Citroen C2 snapped timing belt - should I have a go at fixing

[jaycey001]

Hi all

 

A friends car shed its timing belt a few days ago, it snapped when she turned the engine off. Its a petrol C2 around 2006 I think.

 

I have never taken an engine apart, but am pretty mechanically minded and have done many other repairs to cars. I am kind of interested in having a go at fixing it, just to learn a bit more. But I do not want to end up going down a rabbit hole.

If its likely just a case of replacing the bent valves and doing the necessary gaskets then that would be great - what do you all think, is it likely a few bent valves and that's it or could the pistons be damaged and conrod ect... 

 

I have no experience with this engine, and suspect some of you will have a greater understanding of the likely damage so I would appreciate some feedback.

 

One last thing - regards the cambelt is this simple enough to change and find TDC or will I need some kind of electronic tool to set TDC?

 

Many Thanks

James

[DSdriver]

Step 1

Get Haynes book of lies

Step 2

Scream for help when all is not clear

We are all behind you with moral support.

If it snapped as the engine was being shut down there may not be damage to the valves. Rolling them along a flat surface will expose any bent ones.

[bangernomics]

TDC after you remove the head is even easier. Pull head, buy second hand head as cheaper than valves.

 

Clean everything lots

 

Stretch bolts?

 

Buy good quality gasket set.

 

Belt tensioner and if it’s on the path or obscured by belt waterpump.

 

Follow HBOL

[shedenvy]

From experience I would first establish:

Is your friend hoping to get the car back or sell on?

Is there any deadline?

Who will pay for parts?

Will you be compensated for labour? Even if it goes tits up? Even if you have to abandon it half way?

What's the cost of potential parts assuming just a recon/2nd hand head and gaskets and timing belt kit?

What's the potential value of the car as scrap and if the repair has been done?

 

Best case would be that you have a go, learn something, get £50 for the pleasure, sell a working car on cheap and the owner earns a few quid back to go to next month's PCP payment.

[rainagain]

  On 21/03/2019 at 09:28, bangernomics said:

TDC after you remove the head is even easier. Pull head, buy second hand head as cheaper than valves.

 

 

 

If you've a u pull it nearby they do cylinders heads for £50+VAT. 

[junkyarddog]

Are these an interference engine??

 

Before you go ripping the head off,it would be worth setting the timing and fitting a new belt.

It may well be fine.

[dome]

  On 21/03/2019 at 10:39, junkyarddog said:

Are these an interference engine??

 

Before you go ripping the head off,it would be worth setting the timing and fitting a new belt.

It may well be fine.

 

Was going to say, new belt and a compression test will show if any valves are bent. Find out what caused it to snap in the first place though.

[Split_Pin]

My opinion is I wouldn't get involved.

[Sigmund Fraud]

TUs are interference, I'm afraid, and few survive a broken belt without valve damage.

 

I'd pay a tenner for a new belt, and do a compression test to start with. You may be lucky !

 

If there is valve damage, they're pretty simple engines to work on, and a DIY head replacement would be OK if you're methodical and have a reasonable toolkit.

 

Parts are plentiful in scrapyards, but they're rather prone to OMGHGF so be careful if you do go down the second hand head route. Also budget £150-200 for parts and consumables.

[Noel Tidybeard]

put a belt on

 

my bro-in-law picked up a R8 1.6 with a snapped belt an the honda engine is interferance so bound to be fuvked- car went on to do many miles as a taxi

[ianbmw]

Agreed,if the engine was at low RPM and the clutch was dipped,you could be lucky!

 

Personally,if the heads coming off,it's skim,new gaskets,oil,filters,anti freeze belt,tensioner.....

 

Put a belt on,see what happens

 

It's a fix for the love of it rather than it actually being financially viable.

 

 

Says the man who won't let ANY car die.

 

Sent from my SM-A530F using Tapatalk

[sierraman]

By the time you’ve bought valves, sorted out what damage it’s done to the pistons etc and fitted another gasket etc I’d be inclined to stick another engine in it. They’re all over those C2’s I can’t imagine a second hand unit to be much. But even doing that if you’ve took the engine out then you might be in for a clutch whilst it’s out.

 

At a guess it’ll have bent a few valves and the associated damage that’ll do.

 

Unless you’ve somewhere clean and dry to work then think again if you’ve got to strip the cylinder head down, engine rebuilds done in the side of the road in the grit won’t end well.

