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MG MGF Technical - Alternator Belt

Last week I was driving my MGF along the motorway when I heard a loud 'pertwang!!'. Immediately my battery light came on and I continued my journey for another 20 miles. I called out the RAC to check and he suggested the alternator belt had gone. I got this fixed at a local garage but when I drove away from the garage (I must have gone 1/2 mile) the car engine suddenly cut out and I haven't touched it since. Its currently parked up on the side of the road. Does anyone know what this may be?? Would it be related to the alternator belt going?? Someone did suggest that it may be the timing belt thats gone? Any help would be much appreciated

Thanks
Suzy

Did you try to restart the car after it cut out ?
If so, did the engine turn over but not fire ?
Or was the engine apparently jammed ?

What about lights - eg battery lights and other warning lights ?

Can the garage who did the alternator belt help ?

I hope it's not the (cam) timing belt !

Steve
Steve

I did try to start it and it was just turning over. There were no warning lights this time. The guy at the garage said that if I wanted the timing belt looked at I should take it to a dealer as he wouldn't even look at it!! When the RAC Guy came the first time he also said that the power steering belt was missing as well - but I don't think I had one when I bought the car anyway!!. I know the timing belt going could be an expensive repair!!
suzy

Suzy

It sounds to me as though you have had the unfortunate experience of having a bunch of cowboys look at your car.

If the timing belt had gone bang believe you me you would not have managed another 20 yards let alone 20 miles.

An as for the RAC man saying the power steering belt is missing - well as Will knows my thinking about the RAC - every MGF has its power steering belt missing - it is electric!

To me it sounds like an electrical problem, but any competent garage should be able to sort it for you.

Good luck and lets hope that you dont get any more cowboys around your car.

Ted
Ted Newman

You would have heard a tinkle tinkle noise is the timing belt had gone, then you would need a new engine!
It could be that the alternator is not chargeing- disconnected wires etc. and the carge in the battery was not enough to create sparks.
>he also said that the power steering belt was missing as well
That made me laugh! Firstly there is no Power steering belt, secondly, there is not anywhere it should connect to! Did he just look at the dash lights?
I agree with Ted, take it somewhere you can trust (dealer guide www. anybody?)

Will
Will Munns

I agree with Ted - the car is unlikely to turn over without the timing belt (damage will probably be too great).
The most likely fault is that a lead has come off.

Have you asked the garage to take a look ?
For the car to fail within a mile is just inexcusable, they know what they did and they should fix it.

I don't think that making a mistake means they're cowboys, this is determined by how they react to the problem they may have caused.

Is it a VVC ?

Good Luck !
Steve
Steve

Cheers guys, Its funny you should mention the RAC thing, when he looked at he said did you know your power steering belt is missing?? I said it wasn't there to begin with and he said "oh you better get that fixed quick or your steering will bugger up", what an idiot! He also said that he didn't have a 'special MGF' alternator belt!! As far as I am aware I thought that it was the same standard belt as for the Rover?? Do you agree??
Suzy

Steve

Yes every story has two sides but going on what Suzy has reported in my books they are 'cowboys' but I gues it also depends on your definition of 'cowboy'.

Suzy

The MGF uses the K series engine and I would imagine that the alternator belt for the K series will be the same what ever car it is fitted to - it may vary from MPi to VVC to 1.6 to 1.4 etc.

Ted
Ted Newman

Its not a VVC just a basic 18i 1996 model, and to be quite honest I'm not prepared to take my car back to the same garage in case they make things worse (it was recommended by the RAC man!!!) - I've just booked it in to an MG Dealer garage. I described the events so far and he wouldn't make any comment until he's seen it for himself except that its not the timing belt because its turning over - so will report back with the findings for your information.
SUZY

The alternator belt is a little tricky to get to - the offside rear wheel needs to be removed, and a panel in the wheel arch taken out. Typically the retaining screw for this has electrolyitcally corroded (steel screw in alloy subframe holding the engine).

Has the alternator belt been correctly replaced and re-adjusted? (It is a standard K16 part)

What condition is the battery now in (given that it was driven, under load, until flat - may have caused permanent damage to the battery which may not now hold an adequate charge).

A good many 'possibles' here - I think that the car needs to be taken to a reputable garage for further investigation.

Power steering belt... hahahahahahaha!!! ;oD Thanks, that's made my morning, which up until now had been particularly miserable ;o)
Rob Bell

When I had the 132k service done at B&G they made a comment about the state of my alternator belt. They reckoned that it would have failed in a few thousand miles. They also stated that the MGR dealer (Beadles of Gillingham) would have had to remove it during the 120k service and had put back a part that was obviously well beyond its serviceable life. It sounds like Suzy has suffered from the same fate that I narrowly avoided.

I would suggest that everyone who is having their car serviced by MGR dealers check their alternator belt, particularly if their car is more than 4 years old.

Ralph
Ralph

Ralph - good point
Mine was replaced at 43K miles / 5 year service, as it wasn't worth putting it back on.

Suzy - I hope you have more luck with the MGR dealer.

Steve
Steve

Just to add more evidence - my alternator belt was just replaced and at 46K miles & 4 1/2 years it too was showing signs of giving up. By comparison, the cam belts looked fine, although they too were replaced.

Dave
Dave

The Verdict - It appears that the engine has flooded and as a consequence an electrical fault has occured. This will be fixed easily if not expensively. The cam belt is fine but will replace it anyway seeing as my car has just hit 80,000.

BUT!! I had just purchased a hood mate from Mike Satur (which has solved my leaky window problems) and this has mysteriously vanished off the face off the earth!! The tow truck company state it was on when it was delivered to the garage - the garage says it was not on when it was delivered!! Nobody wants to help - everyone is in denial - and I am now £39.75 short in my pockets. The moral of the story - never leave your beloved MGF alone for one second with a stranger.
Suzy

This thread was discussed between 13/08/2002 and 15/08/2002

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