Was doing my usual 6 monthly change of oils and filters, and this time I decided to also change the power steering belt and air con / alternator belt. All went well it seemed but when I headed off up Parramatta road to go to Bunnings there was that familiar 'snap' snound of a belt breaking and the car wouldn't start. Rolled her around the corner and waited 3 hours for a tow truck (ouch - sunburnt!) to get towed back down Parramatta Road to Camperdown Toyota - the nearest place open.

Anyways they rang this morning to say that the new power Steering belt had snapped, wrapped itself around the crankshaft pulley, broke the timing cover, broke the TIMING BELT, hence bent the valves and probably busted the pistons as well - estimated repair bill - 2.5 K!

This on a a car with 82,000 klms on it! AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRFUUUUG! Bleh! NOT HAPPY!

Ouch dude.

Ring Franks in Campbelltown, last time I was there Todd offered me a ~30,000km old 3.5 for $890.

Ouch dude.

Ring Franks in Campbelltown, last time I was there Todd offered me a ~30,000km old 3.5 for $890.

Wow I'll keep that in mind - maybe the way to go.

Hi,
Unlikey you holed pistons here however if so, I can get you a brand new 3.5 short motor for $950 + frieght. YOu will still need heads however valves are nto all that expensive.

sorry to hear weird how it caused so much damage. was it a genuine belt or after market?

SHould not make a difference if genuine of aftermarket, Dayco make the magority of mitsu belts anyway.

I have seen this happen before with a second gen v6, belt was over tightened and came off. The design of the plastic cover to cover such a critical part is not ideal but all car makers do it.

Have also seen the oppersite, belt too lose rode over the pully and same result.

sorry to hear weird how it caused so much damage. was it a genuine belt or after market?

Genuine belt from Mitsubishi - however after this happened I rummaged through the bin for the old parts and realised that the new belt box has a different part number than the old belt - so perhaps I was given a wrong belt, though it fitted okay. Whaddya gonna do? The car's getting towed to a decent mechanic friend today so I'll get the full story later in the month when he's back at work.

Hi,
Unlikey you holed pistons here however if so, I can get you a brand new 3.5 short motor for $950 + frieght. YOu will still need heads however valves are nto all that expensive.

Keeping all in mind!

the power steering belt snapped in my old old tf as well, i think the guy fitted a 90cm one instead of 95 or soemthing, :doubt:

SHould not make a difference if genuine of aftermarket, Dayco make the magority of mitsu belts anyway.

I have seen this happen before with a second gen v6, belt was over tightened and came off. The design of the plastic cover to cover such a critical part is not ideal but all car makers do it.

Have also seen the oppersite, belt too lose rode over the pully and same result.

Oddly enough it was a Japanese made belt - something Asahi brand or whatever - the mechanic where its going reckons it may have been the adjustable pulley-bearing seizing - he's heard of those seizing up and breaking new belts, wheras they'd been running fine on old slacker belts. I guess when he gets to look at the car at the end of the month I should know the full story, but his shop is closed till then.

Some of the early V6s had a longer alt/ac belt with a part number starting MD, Mitsi did a rolling change (over a few years !!!) to a belt part number starting AW(347977 I think) which is a shorter belt than the MD one. The AW belt is the only belt Mitsi do now for ALL 3rd gen Magnas/Veradas. If you have a MD belt fitted I think you have to remove the idler (not tensioner) pulley and the AW belt will fit.

That is correct, the idler was causing issues with vibration and also noise and was removed as it was useless anyway. The new belt however is much shorter and will not go on if the idler is there and the old one will not do up if the idler is gone.

Okay no idler was fitted, or removed, and I think the said idler was on the other belt anyway.

Old belt number was: MD322330. New belt number is MN187017, its marked on the label, 'Belt, P/S', and was made in Japan.

The OTHER belt - for the alternator and airconditioning, is Made in the USA (so is presumably a Dayco) and is part number AW343977.

Sounds a bit similar to what happened to me. Something went bang, timing belt came off, valves got bent. (see thread (http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38835)).

I never finished the story in that thread. They did fix my car, and wanted an extra $600 in labour costs for it. I never paid it. I ignored a few phone calls from them, and have heard nothing since. My brothers mate who did the work never mentions it to him either. So I assume they knew it was their fault.

Car has been ok since.

Sounds a bit similar to what happened to me. Something went bang, timing belt came off, valves got bent. (see thread (http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38835)).

I never finished the story in that thread. They did fix my car, and wanted an extra $600 in labour costs for it. I never paid it. I ignored a few phone calls from them, and have heard nothing since. My brothers mate who did the work never mentions it to him either. So I assume they knew it was their fault.

Car has been ok since.


ahhh yes I remember that thread now..... I'm leaning towards fixing my engine rather than replacing it. I had the dreaded 90K service coming up in 2007 anyway so its gonna be like a supersized version of one of those but if I get him to do pistons / valves/ bearings etc and the waterworks while he's at it, she should be right for another 5 years. Unless the gearbox then carks it..... Hmmm maybe an engine AND gearbox swap and go manual while I'm at it!

