MX-3.com

Hi

I got my timing belt and waterpump changed by a Mazda dealer after we had difficulty in getting the crank pulley bolt undone. However something lovely happened today the waterpump belt basically has been shredded all along the outer edge of the belt with bits hanging off it. This is two days after Mazda changed the pump and timing belt. Im thinking they have not done it up tight enough has anyone come across this before?

Nope, that's why I won't let other people work on my cars. I don't trust them. I have run into more than my fair share of snags, but, eventually found solutions. I wish I could give you some info on this, but, I haven't messed with water pumps yet so I don't know much about them. You may find some information on them by looking in the online shop manual on the home page or by searching if you haven't already done that; although, I would personally take it back to them, tell them what happened, and make them fix it.

I'm assuming these are new belts and they didn't just throw on the old belts? Check your pulleys and idlers for chips/burrs on the edges, and that the Vs are properly seated in the grooves. The mechanic might have dropped one of the pulleys when they removed them to change the belt.

If the belt wasn't tight enough, you'd probably have slipping/squealing... Either way, I don't think tension would cause fraying, expecially that quickly.

i say take it back to the dealer and they'll fix it free of charge....obviously they messed up.
don't touch anything urself or else they'll try to blame it on u.
there's no reason you should even have to spend the money to buy a new belt and re-do it urself....it's their responsibility

Thanks for all the advise the belts were not new belts as they had been changed only 3 months earlier. Just been back to the dealer with the car now who offered to do the labour but said i would have too pay for the belt which resulted in a right old argument. Then they said they didnt have the belt in stock anyway so the car would have too stay. They didnt have a courtesy car they could lend us but they might be able to give us a lift home. So much for main dealers. Ironically i phoned another main dealer who said they had the belt on the shelf and the cost of it was less than it would cost me to get back to the garage to pick up my car when fixed. I mean i could do the job myself but why should i. I paid them good money so they can bloody sort it. Maybe i should bill them at 70 pound an hour for wasting all my time.!?