Timing belt replaced 2 weeks ago...now the alternator belt snapped

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degree_tdi

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So I got the car back from the mechanic after the timing belt was replaced and after a few days, I started hearing a squealing sound coming from the engine...This morning, as I was driving to work, the alternator belt snapped and the red battery light came on in the dash...could this be a result of the mechanic doing something wrong or is it totally unrelated to the timing belt repair?

Because I think the alternator belt had to be removed to replace the timing belt

Car is a 2006 Jetta TDI
 
Antsrcool

Antsrcool

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May have been off a ridge and it broke. It happens if your in a hurry even I have messed up on these before. A good mechanic will replace it on good will. A bad one will blame the belt and say you need a new tensioner ;)
 
D

degree_tdi

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How do I check the alt pulley?

Given the timing of this incident, do you think it's most likely the fault of the mechanic or was this belt bound to snap now
 
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degree_tdi

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Update: Belt is not snapped, it just came off the alternator part....alternator is missing the pulley...all of the elements (A/C, alternator, etc) still spin when rotated by hand except the very bottom one which I assume is the crankshaft?

Mechanics fault when installing timing belt (i.e. alternator pulley left too loose or too tight) or was bound to happen anyway?
 
4

40X40

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degree_tdi said:
Update: Belt is not snapped, it just came off the alternator part....alternator is missing the pulley...all of the elements (A/C, alternator, etc) still spin when rotated by hand except the very bottom one which I assume is the crankshaft?

Mechanics fault when installing timing belt (i.e. alternator pulley left too loose or too tight) or was bound to happen anyway?
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Not the mechanics fault this time. You need a new alt pulley, but the belt tension is spring loaded and not adjustable.
You should have gotten a new serp belt with the TB service.

Bill
 
Ol'Rattler

Ol'Rattler

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The mechanic would have checked the pulley if he had known how it works. He should have checked the tensioner, as well.

To check the pulley you take off the serpentine belt and hold the internal parts of the alternator from turning with a screw driver and then you try to turn the pulley by hand. it should turn freely in one direction and not at all in the other direction.

Makes me wonder if the mechanic replaces the water pump and required TTY bolts. Exactly what parts did the mechanic replace? If he didn't do the job correctly, then a catastrophic failure could be in your future.
 
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D-Cell_Mekanick

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Ol'Rattler said:
The mechanic would have checked the pulley if he had known how it works. He should have checked the tensioner, as well.
To check the pulley you take off the serpentine belt and hold the internal parts of the alternator from turning with a screw driver and then you try to turn the pulley by hand. it should turn freely in one direction and not at all in the other direction.
Makes me wonder if the mechanic replaces the water pump and required TTY bolts. Exactly what parts did the mechanic replace? If he didn't do the job correctly, then a catastrophic failure could be in your future.
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Maybe the mechanic did check the alt pulley and tensioner and they were fine at the time. I don't know and neither do you. Parts fail when they fail, not the mechanics fault this time.
 
Ol'Rattler

Ol'Rattler

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D-Cell_Mekanick said:
Maybe the mechanic did check the alt pulley and tensioner and they were fine at the time. I don't know and neither do you. Parts fail when they fail, not the mechanics fault this time.
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My point exactly. if the mechanic had checked the pulley, he would have seen that it was ready to fail. my guess is that he didn't understand how TDI alternator pulleys work.

TTY bolts are bolts that are one time use and need to be replaced if they are removed. When TTY bolts are re-used, they will fail letting the engine fall out of the car.
 
4

40X40

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Ol'Rattler said:
What is "the parts whisper"?
Click to expand...

Like the 'Horse WhisperER' The lack of two letters is an example of not proofreading causing a misunderstanding.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Horse_Whisperer

A 'Parts Whisperer' might be one that 'listens' to the parts and knows when they are about to fail.... LOL. Or he might just be what is called competent.

I think he complimented you!

Bill
 
T

troublemaker

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correct ER! To know when a alternator pulley is going to fail is pretty hard, unless it has a tell tell noise or something like that. But if you could tell when a part is going to fail you would be a millonaire! :)
 
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Ol'Rattler

Ol'Rattler

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Having a real clear understanding of how something works is absolutely the best tool you can have in your toolbox.

Where people go wrong many times is that they will fill in gaps in their knowledge with assumptions and based on those less than perfect assumptions, start shotgunning parts at the problems.

With this kind of stuff, the Devil really is in the details........................
 
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Jettascuba

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South Africa
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I had a alternator pulley spin off two weeks after replacing the serpentine belt and tensioner - was 'perfect' when I checked it... only possible way to check it properly is to remove it from alternator and spin it at high speed, in a lathe for example... and listen, look then...
 
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