Mabel, our 2005 2.8JTD Benimar was due for her MOT on Monday last week, so was duly booked in with our Garage. I had done an oil and filter change a few days before and checked all fluids and lights etc. About a mile short of the garage I got a large loud noise from underneath (I thought I had lost the exhaust) and all lights came on on dash and power lost. Power came back a bit, then intermittent noise for a few seconds, then she died. Called breakdown and waited for 2.5 hours and finally AA van arrived.
Excellent chap, went through it with him and we found Auxiliary belt gone, then removed oil filler cap and turned over engine, no movement of camshaft, so Cam belt also gone. Much sucking of teeth! (Cam belt just 2 years old).
He (illegally) towed me to the garage (Gross train weight exceeded) and we left it with them expecting a £1000's bill.
Phone call on Thursday to say that unbelievably, there was no damage, new belts fitted, and she was ready to go! £690.
It appears that the Aux belt broke, which then snarled up on the Cam belt graunching that off. How the valves etc did not get damaged no one is quite sure, but I have had a lucky escape it would seem.
The van has about 58,000 miles on it and the base vehicle is about 2003. Apparently it is not a Fiat engine but an Iveco?
I am religious at changing the Cambelt in good time, but have never really checked the Aux belt ... if it breaks it's an inconvenience rather than a thing that will cause damage ...or so I thought!
So the moral of this story is change the Aux belt when you change the Cam belt!
I am still perplexed about how the valves etc were not damaged?
Jeremy