Fiat Bravo Timing belt blown

minotour

Hi Folks,

Timing belt blew on me on the way to the airport last weekend. needless to say I missed my flight.

My Mechanic says he cant do the job as it needs special tools so I will need to take it to a fiat dealer. The valves have bent too so its a big job.

Anybody had any similar experience in the Dublin area and gone to a dealer? I know its gonna cost so if theres any recommendations let me know.

I've also heard stories of the car will never be "right" again. Its only worth about 2K so Im half tempted to dump it!

Bravo 1.6, '99, 85K, almost sure the belt was changed at 60K, need to see the service book.

Cheers
Col

mike65

Dump it.

Mike.

mmenarry

minotour wrote:

Hi Folks,

Timing belt blew on me on the way to the airport last weekend. needless to say I missed my flight.

My Mechanic says he cant do the job as it needs special tools so I will need to take it to a fiat dealer. The valves have bent too so its a big job.

Anybody had any similar experience in the Dublin area and gone to a dealer? I know its gonna cost so if theres any recommendations let me know.

I've also heard stories of the car will never be "right" again. Its only worth about 2K so Im half tempted to dump it!

Bravo 1.6, '99, 85K, almost sure the belt was changed at 60K, need to see the service book.

Cheers
Col

"new" (i.e. reconned) engine will be cheaper. Far too much work invovled in fixing an engine once it's clattered the hell out of the valves. You're looking at new Valves, new Pistons, new piston rings, and maybe a rebore.

Ringing around the scrappies might be worth a shot, it isn't *that* major a job to replace the engine, certainly easier than fixing the amount of damage, i.e. an independant could do it, and avoid teh stealership.

M.

JHMEG

If the timing belt was done at 60k by a Fait dealer it should be warranted till the next time it is due. ie if the Fiat belt the Fiat dealer fits breaks too soon, and wrecks your engine, they should cover the damage.

If it's not a Fiat belt fitted by a Fiat dealer, you're on your own. (the main reason why I always get the belt done at the main dealer)

colm_mcm

Mike's right. I'm afraid it's worth much less than €2,000. You're better off cutting your losses now and buying something different. If you're committed to keeping the car, a Marea engine could be fitted. but you're gonna be looking at spending over a grand.

minotour

Thanks folks, confirmed what i was thinking anyway, now gotta break it to/convince the missus, its her car really!
We're leaving for a better life soon enough anyway!

Now, how does one go about dumping it? I assume pushing it over a cliff is frowned upon!

RoundyMooney

All it deserves tbh.

Local car dismantlers are the best bet. Talk to your friendly mechanic.

colm_mcm

I'm presuming it's a Bravo GT. go on to www.fiatforum.com there are often guys in Ireland looking for damaged Bravos.

Esel

minotour wrote:

Thanks folks, confirmed what i was thinking anyway, now gotta break it to/convince the missus, its her car really!
We're leaving for a better life soon enough anyway!

Now, how does one go about dumping it? I assume pushing it over a cliff is frowned upon!

Park it on the street somewhere, remove reg plates and other identifying info (NCT, Insurance disk, tax disc etc. etc.) - council will then remove it free of charge, if they're informed that it appears to have been abandoned.

Otherwise, you might get a few quid for it from a breaker?

I'll take the battery!

comanche_cor

minotour wrote:

Hi Folks,

Timing belt blew on me on the way to the airport last weekend. needless to say I missed my flight.

My Mechanic says he cant do the job as it needs special tools so I will need to take it to a fiat dealer. The valves have bent too so its a big job.

Anybody had any similar experience in the Dublin area and gone to a dealer? I know its gonna cost so if theres any recommendations let me know.

I've also heard stories of the car will never be "right" again. Its only worth about 2K so Im half tempted to dump it!

Bravo 1.6, '99, 85K, almost sure the belt was changed at 60K, need to see the service book.

Cheers
Col

you should be able to get it done for under 1.5k. As to piston rings gone etc - thats worst case senario. Its probably just bent pistons, but be perpared for worst case scenario...

what you do with the car is up to you - its all got to do with how much the car is worth to you on the road. Are you prepared to spend 1.5k to get the car running again for a year or two before something else major goes wrong, will you be throwing good money after bad or are you happy to just replace the car and fork out for a newer one?

As for the whole thing about it never being right again. Thats not true, depends on who does it. All you are doing is taking the head off, replacing all the valves, skimming the head putting it back on, putting on a new timing kit and water pump... its not that much, but its the labour thats the pain in the ass

Owen

esel wrote:

Park it on the street somewhere, remove reg plates and other identifying info (NCT, Insurance disk, tax disc etc. etc.) - council will then remove it free of charge, if they're informed that it appears to have been abandoned.

I can't believe someone is suggesting this. They can also trace the car by engine/chassis number if necessary. But regardless, this is irresponsible.

Bring it to a Breakers yard, and have them issue you a cert of destruction. Or sell it to someone looking for parts, but make sure the change of ownership is done.

Kimbot

Dude, ring IVI engines, they basically promise to get you a new engine and put it in the car for max €1000.

http://homepage.eircom.net/~iviengines/index.htm

franksm

esel wrote:

Park it on the street somewhere, remove reg plates and other identifying info (NCT, Insurance disk, tax disc etc. etc.) - council will then remove it free of charge, if they're informed that it appears to have been abandoned.

Otherwise, you might get a few quid for it from a breaker?

I'll take the battery!

Illegal - I think the fine is up to €5000 ? Have seen enough scumbags doing it in the 'burbs, and 9 times outta 10 the car gets burned out, which is *really* nice for the people living nearby.

Seth Brundle

minotour wrote:

Now, how does one go about dumping it? I assume pushing it over a cliff is frowned upon!

I believe it is due to the pollution effect and the car is still traceable.

esel wrote:

Park it on the street somewhere, remove reg plates and other identifying info (NCT, Insurance disk, tax disc etc. etc.) - council will then remove it free of charge, if they're informed that it appears to have been abandoned.

Otherwise, you might get a few quid for it from a breaker?

Don't offer illegal advice!
It does not cost much to dispose of a car. Why run the risk of a huge fine?
Oh and AFAIK breakers charge to take a car off someone.

SouperComputer

Meh, scrap it. Its not worth repairing the engine. A failure like that is not good for the bottom-end either and most places dont bother to replace them.

Not sure what someone means by bent pistons, but anyway. I would say scrap it, you may get someone in the Buy and Sell who will buy it for parts.

At the end of the day, the gearbox and ECU are probably fine, possibly the driveshafts & CV's, wheels tyres etc etc.

You could get a replacement engine, really I think it makes more financial sense to get rid of the car.

colm_mcm

Don't IVI just do japanese engines?

Gary ITR

Same thing happened to my father, same car. It cost 1200 to fix it by main dealer. About 3 weeks after he got it back the ecu failed. It's at the age now when fiats usually start to die. Fix It Again Tomorrow

AMurphy

mmenarry wrote:

"new" (i.e. reconned) engine will be cheaper. Far too much work invovled in fixing an engine once it's clattered the hell out of the valves. You're looking at new Valves, new Pistons, new piston rings, and maybe a rebore.

Ringing around the scrappies might be worth a shot, it isn't *that* major a job to replace the engine, certainly easier than fixing the amount of damage, i.e. an independant could do it, and avoid teh stealership.

M.

Unless you knock the heads off the valves and knock a few holes in teh pistons, bend con-rods and damage the valve seats. A slight tip should be no problem to rectify. just determine in advance which valves are bent and change those. Should'nt take long. So unless the body is a heap of rust and junk, it is repairable.