refurb
etc.
I've thought about what I would do in the same situation, and with the help of this board, I would do the job myself. I'm no expert mechanic, but I think it can be done.
Good luck,
Matt
#9
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#10
Three Wheelin'
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Hi, everyone-
Thanks for all the encouragement. I know, the light should have scared me more the first time, but that really wasn't that much warning!
As for doing it myself- were this two yrs. ago, sure. I think with the help of the board it could be done, despite my not being a master mechanic. Unfortunately this is my last year of med school, and the schedule is packed with both residency interviews and some pretty demanding clinical work. Hell, I've had my supercharger sitting in my garage for a year now because I didn't have time to do the install.... looks like the mechanic will have to do it.
A real shame because, beyond the initial $ spent on preventive work and routine maintainence, the car had been pretty decent in the $ department.
The fellow doing it is very familiar with 928s (Sonny at SM motorsports in New Hyde Park, Queens) and he'll probably have some suggestions- but what else should I have him do/check while he's in there? I appreciate the suggestions already made!
Thanks,
Mark
Thanks for all the encouragement. I know, the light should have scared me more the first time, but that really wasn't that much warning!
As for doing it myself- were this two yrs. ago, sure. I think with the help of the board it could be done, despite my not being a master mechanic. Unfortunately this is my last year of med school, and the schedule is packed with both residency interviews and some pretty demanding clinical work. Hell, I've had my supercharger sitting in my garage for a year now because I didn't have time to do the install.... looks like the mechanic will have to do it.
A real shame because, beyond the initial $ spent on preventive work and routine maintainence, the car had been pretty decent in the $ department.
The fellow doing it is very familiar with 928s (Sonny at SM motorsports in New Hyde Park, Queens) and he'll probably have some suggestions- but what else should I have him do/check while he's in there? I appreciate the suggestions already made!
Thanks,
Mark
#12
Nordschleife Master
You bought a supercharger a year ago and didnt install it! Shame shame! I dont know how you could wait, i would probably pull all nighters or work straight through getting that thing on! I could never wait! Hell I would be impatient while the thing was in transit.
#14
Rennlist Member
I've seen it recomended that the T Belt should be changed every 5 years or so - is this accepted good practice ?
Mark - sorry to hear you had this problem. Was the tension checked every year ?
Mark - sorry to hear you had this problem. Was the tension checked every year ?
#15
Archive Gatekeeper
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Mark-
Sorry to hear about your predicament- what specialty are you applying for? Even with the (variably adhered to) 80 hour workweek limits, there aren't many residencies that are going to allow playing with 928's much...
Sorry to hear about your predicament- what specialty are you applying for? Even with the (variably adhered to) 80 hour workweek limits, there aren't many residencies that are going to allow playing with 928's much...