Timing Belt on Hyundai Terracan

Have heard back from the Dealer this arvo. They said there is water in the engine and that was what made the timing belt slip. We went through about 3inches of water about 30 km from where it broke down. How can that be possible? This was the first time we have taken it on the beach. Plenty of dirt tracks but maiden trip on the beach.

Is it possible we could drive 30 km after crossing (basically) a puddle?

Thanks for all you input.

Terra

Unless they can clearly identify it as "seawater" then in all possibility it could be radiator fliuid caused by a sudden rupture of the head gasket. Go down there and have a look at it, and take some "sneaky shots" (camera or phone cam) of the top of the cyl block/mating surface of the head, and if it is still aound the actual head gasket. Should give you good clues and evidence should you need it...You are looking for water/rust tracts from the water jacket holes to the cylinder. "Play dumb" about it when you are having a look.

Water would have caused imediate problems if it was ingested, unless there is a dependant loop in the inlet manifold (VERY UNLIKELY). Any water should have been stopped in the airfilter in the first instance. After 30 km or so there should have been no water left in the inlet tract anyway (evaporation due to airflow and engine heat).

Water in the oil does not necessarily mean you have had water in the cylinders, and water in the oil will not in itself cause hydraulicking.

The case they are putting forward sounds suss. They've seen a bit of salt spray under the vehicle and are trying to use that as an excuse. Pay for and get an RACV/RACQ (or whatever) inspection done now while it is in the dealers and apart.

Thanks for the tips, will do and let you know.

As you probably can tell love cars with a bit of grunt but no a lot of knowledge under the bonnet - use to leave that to the dealer but now will have to do some research me thinketh.

Terra

If it is still under warrany and the vehicle has been properly serviced, etc., THEN PUSH IT. IT IS A WARRANTY ISSUE IF IT WAS NOT CAUSED BY MISUSE!!!!!.

I agree with Gary 100%.

Misuse - that is the question.

Do you think taking a 4WD on soft sand is misuse?

Terra

Of course not, it is a bloody 4wd. It is sold as a 4wd, low range etc. Sand is more than reasonable 4wd use.

Mine has been over lots of soft sand and went like a beaut.

Jump on the Terracan forum, join up and message me.

ATB,

Jim.

Quit simple, never trust the advice of dealers as to what is covered by warranty and what isn't. Go to your state consumer affairs, automobile chamber of commerce, or motoring organisation for clarification of EXACTLY where you stand. Take the information back to the dealer IN WRITING.

Don’t tell em you were off-road.

I have heard of this happening to other Hyundia Models as well as belt’s breaking before the scheduled change time, so it is know to happen but I wouldn’t go as far to say it’s a common problem

How many K’s do you have on yours, it’s probable that the belt has stretched enough to allow it to slip, but 6 cogs gee I would be looking at the tensioner.

You probably bent a few Valves and maybe damaged a piston or 2, I wouldn’t go paying for any new camrods thou as they don’t exist, there may have been a communication error on that.

Cheers.

It actually depends on the design of the engine, if it is an "interference" design then it is possible to do damage, but if it is a non-interference design then the dealer could well be "Value adding" at your expense.

Nothing a dealer likes more than a "remove/inspect/replace" to generate a bit of extra cashflow from unsuspecting customers. In effect getting paid to do nothing.

If it is still under warranty, as a said, PUSH IT!!!.

When it is no longer under warranty, never go near a dealer again. Find a decent knowledgable guy that has better customer satisfaction motives.

Reality: the overpriced services that dealers charge are to offset the extra square footage rent they pay for their car yard. Unsold cars do not generate income and depreciate with time. You do not get any better service or knowledge from a dealer than from an independant mechanic (good one anyway).

"...bent the conrods..."

PAY THEM A VISIT and get them to show you, and your engine should also look like it has been completely pulled doown too....

What's a "cam rod"? Is this a Korean thing?

Prolly means "conrod".

It has 70,000 km on the clock and see above what the dealer said.

Terra

Well 100,000K is the change over point for the timing belt if I am not mistaken, so it is possible that the belt had stretched unsatisfactorily.

The failures I have heard about where the timing belt has broken/-skipped teeth has been around the 80k mark.

Once agene not saying this is a common problem just that it does happen and I would push for warranty.

I think Exploder is on the money!!!, Belt tensinor failure.

Design fault, like all relativey new things on the market

Axle.

How do we tell that it was a Belt failure if the belt is still in place?

Terra

AS you mentioned or somebody did , it skipped some cogs, if no teeth are missing and the timing is way out, then the belt tensioner must be very sus!!.

Axle.