 

Or even better direct her towards a garage.

[loserone]

I have a head, complete with brand new belt, gasket, etc. Yours for a can of beer, but it's from a 1.8 405, so it's probably not going to fit..

 

Welcome to the block too, if you can get the remnants of the head bolt out if it

[ruffgeezer]

We had a 1.6 16v c2 that got away with busting a belt.

 

You don't need to skim the head unless there is any pitting on the face of it.

 

From what I recall, the valves are £14-20 each, so a 16v soon gets expensive!

[jaycey001]

Thanks for all the information! Doesn’t seem financials viable (but then again every car I have owned a loved has not been financially viable!)

Its still sat here and if its not gone to the scrap yard by time I get back from holidays I might stick a belt on and see what happens.... may be lucky!

 

I may end up doing it purely for the benefit of learning to do it and have a bit of a summer project..... but maybe I will see sense before I say yes

[forddeliveryboy]

I've no idea how similar the 16v is to an 8v TU, but a 106 1.1 snapped it's belt as I was coasting to a junction and it went just as well after than before - seem to remember it was an easy job to wrap another belt on. Got to be worth a try?

[New POD]

To me if I owned the car, I'd try a new belt.

If that didn't fix it. I'd take the head off and replace the head. If there was piston damage, I'd find a decent second hand engine and swap it.

If I had time.

If it were mine.

If it were a friends I'd offer to buy it for the trade in value when fixed minus the cost of an engine minus 200 quid.

 

What's a C2 worth these days?

 

£800 To £1000 trade in ?

Engine and clutch £500 to 700 ?

Minus 200

You have to get it for less than free but no more than 200

[New POD]

  On 22/03/2019 at 18:45, jaycey001 said:

Thanks for all the information! Doesn’t seem financials viable (but then again every car I have owned a loved has not been financially viable!)

Its still sat here and if its not gone to the scrap yard by time I get back from holidays I might stick a belt on and see what happens.... may be lucky!

 

I may end up doing it purely for the benefit of learning to do it and have a bit of a summer project..... but maybe I will see sense before I say yes

We ignore the financials and go with the value of learning.

[MikeR]

My sons C2 has just eaten its cambelt ..

belt is still in place but the engine spins but the cam does not

he ringing the scrap man .....

[New POD]

Scrap yard engine.  It's just an AX right ? 

[Fraz]

How much is a timing belt on its own and can you do the work yourself? 

[MikeR]

He has the offer of another car so he is not arsed , I suspect the water pump has seized and torn teeth off .... 

[St.Jude]

Obviously I'm the worst person in the world to give advice - but I'd say go for it. Nothing to lose on what is now a boat anchor of a car. 

[bigfella2]

Second hand engines for these are mega cheap as they are shared with 206's and other PSA stuff, just depends if you can be bothered to change it, depends how attached to the car you are.

 

[MikeR]

  On 09/03/2022 at 16:55, St.Jude said:

Obviously I'm the worst person in the world to give advice - but I'd say go for it. Nothing to lose on what is now a boat anchor of a car. 

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I am tempted to stick it on the drive , lift the head etc and have a butchers , then fix or scrap .. 

its has good tyres , exhaust ..

[New POD]

  On 09/03/2022 at 16:09, Fraz said:

How much is a timing belt on its own and can you do the work yourself? 

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It woukd make a good project.  What larger engine can you shoehorn in? 

 

[New POD]

  On 09/03/2022 at 18:41, MikeR said:

I am tempted to stick it on the drive , lift the head etc and have a butchers , then fix or scrap .. 

its has good tyres , exhaust ..

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What's the worst? It's already scrap. Can't make it more scrap. 

[sierraman]

What have you got to lose at this point, probably bent a few valves etc, in fairness by time you’ve bought valves, gasket and whatnot you might find a used engine cheap enough. Needless to say chuck a belt on it before you throw it in.

[St.Jude]

  On 09/03/2022 at 18:57, New POD said:

It woukd make a good project.  What larger engine can you shoehorn in? 

 

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1.6 TU5 petrol, according to the Wikipedia WOL. 

Although the Peugeot 206 had a 2.0l petrol engine

[bigfella2]

Quite a few people have managed to fit 3.0v6 engines to these. That must be bonkers. I once saw a c2 that had two v6 engines and 4wd.