Hey quick Qn did you get this serviced at a Mitsubishi Service Centre?? I had a new belt after 105K service snap. Well didn't snap but sheered itself inhalf, and luckily i heard it and was only going 20km/h. Pulled over and it had just begun to hit the timing cover.
Took it back to mitsubishi and they replaced belt and cover!! So if it was at Mistsu i'd be having a chat to them.
Adam

Hey quick Qn did you get this serviced at a Mitsubishi Service Centre?? I had a new belt after 105K service snap. Well didn't snap but sheered itself inhalf, and luckily i heard it and was only going 20km/h. Pulled over and it had just begun to hit the timing cover.
Took it back to mitsubishi and they replaced belt and cover!! So if it was at Mistsu i'd be having a chat to them.
Adam


Unfortunately I fitted the part myself so it'll be like "well if it broke you must have fitted it wrongly".... which I really do doubt that I did fit it wrongly but what can you do - can't now prove it one way or the other.

BUGGER :pray:
Lets hope it won't cost too much

BUGGER :pray:
Lets hope it won't cost too much

So far the approximate possibilities are: fix this engine $3k, replace with a fully rebuilt with 3 year warranty $4k, replace with a wrecker engine $2k.... I'll probably just go into hock and do the fully rebuilt and I'm I can assure you that I'm NEVER changing a belt on one of these myself again!

So far the approximate possibilities are: fix this engine $3k, replace with a fully rebuilt with 3 year warranty $4k, replace with a wrecker engine $2k.... I'll probably just go into hock and do the fully rebuilt and I'm I can assure you that I'm NEVER changing a belt on one of these myself again!

I would be getting some second quotes to be honest as the prices you have quoted are extreme.....each head should not be over $500.00 to totally reco so tops there is a grand, I have seen several of these drop belts and in all cases the pistons have been fine as the valve stems are very thin when it comes to valves and they tend to bend very easily.

I would be getting some second quotes to be honest as the prices you have quoted are extreme.....each head should not be over $500.00 to totally reco so tops there is a grand, I have seen several of these drop belts and in all cases the pistons have been fine as the valve stems are very thin when it comes to valves and they tend to bend very easily.

I'm talking totals including towing, and ancilliary things which go with an engine rebuild like new plug leads, waterpump, hoses etc. I mean a rebuilt engine off the shelf is $2.5K, but then there's labour, the above ancilliaries etc - end result is about 4k all up.

Well we're back on the road now - or will be tomorrow after I get my just acquired flat tyre fixed (can I take a trick now - please!). Ended up that all the damage was concentrated on the crank end of the engine, and although the timing belt was pretty much destroyed, it didn't skip a tooth so no bent valves or busted pistons. We've replaced all belts, crank sensors, sensor wiring, lower timing cover, all idler wheels and also the waterpump since we were in there anyway. Bill came to $1560 all up. Car's running as sweet as now.... Horror pics below!

$1560, could be worse....

Good to see it's all under control... So you been off the road all that time???

Sounds painful

$1560, could be worse....

Good to see it's all under control... So you been off the road all that time???

Sounds painful

Nah - kind friend lent me someone's grandma's TE.

ouch larry, but at least you didnt bend anything internally

i guess she'll be right for another 100,000kms now

ouch larry, but at least you didnt bend anything internally

i guess she'll be right for another 100,000kms now

Exactly... BTW the final diagnosis was that all this mess was caused by wear in the idler bearing on the power steering adjuster. Apparently its a ball bearing arrangement and as they wear they get a slight movement to them. This wear can be exacerbated by over-zealous steam cleaning (which the dealer who sold me the car could certainly have done - the alternator bearings went early on that car too, so steam cleaning could indeed have been an issue).

Anyway this idler bearing wear is fine while the original and (over time, looser) belt is in place, but they seize when a new and tight belt is put on. The mechanic says its a known issue, but rare, on the Magnas, but apparently quite a common place issue with current generation Falcons.

Good to see its all sorts lazz.. expensive but least its back and yes it could of been worse..:P

I guess the outcome was "ok". ;)
Especially when you wanted to drop in some forged slugs, big H-beam rods, lightened crank, 380 complete heads with additional porting..... :D

I guess the outcome was "ok". ;)
Especially when you wanted to drop in some forged slugs, big H-beam rods, lightened crank, 380 complete heads with additional porting..... :D

They had a Ferrari Dino V6 in the shop at the same time - I was trying to convince the mechanic to swap engines with that! In the next month or so we'll do plugs, Plug leads, intake heat proof coating, flowed throttle body and extractors - that'll sweeten things enough for now.

Good to see thnigs came out at the better end of the scale mate.

look forward to the work your going to be doing on the engine.