Broken down - Rolled off level chock and broke the Auxiliary Belt

[mikeringrose]

Hello all,

My beloved 2014 Cali broke down this weekend. I want to make sure I am not going nuts. Please help and any technical advice would be welcome.

When I park up I use leveling chocks and I normally turn off the engine, put it in gear, and if the cali is trying to roll backwards off the chocks, I would put it in first gear. Then i put the handbrake on. Turn the engine off and let the clutch up. Then release the handbrake and the Cali moves back a tiny bit before stopping. I then turn the drivers seat round and put the handbrake back on. This has worked fine for 38 nights camping so far.

On Friday night I did the same but the Cali rolled backwards off the chocks turning the engine over (the wrong way I think). Then when I started the engine there was a hell of a bang and clatter. The AA man said the auxiliary drive belt was shredded and wrapped around the crank pulley. I have just spent a day being recovered to home before the Cali goes on to VW Kettering.

My concern is VW might simply change the belt without investigating the possible gearbox problem. The AA men said it sounds like a problem with the gearbox which needs investigating as no vehicle ought to roll the wrong way against the correct rotation of the engine.

Can anyone help or advise please?

Regards
Mike

 

[mikeringrose]

Sorry folks my Cali is a 2014 manual gearbox if that helps.

 

[Skylark2.0]

Himself says that a 3 tonne Cali could be a strong force to drive the engine the wrong way

 

[GrannyJen]

I am technically illiterate but I feel your pain.... what an awful, horrible thing to happens. I hope it's not too serious, I really wish you the very best...

Jen

 

[snowy55]

The engine will rotate which ever direction you make it.
If the auxiliary drive belt is replaced the gearbox will soon tell you if it ok or not, don't go ripping the gearbox apart until the belt is replaced and you've tried the gearbox.

 

[2into1]

Wouldn't an engine and geartrain be designed for such circumstances? The Cali dance to turn the seat is unusual, but surely loaded commercial vans with poorly applied handbrake roll a little distance every day of the week somewhere in the world?

 

[andyinluton]

Seems very strange, Ive never known any vehicle actually roll whilst in 1st or Reverse, the gearing is so low that it needs a huge amount of torque to turn the engine & it is a far better brake than the hand brake - if you don't believe me try putting it into first with your foot off the pedal at 30mph & compare it with pulling up the hand brake at the same speed.

I suppose it is conceivable if it was an incredibly steep hill but you were only on levelling ramps & the van was stationary at the start.

Even if the engine was turned backwards there is nothing in the route that would shred the belt, don't forget at the sort of speeds the van would have been moving at, the belt would only have been moving slowly.

The mechanic in me suggests that the problem is the other way round, the belt shredded when you stopped , this left the camshaft in a position with sufficient valves open that there was little or no compression on perhaps 3 out of 4 cylinders hence there was insufficient resistance to rolling.

It will be interesting to hear what the garage say.

 

[mikeringrose]

Hi Andyinluton
The engine still runs. The cambelt is ok. Its the other external belt that runs the alternator that's caput.
Mike

 

[jts46]

Sounds to me like it is the gate couplings have broken.

John

 

[Hotel California]

Does this all means it is best to place levelling ramps behind the weels and run on it backwarts ...? Then if something happens the verhicle will roll forwarts and no risk getting engine damage? ....but then again if it sits in reverse it just the opposite?
Maybe a point of info for new members and technical advice?


Mine is DSG so likely no trouble like that happening here plus i never swivel my driversseat....only passagerside LHD

 

[mikeringrose]

Hi Johntower,
My cali is a 2.0 liter not a 2.5. Does a 2 ltr have gate couplings? What are gate couplings and what do they do?
Regards
Mike

 

[jts46]

Not sure, you did not put details of van.

http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=59036

See this post

John

 

[mikeringrose]

Hi All,

VW Kettering said when the Cali rolled back in gear off the level chocks turning the engine over backwards the auxiliary belt tensioner spring failed,This caused the belt to come off the pulley and also fail. What is odd is that VW cannot now make the cali roll turning the engine the wrong way. The cali locks up in situ as it should do.

VW tech support are stumped. From now on I will not put the Cali in a gear where gravity is trying to make the Cali roll and turn the engine the wrong way. All very odd. Let's hope its fixed for good.Thank you for your help and support.

 

[jts46]

What belt was it?

John

 

[mikeringrose]

Hi John ,

It was auxiliary belt which you can see when you look down the left hand side of the engine. It drives the air con and alternator.

Regards
Mike

 

[rod_vw]

A little inspiration has come my way.

Get your dealer / repair shop to check the free-wheel on the alternator. It should allow the alternator to continue spinning when the engine stops but they are known to seize. That puts a big strain on the belt as a diesel engine stops rather suddenly and there is a lot of inertia in a spinning alternator which all has to be taken by the auxiliary belt.

Rod

 

[mikeringrose]

Thank you Rod. I will raise that with them.

 

[Aidy P]

Does this all means it is best to place levelling ramps behind the weels and run on it backwarts ...? Then if something happens the verhicle will roll forwarts and no risk getting engine damage? ....but then again if it sits in reverse it just the opposite?
Maybe a point of info for new members and technical advice?


Mine is DSG so likely no trouble like that happening here plus i never swivel my driversseat....only passagerside LHD

Hi, I'm thinking of ordering a new Cali with DSG. One of my concerns was how easy it would be to use chocks as inevitably I tend to rock backwards and forwards using my clutch. How do you find it please? Thanks

 

[Hotel California]

how easy it would be to use chocks as inevitably I tend to rock backwards and forwards using my clutch.

Don't fully understand ,
Using leveling ramps for me is easy on my DSG ,
Do you mean rolling back and fort to setlle the Cali when not using ramps....?

 

[Aidy P]

Don't fully understand ,
Using levelling ramps for me is easy on my DSG ,
Do you mean rolling back and fort to setlle the Cali when not using ramps....?

Sorry being vague. The situation I'm thinking of is when I've tried to line my van up with my drive away awning on a field where I've had to use chocks. I usually don't get lined up first time and end up rocking backwards to get the van in the right position so my wife can connect it to the van.

 

[Hotel California]

Thats another thing , ramps and an awning tent...no experience , but think you need to bring the cali in line with the tent , than drive a bit forward placing ramps and move back in position....

 

[Aidy P]

Thats another thing , ramps and an awning tent...no experience , but think you need to bring the cali in line with the tent , than drive a bit forward placing ramps and move back in position....

Thanks. Would you say the DSG allows sensitive movement backwards and forwards to allow such movement? My only experience of an auto gearbox was on a Discovery 3 and that used to leap about.