Car Engines - The Wet Belt Saga

[Easy-X]

A few people expressed interest in how my daughter's Peugeot 2008 was doing. Current status will be at the end of the post.

Background

Various manufacturers - Ford, Peugeot, Citroen, etc. - have in recent years used small capacity "eco" petrol engines. Timing components previously driven by a chain replaced by a toothed rubber belt... in the engine, in the oil In the interest of noise, fuel efficiency and reliability. Thank you, tree huggers.

Yes, such a belt was originally billed as more reliable than a chain. Maybe with fresh oil forever and ever it could be but as well as lubricating, oil is specifically meant to trap contaminants like petrol from piston blow-by and microscopic metal particles from engine wear. Not the ideal environment for running a rubber belt! 150,000 mile lifetimes started shrinking... down to 60,000 at the moment on the aforementioned Peugeot.

Symptoms

As the belt degrades the surface starts to flake off and enter the oil system. Mostly the bits end up in the sump so a clogged oil pickup will be the first problem. The car will complain about low oil pressure but not the oil level. Depending on the manufacturer's programming the car should at least revert to "limp mode" to avoid engine damage or even refuse to start.

Do not continue driving the car!

Engine no function oil well without Worse, if the belt snaps you could destroy the top-end of the engine.

The Fix

Bare minimum is to drop the oil, sump cover, clean out the oil pickup and replace the belt. 4 ~ 6 hours at garage rates

I've also been told that belt shreds could gum up the oil galleries and write-off an engine. AFAIK the oil pickup runs to the pump and oil filter so I can't see how that makes any sense Someone enlighten me please.

Preventative Measures

"This all sounds like a ball-ache. What can I do to avoid all this?"

1) Don't ever buy an "eco" engine with a wet belt
2) Religiously change the oil every year with the manufacturer specified grade. Make sure the service paperwork has the oil type, date and mileage noted down. Guard this paperwork with your life!
3) DO NOT avoid getting the wet belt changed in the time frame / mileage range specified by the manufacturer.
4) Get the work done at a recognised dealer if you can afford it otherwise KEEP ALL THE PAPERWORK!

"I did all that but my car's still fucked!"

And now we're where I'm currently at.

Blame the manufacturer

My daughter's Peugeot 2008 is specified as needing a wet belt change at 6 years / 60,000 miles (whichever comes first.) The low pressure oil fault reared its head @ 5 1/2 years, 35,000 miles.

Step 1 is getting a full diagnostic from an approved dealer before Peugeot customer service will even have a conversation with you. Step 2 is send them scans of all the relevant service paperwork. I'm currently at the point where yes, they'll cough up something towards the work but how much? Step 3 is telling the dealer "yes, drop the sump and check the belt and oil pickup" before they can price the job for Peugeot customer service.

Upshot: as well as the cost of dragging the car to the dealer you will need to stump up ~3hrs of dealer garage time before you have any idea what the eventual cost will be....

...at £174 per hour

Maybe I can get some of that back, maybe not. It's a minimum of an £800 job to swap a wet belt even at a backstreet garage. I'd imagine the dealer doing the work will be £1,000 ~ £1,500. Sweating a little bit as to what Peugeot will "contribute."

As an aside, if the car was the 2017 model or older the wet belt was changed under a factory recall but this is a 2018 one. Peugeot (and everyone else) know these wet belts are a big problem but it's classified as "good will" outside of a recall so I say again KEEP ALL YOUR PAPERWORK!

I shall keep you informed as to the outcome.
____________________
Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[WD Forte]

174 quid an hour! jeez!
I just bought a cambelt, tensioner, idler and water pump kit for my
'new' (well new to me) pug van.
I couldn't be arsed to grovel about doing it and got my local guy
to do it for £120
Parts cost about £100 so £220 all in

If these wet belts do degrade as you say and tales abound
of them doing it, then even a new belt wont
do much good if the oil ways are polluted
fuq dat eco shit
____________________
bikers smell of wee

[to v or not to v]

dont buy cars from people who eat snails.
____________________
current bike Yamaha Thunderace.
its old and fat, but its a damned good ride. the bikes not bad either.

[Easy-X]

[MCN]

Sounds about a Ghey as the Dual Mass Flywheel saga.

A massive lump of wear-parts in the centre of the drive train.
Guaranteed to fail after 90k Miles.

The fix was to remap fuel injection. Duh...
____________________
Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[Freddyfruitba...]

[sickpup]

Yep, lots of back street garages are now refusing to do belts because of the problems and refusing to do chains because of the time taken.

[Easy-X]

Update just in:

"Your car is ready to be picked up."

All work done and covered by Peugeot head office!!! Cost to me: £90 to drag the car over to the dealer and the 1hr @ £174 for the initial diagnosis.

Phew!

<addendum>

Yes, that was the final price. I suppose the upside of the diagnostic report is a list of maintenance things to do this summer. Brakes, bulb out on the number plate, tracking needs adjustment. Normal "bread & butter" stuff
____________________
Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter