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

Perhaps that coin could be worked into a novel by Steven King.

go ahead - scratch off that ticket let's see what luck the millions of $ brings with it.... Let's see what happens in chapter 2.

on the other hand, you might want to toss that piece of bad luck as far away as you can. do you feel lucky?

;-)

Glad its over.
Rgds,
Vince

 

So someone else can run over it???

I like the lucite cube idea.

Unbelievable find. I hope the insurance claim works out for you.

 

I was thinking more along the lines of a few thousand feet of water....
Rgds,
Vince

 

then before you know it: BANG, damn piece of lucite in the belt

 

We have an allstate agency in GA, I called today & they said comp should cover it.

 

This thread has been on my mind since the 1st post!!! I have been planning an engine out service with a top end rebuild for later this year/early next year. I have been seriously reconsidering it after reading this. Now you find a COIN in there....WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is wild!

JIM

 

the exact same thing happened to me driving a lancia montecarlo!!!drovearound for and hour and parking it started making a ticking noise, turned it off and found out that the timing belt jumped2 teeth and a coin was to blame for it

 

I was doing something with a razor blade on my Lancia Montecarlo a long time ago. Dropped the blade in the engine compartment. Couldn't find it. Shoud have spent a little more time looking ;-) Anyway, when I started the engine I found the blade :-( Didn't have the skills, tools or knowledge back then to do much on the engine. Had to phone Lanica in Ipswich, UK to come her up. The timing belt jumped one or two notches but no damage.

 

Sorry to hear of the damage to the engine, but this thread is great.
It's like an old school crime thriller. Who dunnit!

Hope it works out with the insurance.

 

And isnt it wonderful that it wasnt the fault of one of us non-Ferrari trained backyard hacks that couldnt tell the difference between krylon and powder coat at 50 paces.


Now to consider the odds. Over 35 years ago The Fiats that droned around were about the first cars to really flood the market with rubber timing belts, then Honda. The Fiats were "okay", but they did not allow you to go to far without putting in a belt or they would make you pay. The Hondas were all mostly non interference engines so nobody cared, run em til they snap. And, Honda started right off running a better belt design, what we see more often on modern cars like the Gates HTD. Although I doubt even a modern belt would tolerate a coin going through. I have always known the belt was the 308's weakest link, and while I knew debris could be an issue this thread has really opened my eyes.

The rear covers seen on US model 308's were, from all I have gathered, put there because of heat concerns, and its why none of the other world markets used them. Now that all cars run hotter than hades they have all pretty much the same equipment. So the question goes back to what could be done to prevent this, and is it really that great of a concern? Would a protective screen under the belly be enough to eleviate 99% of the problem??

 

If this car had been preoperly serviced by a factory-trained Ferrari shop this never would have happened. If it doesn't go to a factory trained shop it is garbage, it will always be garbage and there is no recovery, ever. The car is tainted until eternity no matter what is done to it. I know. I read it on Ferrarichat.

That's what you'll hear here from those who can't tell a box end from an open end at 50 paces. They think because their own wrenching, attention to detail and mechanical ability is awful that every hobbist mechainic is terrible also. It is simply not the case.

 

You forgot the and the LOL!

 

Very curious what the concensus is on this myself.

Should we be waiting for the opinion of a factory "brained" mechanic

 

The OEM covers come down behind the drive gears by about 10mm or so, they also curve around so the gap where the belt wraps onto the gear is covered.

Good idea! I've added ventilated rear belt covers to the 'planned products list'!
I'm doing a major as part of my PPI install, so it'll be easy to trace the OEM covers. Then I'd just need to find someone who can do a clean job of cutting sheetmetal, maybe a water jet or laser cutter & then powdercoat.

Look for something to show up later this summer.

 

Paul, must quibble. All QVs for all markets (including my '82 Euro QV engine #0425) came with rear belt covers until QV engine #2188, which puts the cut-in around late '84 or early '85.

 

Verell,

Do you plan on plain sheet metal or some type of screen/grill material? I think it would be much better with some stiff screen material. Most people would probably then be comfortable with the protection from objects big enough to do damage AND comfortable not having to worry about any overheating issues for the belts.

 

Gil Grisome on CSI would be proud of this sleuthing

 

Yeah, but they would have figured it out before the first commercial, the goofs. Quick, get that sprocket, belt and token under a microscope and inspect it for tell tale marks. Get some chemical analysis done on the token to find rubber and metal fragments. We need more evidence, darnit.

 

Are you saying until, or did you mean after? I wasnt aware of that. I just recall a thread on something about the covers some time back and there was a discussion about US cars and other world markets having the covers, that euro's didnt, and it was suggested they were put on to deal with heat more than for any other reason as US cars had to have cats and the rest of the world didnt. In any case if they would keep stuff out thats all that matters.

Good screen covers would be a good idea, especially on the early cars that dont run so hot (if in fact the solid covers have anything to do with heat). I think the belts could handle small objects without (hopefully) disintigrating, its the big stuff like NH state tollroad tokens we have to worry about now.

 

As all of you, I'm very surprised with what happened.

Having recently replaced belts and tensioners on my 328, it reminded me of a couple of parts that, as far as I know, are only present on the 328 and can help avoid this kind of problem. Mind you, the pictures were taken before everything was restored, including the alternator, but I think you'll get the idea. If it's there, there is a reason for it, and I've just found out why!

Maybe you could consider having these added to you 308, just in case ...
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Hmmm . .. I think that one simple piece would reduce the already low odds by another 10 fold . . that's factory?

 

Thinking the same myself.
I have nothing like that on my '89 328
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Hmmm...... my early '88 has them.

 

yep it's factory, seen 'em on early 85 to 88. random though, possibly an iteration by the factory instead of the back panel. one note, you can't fit both on at the same time and I've also noticed that those with the back panel the tensioner bearing will slide on and off by hand whereas the one with out need to be pressed. they also carry different part numbers for the tensioner assembly as well.

 

Yes, it is. I've now zinc'ed them black