25 replies to this topic

[wswan25]

Hi,

 

Need some advice asap please if anyone can help.

 

Had a Larini back box fitted to my VX220 Turbo today, got the box from Elise Shop and a local garage fitted it.

 

I picked the car up from them, took it out for a spin and the first 10-15 mins it was fine, loving the sound of the Larini, then suddenly as I was heading back home it started making a bad squeeking noise, even in idle, but worse under acceleration (in or out of gear). The noise is definitely coming from the rear of the car driver side, around the wheel arch area.

 

But this is 100% not a suspension issue, it something to do with the engine.

 

Luckily I was only 5 mins from home, but it drove home fine, no loss of power, no warning light, no different at all, just this loud noise.

 

When I got home i looked under the car (under the rear drivers side) and the end of the attached image was poking out, i pulled on it (very lightly) and was immediately apparent that it was not attached to anything, it pulled straight out with no resistance.

 

It is some sort of rubber belt (with reinforced strands in it), but badly shredded, must only be 10-15mm wide.

 

I have no knowledge of engines/belts etc. And this is going straight back round to the garage tomorrow for them to look at it (although they dont know that yet).

 

Does anyone know what this could be? What the noise is? Is this something the garage could have caused? I have a video of the sound, I can WhatsApp it to anyone if they want to hear it (i cant get it on here). Just let me know your number/PM me.

 

Thanks for any advice.

Will

 

Attached Files

•  Belt..JPG   62.25KB   17 downloads

[VXT Tim]

That is your alternator belt. Battery light on/flickering on the dash?

[ollie2007]

Timing belt by the looks of it, if it is that, DO Not drive it back to garage. Get someone to trailer it, if it is the timing belt and you drive it and it snaps the damage to the engine will cost shed loads to repair

[wswan25]

Thanks guys. My thoughts were its the alternator belt, but I am not experienced enough to be anywhere near sure of that. The belt just looks too small (even though its shredded) to be the cam belt and theres no signs of teeth on the belt from whats left of it.

 

If it is the alternator belt can that be driven? The garage is downhill and less than 1 mile away from my house, I could get there by literally barely touching the accelerator.

 

is that en expensive fix?

 

Any more thoughts on the noise? Thank you for your help.

[fezzasus]

It's the alternator belt, and you can drive it without it attached.

 

Not an expensive fix. £15 part and labour.

 

Alternatively, it could be the gear cable casing, hard to tell without seeing the stuff close up, but a change of exhaust would point to melting the casing.

Edited by fezzasus, 01 September 2014 - 07:32 PM.

[VXT Tim]

Yes can be driven, will eventually lose battery but unlikely in one mile. I'd be surprised if the garage caused the issue although you can't rule anything out with garages. The squeak might be a knackered belt tensioner hence why the belt has come off but I'm speculating .

[scw02102]

Alternator belt you can see it through the rear arch (drivers side) They shouldn't have touched that when doing the exhaust It's recommended to change the pulley tension thingy at the same time Out of interest what garage did you take it too? Did they do a good job? You pleased with the Lairni?

Edited by scw02102, 01 September 2014 - 09:20 PM.

[VXT Tim]

Did the squeak sound like this?

[wswan25]

Hi Tim - yes very similar to that, slightly different pitch if i'm being pedantic but exact same repetitive rhythm and practically same noise, and same location, rear drivers side near wheel arch.

 

Was that alternator related? I obviously found a piece of shredded belt too from there, cant be all of the belt but i could only see what was hanging out and lose.

 

Did the squeak sound like this?

 

I took it to Auto Shoppe in Cliffe Woods village. They done an ok job yeah, not perfect, took them 3 hours though to do it, none of them had worked on a vx220 before. I was loving the Larini yes, was sounding better as it warmed up - and a big improvement on the standard, much better/louder sound even though it was just the back box.

 

But then that happened! So my fun got cut short, nightmare. I go on holiday weds too for nearly 2 weeks so i wanted to enjoy the car and new exhaust before i went, that's not going to happen now.

 

Just hope its not too expensive to put right.

 

[VXT Tim]

That was the sound of a tensioner failing and not long after my belt shredded and looked like yours. Mine completely removed itself, you should check yours has too before you drive it anywhere just incase there is any left. You don't want it coming off and getting stuck in the timing belt anywhere.

[wswan25]

Thanks for the advice Tim, I'll have a look and will run it round to the garage. Is there a reason why your alternator belt shredded? Do they just tend to go periodically? Thanks mate.

[Ormes]

That was the sound of a tensioner failing and not long after my belt shredded and looked like yours.

 

 

Is there a reason why your alternator belt shredded?

 

Failed tensioner

[wswan25]

Thanks Ormes, I understand that appeared a bit of a repetitive question, I just have very little knowledge about this, and am trying to understand why a failed tensioner would shred a belt, by that I mean what is the belt being shredded on? Does it just misalign through not enough tension and then catch on surrounding metal effectively, in laymans terms...?

 

Cheers for all your help.

[Ormes]

If your tensioner fails then you more than likely have no tension on the belt and it is therefore allowed to be thrown free of the pulleys. Tensioner going certainly isn't unheard of.

[Ormes]

Fyi there are 3 pulleys and a tensioner... Alternator Crank AC delete idler Tensioner

[wswan25]

Ormes thanks mate, muc appreciated, learning every day!!

 

Fyi there are 3 pulleys and a tensioner... Alternator Crank AC delete idler Tensioner

 

[wswan25]

Update - in case anyone is interested/has similar problems.

 

Slowly took the car round to the garage this morning, they looked and immediately said its the alternator belt that had been stripped. They are going to replace the alternator and tensioner - hopefully today.

 

My cam belt was only remplaced in August 2012 during a 4 year C service (the car has only done approx 3500 miles since then), so technically doesnt need to be done again until 2016. However this happening has got me worried - but maybe unnecessarily.....

 

Surely the cam belts on this confidently last the 4 years? if I had mine done in 2012 (only 3000 odd miles ago) should i just stop worrying, wait until 2016 and enjoy the car - or would you get it replaced to be sure?

 

Thanks.

 

[VXT Tim]

Interested to know why they feel the need to change the alternator?

[TheRealVXed]

Yes it will last is the answer to your question.  Just drive the bloming thing.  Alternator belts and the tensioner are regular consumables along with bushes, brake pads, clutches etc.  Life's too short to worry.  Even if it fails a replacement engine is peanuts anyway. 

Edited by TheRealVXed, 02 September 2014 - 09:08 AM.

[wswan25]

Do you mean change the alternator and the tensioner belt? That may of been my doing, someone on here said its best to change both at same time, and i thought for the cost of them and the fact they are doing the alternator anyway I said to them i'd rather both were changed so i know its running correctly - but they did say they would normally just do both anyway. Least they will both be fresh and hopefully not cause any further problems.

 

But i know what you mean, i do worry about garages and what they tell you - especially because of my limited knowledge. All i want is a car that's working right! Cheers.

 

Interested to know why they feel the need to change the alternator?