Timing Belt Failure After Only 150mi!! WTF!?!?

Kevin,

Does your car have a protection screen underneath the exhaust system? On the 328's I think it was used on cars that came with the Catastrophic Converter (my Swiss market has it) to keep tall grass etc. away from the Cat. (fire hazard).

If yours has the screen was it in place when this happened?

 

because I personally paid more than 6K in 1997 dollars for the 'professional' service.

rest easy, now you can go back to your 'blissful' state of mind.

Rgds,
Vince

 

Wow!! Unbelievable!!

 

That was something!

Fate is a funny thing, maybe this failure caused you not to be someplace you were going to be. May have caused you this situation to keep you out of harm's way. You may have been injured or worse...May have been good luck. It's expensive luck though. Just another way to look at it. It's amazing you found the token!!!

Ciao...Paolo

 

Let us know if you plan on making some . .. should be pretty simple . . . I'd really like to have something to get to Scott's pullies while you're thinking about it.

edit: can you confirm or show pics of how much of the rear is covered? is it all the way down to the drives?

 

I was pretty sure it was a foreign object, we've seen similar failures here in our business on belt-driven equipment.

 

I like the idea of saving the token on a desk paperwight or something similar. It is good to know that a foreign object "One in a million" caused this problem.
BT

 

A deformed token encased in plastic would make for quite an interesting conversation piece. Anyone seeing it would be compelled to ask about why something so insignificant is being idolized and deemed so important... Sometimes, it's the smallest things in life, that we cannot see, cause us huge problems. I still can't get over the fact that this REALLY happened!

As far as underside sheilds, I know all of the ones that were supposed to be in place were there. My car has a single-cat located right behind the muffler and is protected by a keystone-shaped piece of sheet metal that bolts onto the frame and muffler grille (present). There are other heat sheilds protecting the manifolds from the fuel crossover tube, the right gas tank, and the underside of the fuel distributor. All shown in the parts manual are present.

'If anyone decides to make up thier own vented rear covers, I would love to see what you come up with. Thanks all, I'll keep you posted.

 

Thanks for the reply Kevin. Geeeezzz that's amazing how that found its way in there with all those parts in place.

 

Hi Kevin, I am glad you found the item. I sent my State Farm insurance agent an email asking if my auto insurance will cover engine or transmission repairs due to road debris.
Let us know what your insurance company tells you.

 

they will probably tell you no, and if they do try to deny coverage, find counsel, it should be covered under your comprehensive coverage, which is usually a lower deductible.

Art

 

If that coin was kicked up and cracked your windshield they'd pay right? If you have comp it should cover it.
xraygun

 

This vehicle is insured with State Farm as well. I have been so incredibly busy today & have not contacted my agent yet to inquire. Thanks!

 

+1

 

you should be allowed to drive in New Hampshire, without toll, for life

 

I hate toll roads. Gives new meaning to the NH license plate motto, "Live Free or Die".

 

I know tolls were getting high, but that's a hell of a price to pay. I'm glad the tolken was still there, and the mystery has been solved. Best of luck on the insurance claim

 

But if the insurance there is like Commerce in MA, then a "single vehicle accident" is presumed to be driver error.

When the brake cooling scoop deposited a rock in my front rim (causing the rim to split), it took a year and a half and a hearing with the state insurance commission to get the insurance increase repealed.

(Once I got out of MA, where Commerce was the only game in town, I went back with State Farm.)

 

Hi Kevin, I spoke to my State Farm agent. He told me if you have comp and collision the engine repair is covered minus your deductable.

I think this will work out for you.

Charles

 

Ok...we're all assuming he was being truthful and that he didn't put the token in the engine as a quick fix for something. JUST KIDDING. SOOOOO sorry this happened to you. I would still be in tears. Since I am not a wrencher, my 308 would be at the shop being repaired. And who knows if the mechanic would have heard the token falling out...Bad luck that this happened, but hopefully it will work out with your insurance company.

 

I would go buy a scratch ticket and use that token on it. You never know.

The chances of actually finding the thing were smaller than the odds of the accident happening in the first place. MAN! A frickin' toll coin!

It makes us all feel better that you found the problem. Nothing worse than not knowing what the hell happened.

Sorry for the accident though....that sucks. At least you might get some financial help with it.

Birdman

 

Yes, right next to the immediate section of destroyed belt - a picture is worth a thousand words! Would make explaining it a lot easier/quicker! "THAT caused THAT which caused...."

 

great find on your problem, unfortunately very expensive....at least you might have a very interesting display for the garage:
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Perfect! Maybe even a copy (or germaine total) of the engine repair bill in there too!

 

Just read the thread and WOW!

Sorry to hear of your misfortune, but I'm glad to know you found the culprit.

WOW man WOW!! Unbelievable.