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How cross should I be...?

I had a new cambelt kit and waterpump put on my Mk 1 Mondeo last week by a friend-of-a-friend (professional mechanic, doing it in return for me fixing his PC).

After it's first long run (25 miles of A and B roads) I smelt a rubbery smell and when I looked the top jockey wheel had come off and was jammed between the engine mount and cambelt cover, and the aux belt had frayed to about 2/3 the width against it and sprayed rubber shavings around the engine bay.

I wangled the jockey wheel out and judged the belt had enough tension and strength to drive gently home again. Which was right...

Now.. he's going to fix it at his own expense. New belt at least, possibly a new jockey wheel but it looks fine to me still - the bolt threads are clean and unmangled, the jockey wheel is still smooth and round and runs well on its bearing.

Is he somebody I should avoid ever using again, or is it just 'one of those things'?

Would you be furious or accepting about this sort of thing?

Reply to
PCPaul
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Well if there's no lasting damage & the offer to fix it was made in good grace then being furious would seem rather out of order.

Reply to
Duncan Wood

After he fixes it ... I wouldnt use him again.

Reply to
James

From what you are saying - to me here, it sounds like when he fitted the belt he had loosened the top cambelt pulley bolt. Sometimes

When a mechanic isn't fully familiar with how tight the belt should be he uses his knowledge this way - 9/10 times it works and lasts.

Ford engines are easy really - they haven't changed much - I'd say your engine might be a "Pinto Style" engine.

I've done about 200 never had to change pulley (they appear to last) but there's no harm in him realizing he's made a make here somewhere

or maybe he's been unlucky. He just wants to cover every eventuality

SB

Reply to
soundboy

and have the covers off and check everything is tight

Reply to
Mrcheerful

Give the guy a break - he's offered to put it right - he may not be good with timing belts - lots of mechanics fear them. In my early days I always asked for another mechanic to check my timing belts, before I boxed them up - there's always doubt when you aren't doing these belts day in day out. This mechanic probably feels bad either way. He could have easily blamed this on a faulty belt or even the way the clutch was being used putting pressure on the belt when changing down the gears. (roughly)

SB

Reply to
soundboy

Bloody ell - he might as well fit the thing himself

SB

Reply to
soundboy

It was just a jockey wheel on the back of the aux belt - not the main cambelt pulley or an adjustable tensioner.

It's a silvertop Zetec. It is a fiendishly complicated serpentine belt, but it's 'only' a fanbelt when all is said and done.

You have to take this one off to take the timing belt cover off, IIRC.

Reply to
PCPaul

the guide pulley he is talking about is on the outside, the mechanic has failed to tighten it in the first place, what if the tensioner for the cam belt is similarly loose? He cannot take a chance, this is not a Pinto 2 litre that will freewheel if the belt breaks, it is a modern (ish) multi cam thing that bends and breaks stuff , and bearing in mind its age it will be going to heaven if it drops the belt.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

He seems to have missed an eventuality..

Reply to
David Taylor

suppose we are ALL guessing now (not getting at you ) We haven't been given the true engine type.

SB

Reply to
soundboy

seems to me he rushed it or he hasn't done many belts and dosent know or care the outcome - hopefully he will learn from this. SB

Reply to
soundboy

Umm... why are you still guessing? It's a silvertop Zetec. End of story.

2.0 if it makes a difference, but I don't think it does on a Mk.1 Mondeo, which was also previously stated.

I can't really see what you are trying to say here?

Reply to
PCPaul

Right. Had it sorted this morning.

He took the timing belt cover off again, checked all the bolts. All tight.

Put it back on, refitted the loose idler (with loctite) and a new aux belt.

Looks good to me... but I will be keeping an eye on it!

Reply to
PCPaul

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