MY10 MN Diesel: Timing belt snapped at 40,000kms

[netsick]

Hi,

Check out what snapped on the weekend while I was driving.

http://netsick.dtdns.net/timing-belt/

5 year factory warranty expired last year on 13/Nov/2015 (brought it brand new on 13 Nov 2010)

Shouldn't the timing belt last longer then 41,000k's and 5 years? The only time the covers ever been off the timing assembly is when I had it in for a service around 21/03/2014 (31 months ago) and they had to replace the big end bearings!!

http://netsick.dtdns.net/bearings/

Is the 2010 MN Triton a non interference engine? Could major work on the big end bearing cause this problem 31 months later?

Any advice?

[RHKTriton]

You'd have to check whether there's a km or time based service interval in the manual for the belt replacement - materials do deteriorate over time - big advantage of chains - ie. Metal.

Your bearings look like you had some sand circulating around the system! So looking at your pics, seals - the crank has obviously been out, so the belt must have been removed. The only thing I could suggest is the tensioner possibly not set properly.

[Cowboy Dave]

The service intervals are 100,000 kms or 5 years, whichever comes first. So you're nearly a year overdue to replace it I'm afraid.

[OffRoadDave]

Has the belt melted its way through the timing cover? Not having seen inside the cover on the Triton, I'm only guessing, but I'd say a pulley or tensioner has caused the problem and the broken belt is collateral damage of what the actual problem is, but belts do perish over time, I think every car I've ever owned with a timing belt has an age rating on the belt as well as kms driven, whichever comes first.

[Longranger1]

Why did the big end bearings have to be replaced?

The bottom end of these engines are usually bullet proof.

[Lee-thal]

5 years or 100000km thats the life of the belt they deem safe,
SO important to get them done very close to that,

They are an interference engine, so depends on the speed of the engine when the belt snapped as to how bad the damage will be. But minimum will be some bent valves on at least 1 cylinder,

[netsick]

I just checked my 5 year service invoice which was done on the 28 Aug 2015 and they didn't replace the timing belt!

http://netsick.dtdns.net/timing-belt/ummm.jpg

They've just paid for the towing from Sunshine Coast to Toowong in Brisbane to "inspect" it.

[netsick]

@longranger : they told me they had no idea why the bearing ended up like that.

I brought it to their attention while taking it for a service that it made a weird noise (screeching sound) sometimes and 2 weeks later they found it was the scratched bearings and replaced them under warranty.

[NowForThe5th]

I just checked my 5 year service invoice which was done on the 28 Aug 2015 and they didn't replace the timing belt!

A few other things they didn't do, as well.

You might be lucky enough to convince them that you instructed them to do the service 'per the book' and they didn't do it - so their problem.

Good luck with it.

[netsick]

Why would I have to instruct them to do it per the book? It's their service and warranty book, it's signed, dated and stamped by them at the 60month page and the service table for that engine type clearly shows what's to be done.

[snakesoup]

so how difficult is it to inspect the timing belt ? is it just a matter of removing that plastic cover at the front ? anything to worry about? I'm only at 60 k but am over 5 years, wouldn't mind having a gander at it

[bigjobs]

Unless you instructed them not to do the belt, then this is most definately their mistake.

Can't say I'm surprised that Toowong are the culprits, given my personal experiences with them.

I got the impression they weren't interested in being proactive or helpful at all, so I took my business elsewhere. Turns out they are incompetent too.

Let them have it dude.

[snowman]

so how difficult is it to inspect the timing belt ? is it just a matter of removing that plastic cover at the front ? anything to worry about? I'm only at 60 k but am over 5 years, wouldn't mind having a gander at it

The whole point is you need to replace it mate. Not look at it. as it is over 5 years old. Failure will mean dollars as the top of pistons don't take kindly to the bottom of the valves.

[gregdee]

I just had my timing belt changed last weekend the car is 2009 and 107000km the belt looked in good condition but the balancing belt had no teeth left on it go figure.

[Cowboy Dave]

I changed mine recently after a similar time period to these. It still looked okay but it was awfully loose. Despite several dealer services in its life it seems no one ever saw fit to check it for tension.

[snakesoup]

and is why I want to have a gander at mine cd, check for tension and for any obvious defects in the rubber, cracks etc, if checks out ok then I'll leave it alone till I hit 100k

[Cowboy Dave]

Pretty sure you can remove the upper timing cover pretty easily for a quick look.

There's an adjustment from the front somewhere too where you can tighten it up a little without removing the whole box and dice.

[BillMcQuade]

Pretty sure you can remove the upper timing cover pretty easily for a quick look.

There's an adjustment from the front somewhere too where you can tighten it up a little without removing the whole box and dice.

I might have a look at this on the weekend, and see if I can get some pics.

[red dragin]

About 5 small bolts for the top cover from memory.

Snakesnoup, if it's taken more than five years to reach 60, your looking at least another 3 to make 100. I wouldn't risk it, even if it was a non-interference motor.

[snakesoup]

hmmmm yeah, that is true also

[coughy]

mitsy state 5 year or 100 which ever comes first
i know i did mine at 60 and it looks ok but im not going to take the chance

[netsick]

UPDATE: Hey boys, just thought I'd post an update..

It's been over a month now since Toowong Mitsu have had my Triton. After a month of no updates from them what so ever, I called today.

They tell me that my car is still under 10 year drive train warranty (which I knew.. it's just not under 5 year factory warranty anymore..) and after removing the timing belt housing they discovered that the timing belt snapped because a bolt snapped. Convenient for them..

They then went to Mitsu Australia and claim that the bolt is part of the drive train and hence Mitsu Australia needed to approve the warranty repair. (I bet they left out the bit where they didn't replace my timing belt at 5 year service interval)

I'm no expert but I'm suspicious one can tell that a bolt snapped before the belt did given the damage in the pics I've previously posted, either way though, it's being fixed under warranty and they tell me they are "overhauling the cylinder heads at the moment" and should be ready Friday or early next week.

Overhauling the cylinder heads sounds pretty drastic and a bit general to me, what do you think?

[Longranger1]

Pretty standard after a timing belt failure.

[senatorjohn]

At least some of the pistons and valves would have made contact, probably bending valves.
John.

[hvac guy]

Hope they deck the block