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Belt Tensioner Bolt

Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 2:42 pm
by bm849
Was on my way home (Norfolk) from a trip to Oban in September. Spent the night short of Scotch Corner. Shortly after setting off that morning it was all stop. Called out the RAC who diagnosed a loss of compression which they could not repair. They proceeded to relay me and my Bongo all the way down South where the Bongo was delivered to where I had bought it several years ago.
The mechanic found the belt tensioner bolt had sheared, resulting in damage to valves. I was told it could of been worse (i.e. pistons). Anyway it is all sorted now and as you can imagine it wasn't cheap, despite efforts made to keep the cost down.
My understanding is that there is little I could have done to prevent this happening, just bad luck. However there may be some of you out there who see this differently, if so I would be interested in hear from you. Bare in mind my mechanical ability is limited to checking oil, tire pressure etc.
Anyway I am real happy to have my Bongo back and that the breakdown occurred at the end of the camping season and not the start.
Mike...
PS Thanks to the people at Little Movers for being so helpful and sorting me out.

Re: Belt Tensioner Bolt

Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 6:53 pm
by Titan1995
Sounds like just plain bad luck I am afraid.

Re: Belt Tensioner Bolt

Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 12:04 pm
by 321Away
Thats a serious bolt to shear!!

Julian

Re: Belt Tensioner Bolt

Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 1:25 pm
by g8dhe

Re: Belt Tensioner Bolt

Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 1:39 pm
by teenmal

Hi Geoff,I think its the Timing Belt tension bolt.
:)
Cheers.

Re: Belt Tensioner Bolt

Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 1:44 pm
by g8dhe
Yup your right, I just remembered seeing an item about Belt tensioners breaking hence the link :-(

Re: Belt Tensioner Bolt

Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 2:08 pm
by 321Away
its an odd bolt to shear as its not exactly a load bearing bolt, it locks the tensioner into its pre-set tensioned position

julian

Re: Belt Tensioner Bolt

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 8:52 am
by Titan1995
I worked at Vauxhall garages for a while. Changing the camshaft pulley bolt was a must if the pulley removed on some engines, never the tensioners though.

As Julian as said, not a load bearing bolt. Not like there is the room around that area to get a long enough lever to overtighten either.

As I said earlier just bad luck, get a bolt that eventually failed.

bm849 - Did you actually see this sheared bolt? Just seems a very odd bolt to fail.

Re: Belt Tensioner Bolt

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 6:42 pm
by bm849
Sorry for not getting back to you earlier, I was travelling for work all week.

I didn't see the the sheared bolt, it could of been interesting.

Anyway, like everybody has said to me, it was just bad luck. Lets hope I am in for some good luck now and many good years to come in the Bongo.