Emergency Help - Bordeaux in France please!!

[ColinJack]

We have broken down near Bordeaux - timing belt has slipped.

Engine is 2.5 TDi

I don't speak French and the garages all say they can't do anything for weeks.

Are there any forum members who live near Bordeaux and can change a timing belt?

Thanks

Colin

[MinorMatt]

Have you got the bits you need?

What have you got in the way of tools?

[ColinJack]

Have you got the bits you need?

What have you got in the way of tools?

Hi Matt,
Not got a spare timing kit (should have one in the van really) and some tools but not all I would need.
Certainly not enough to tackle it here though.

What are you thinking?

Colin

[andz327]

Good chance you've damaged other bits like pushrods

[ColinJack]

Good chance you've damaged other bits like pushrods

Depends on how far it has moved but yes. Can always hammer them straight! I think it may have only moved a notch or two - turns over okay.

[MinorMatt]

I was thinking it may be possible to post the bits you need...

Try messaging aardvark and frank190 - they are the only fairly active french members I can immediately think of but I haven't heard from them for a while!

[MinorMatt]

Ignore Frank190 thats the wrong one, I think its Frank190D i meant

[MinorMatt]

I will get it right in a minute!

Frank308D would be a good bet - but he hasn't posted since last year. He's an english ex-pat and his location is marked as SW France

[ColinJack]

I will get it right in a minute!

Frank308D would be a good bet - but he hasn't posted since last year. He's an english ex-pat and his location is marked as SW France

Have given up.
Told the garage to just fix it (gave him part numbers) and booked flights home. Got a business to run and wife moaning!
They will email once it is ready for collection and we can come and collect.
At the moment we are camped in their yard - they have a shower and toilet for the mechs, so job done!!

[ake]

I will get it right in a minute!

Frank308D would be a good bet - but he hasn't posted since last year. He's an english ex-pat and his location is marked as SW France

Have given up.
Told the garage to just fix it (gave him part numbers) and booked flights home. Got a business to run and wife moaning!
They will email once it is ready for collection and we can come and collect.
At the moment we are camped in their yard - they have a shower and toilet for the mechs, so job done!!

Realistically it's no more than two hours work to change push rods, belt and time it up

[ColinJack]

I will get it right in a minute!

Frank308D would be a good bet - but he hasn't posted since last year. He's an english ex-pat and his location is marked as SW France

Have given up.
Told the garage to just fix it (gave him part numbers) and booked flights home. Got a business to run and wife moaning!
They will email once it is ready for collection and we can come and collect.
At the moment we are camped in their yard - they have a shower and toilet for the mechs, so job done!!

Realistically it's no more than two hours work to change push rods, belt and time it up

You and I both know this - and that is tops.
Going to check the pushrods tomorrow to confirm whether they are bent or not. It only jumped a couple of notches.
Trouble is that my scrotum is exposed!! Worse knowing that I could do this in a couple of hours easy!

Let's see what happens.

[DodgeRover]

Can you not buy some tools there to do it with? Is the belt knackered or did it just jump due to lack of tension? If it's not lost teeth you might get away with timing it up again?

[ColinJack]

Can you not buy some tools there to do it with? Is the belt knackered or did it just jump due to lack of tension? If it's not lost teeth you might get away with timing it up again?

Belt has come apart - top section has partly come off - and that is what jammed under the belt and 'lifted' it briefly so it jumped. Needs new belt - going to check pushrods tomorrow. Still tensioned up.

[ColinJack]

Update on this.

Managed to borrow tools from the garage and strip it all down. Rockers and pushrods seem okay but look how lucky we were!



We had to get back - wife had plane to catch to South Africa - August is holiday season in France and it was obvious we weren't going to be able to get a new belt in time to fit and drive back. So agreed what needed doing, caught flights back to the UK and left the van in Bordeaux. They will order and fit a new belt and then I will fly out and collect.

[ColinJack]

Email from garage in France:

It's 16:55, your engine is running......................

So you can book your plane to come back to BERNARD CAMPING.

We are waiting for you.

Regards.

J.M. BERNARD

Top bloke.
Flight booked for 29th August (£16.99 on Ryanair).