aftermath of a cambelt snapping

Level 6 User Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Posts: 166

alright chris need some advice

few day ago cambelt snapped on me F7R laydened megane it also was having to be topped up everyother day with a complete header tank of water

i got thehead off today, found a ripped cambelt but other wise in spotless condition even writting still on it, found the lower tensioner to be worn to the degree that it wobles a few mm but i dont think that was the cuase but all the other pulleys inc water pump seem in good nick

the head gasket seemed also in good condition no breaks and no real signs of where the waters been escaping

im inspecting the head at the moment definate signs of impact on most pistons and valves but only 3 so far ive fo9udn to be actually bent

im gunna pop in to town tomorow order the 3 new valves from reno but ive obvisouly got to clean the block face and head face up is there anything inparticular you use for this part? im think pipes cleaners and some fine wet and dry maybe?

not looking forward to reassembling it lol what an arse with the engine in !

im gunna get my local engine center to check the flat ness but im also worried about not finding an obvious source of the water loss would it be worth the mnoey to get the head pressure tested ? if they can do it ?

i had previously tested the collant and zorst gases where present, well as ood as i could tell with one of them changy colour things

Site Subscriber Joined: 28 Jan 2005 Posts: 3547

i would take the engine out, as mine when the cambelt snapped on tick over, only bent 2 valves, but after starting the car and less than 15 miles of driving, it expired, i found that the shock of the pistons hitting the valves had a: squashed the big end bearing and ended up making them turn with the crank instead of the big end, and b: had bent the con rod.

I strongly advise you check them.

Level 6 User Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Posts: 166

oh dude id love to but thus far this is already taking too long and im not gunna take the bottom end apart as well i think i shall cross that road if and when it happens

its me only transport well hehe thats legal anyway Wink

need it up and running asap

quite frankly i cant remmber where half of the bolts are gunna go on putting it back together lol just imagine if i striped the bottom end as well lol Shocked

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

get down B&Q, go to the decorators section and find scotchbrite pads. The green and brown ones are what I use. They do the job very well.

The tensioner is probably what done the belt, a few mm is way to much movement.

There will be more bent valves, turn the head upside down, cams out plugs in then fill the chambers with water, if it runs away you have bent valves.

Level 6 User Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Posts: 166

yeah i did that chriss wd 40 only ran through past 3 valves but when i took it to get skimmed today they said they coould reseat all the valves and skimm it for 90 notes i thought thats not to bad when they had all the valves out they ring me and say 6 are bent dispite my lil wd 40 test im hoping they just not replacing becase they are marked and know there stuff! now looking at 180 inc vat shocking 100 quid for somefink i wanted to do my self not good ill be demand some major discount when i go and pay

but i am getting it back tomorow i would have taken days to do it

replaced the lower tensioner just now and just got the water pump off getting the water pumps pully off with out a belt on and with the engine in !!! what a bastard lol but shes off now so due to what can only be described as the biggest g clamp ever

water pumps bolts where quite coroded where the gaskets given way slightly in places so that was about due!!!

lower tenisoner and water pump needed replacing at 65k ! would have thought they would have went longer than that ?

found where the waters been going its been escaping through the head gasket (dispite it being in good nick) maybe above of below the gasket but its been coming out the back left corner and down the head behind the back part of the cam cover.. orange mess down the back definiatly where its been losing it, im hoping the new gasket and the skim sorts that out!

got some 1200 grit wet and dry gunna wrap some round a block and give that a try tomorrow along with a razor blade out of me stanly knife

Site Subscriber Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 1141

Did you get the head pressured tested as well? The water could be leaking internally.

Level 6 User Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Posts: 166

addie my friend thats more money Razz

but im gunna go with orange stain down theback Wink

Affiliate Joined: 28 Jan 2005 Posts: 360

F7R powered Megane losing water aye... is the gearbox showing any signs of coolant still trapped and floating on it? If so the plastic thermostat housing is most likely to be the cause as the house tends to become brittle with age and it cracks and the seals also become hard which allows the coolant to get by under pressure. I had to replace Leannes in the 19 for this very reason. Parts can be sourced second hand but to buy new won't bust the bank. Here's what we paid:

Part list:

Thermostat Housing - 7700864435
Â£21.82

Seal - 7701040739
Â£1.60

Seal - 7700718380
Â£1.38

Mick

Level 6 User Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Posts: 166

also forgot new thermostat Wink

at 12 quid i got that while i was at it, but that wasnt the problem but you is defo right the thermostat housing crumbles in your hand even at 63k but i still used my old one just replaced the seals and the thermostat it will be fine, not sure if i mentioned above but it was leaking over the gasket in the back left corner near the upper tensioner

anyways new gaskets on having a fecking arse of a time with the head bolts!! doing my back in a treat it is

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

you paid Â£12 for a stat?

You really are a muppet aren't you.

headbolts, I had to use a 6 inch 3/8 drive tommy bar to do the laguna headbolts, it kinda dug into me hand but it wasn't that bad!

Level 6 User Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Posts: 166

all reno prices and all with 20 % off chris you cant ask for more than that though in retro spec the 80 pound for the head bolt set was a bit much

also i havent found a local factor that could produce me the right stat

Affiliate Joined: 28 Jan 2005 Posts: 360

Chris we had to buy a stat for the 19 from Renault to as no-one else had the Megane Coupe's available... everything bar the 2.0ltr. We didn't pay Â£12 for it but we do know the parts manager quite well since doing the conversion Rolling Eyes

Mr Quoter-vator Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 7405

wouldnt any F7P/r stat have worked?