Alternator belt snapped and cambelt

[or8it]

This morning I went to start my A4 B6 1.9 TDI and nothing happened, it was if I had a flat battery almost. On looking under the bonnet I could see the alternator pulley was at a funny angle and minus a belt! After calling out the AA they towed me to a garage they recommended. I've just had a phone call from them saying the cambelt has snapped! Could this of happened? They said it's likely that the alternator belt shredded had caused the cambelt to fail?Just after a second opinion really. Is this a likely thing to of happened?Thanks

[mikeybutch]

Sounds wierd.Go and have a look and ask them to show you how this could happen.Was it running OK before?

[zollaf]

its possible and does happen. i have had it happen to me on a french car, but, it happens whilst driving, so the only way it could have happened is if it went just as you parked up, which would be strange. i would certainly want to see the evidence though as the bill will be in excess of £1200, providing the head is salvageable.

[or8it]

I'll go in again tomorrow. They've now said it was the cambelt that went which took out the alternator belt. They've also said as a rough quote it will be £1500 at least. Hopefully there's minimal damage to head seeing as I was stationary.

[zollaf]

very unlikely for cambelt to take out alternator belt. what happened when you turned it off last night, any unusual noises ?
exactly what happened this morning, just nothing, did it try to turn over at all ?

[or8it]

Nothing untoward when I turned off last night. This morning done my usual commute of 30 miles to the ferry. Turned the engine off waiting for the ferry, approximately 10 minutes. When I went to restart the usual dashboard lights came on but it was as if the battery was flat when I turned the key. The engine wouldn't turn and I had to get pushed out of the ferry queue.

[zollaf]

this sounds very suspect. i have never known a timing belt to fail like this in 20 years. all the failures i have ever dealt with have been while he engine is running and the car being driven. not saying this isn't the case but i would advise that you get a second opinion from a 3rd party. where abouts is the car at present, not the name of the garage but the town ?

[Doctle Odd]

I saw it recently when I was asked to replace a "broken" alternator belt on a laguna. The belt shredded and sliced under the felt timing belt cover (yes a felt belt cover)! The shredded bits got caught on the timing belt locked it and ruined the cam pulley. Best bit is no valve damage! QUOTE=zollaf;781458]its possible and does happen. i have had it happen to me on a french car, but, it happens whilst driving, so the only way it could have happened is if it went just as you parked up, which would be strange. i would certainly want to see the evidence though as the bill will be in excess of £1200, providing the head is salvageable.[/QUOTE]

[Doctle Odd]

Did the crank pulley come off?

[or8it]

this sounds very suspect. i have never known a timing belt to fail like this in 20 years. all the failures i have ever dealt with have been while he engine is running and the car being driven. not saying this isn't the case but i would advise that you get a second opinion from a 3rd party. where abouts is the car at present, not the name of the garage but the town ?

The car is in Plymouth. They are going to take the head off tomorrow for inspection.

Don't know if the crank pulley came off, I shall ask.