new owner with severe engine probs! help!!!

[bomber]

hello all! im the proud owner of a black V reg puma! ive had it a few weeks and decided to the the cambelt done just incase! it has 83000 miles on it! since ive had the belt done it is running very very rough now! the garage said its the plugs and leads so i done them and its the same! he dont seem to have a clue and i think he has done something wrong with the timing! can someone please help????

cheers

gary!

 

[krisrt]

hi. when does it sound rough, on idel? low revs? or after the vct kicks in?

 

[bomber]

all the time mate! its takes ages to start and splutters when i rev it at standstill! its powerless when i drive it! it was running great before the belt got done!

 

[PumaKa]

Sounds like it's not been done properly then, either it's not been timed properly or something hasn't been reconnected.

Simple solution, it goes back and they sort it out at their expense.

 

[bomber]

thats the problem! he said he has done it properly! but its running like a bag of shit!

 

[Cherie]

Sounds like your garage hasn't got a clue, and they've messed up the timing.

I'd give them the chance to put it right at no extra charge as it's them that's got it wrong. If they still don't get it right, take it to a Ford garage and bill the original garage for the cost of getting it put right. Make sure you make it clear to your garage that's what you'll do if you're not satisfied with the result you get.

 

[bomber]

could he have maybe put the belt on the wrong tooth maybe? i havnt got a clue about timing on a puma to be honest!

 

[Cherie]

I'm not a 100% sure myself, but I know it's not the simplest of jobs to do, mainly due to the VCT. If your garage has never changed a cambelt on a puma before, then the chances are that they have got it wrong somewhere.

 

[bomber]

stupid question i know! whats a VCT and what does it do? cheers!

 

[bomber]

im guessing its variable cam timing?

 

[Dal]

If the mechanic has put it 'on the wrong tooth' then he has buggered up the timing.

I wouldn't mind betting the mechanic didn't have the proper Ford timing tool to do the job and just locked the cams off as best he could.

(The proper tool fits the camshafts to stop them moving relative to each other during a cambelt change. If you're very careful you can do the change without it, but very easy to cock it up)

Ask if he has "the tool" to do the cams. If he doesn't mention a special tool to do it, then tell the mechanic that he should have one or else it's very difficult to get the timing right and it'll run like a bag of spanners. Then say that as it's commonly needed to do it, that will be the reason it's running crap.

Just the fact that it was running fine when it went in and ran crap when it came out can only be the fault of the garage. Don't take any fobbing off. Mention trading standards, MOT / VOSA approval if they are an MOT test station and council departments to get the job done if need be.

Good luck.

 

[Dal]

stupid question i know! whats a VCT and what does it do? cheers!

It's a system that alters very slightly the cam timing using a valve and oil pressure created at certain revs. That's why the timing is so important to get right or else it won't work.

See this thread for an in depth VCT explaination:

http://www.projectpuma.com/viewtopic.php?t=2701" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[bomber]

thanks for the help! its going back in the morning and i will post the outcome!!

 

[Dal]

Good luck with sorting it out Bomber..

k:

 

[Anonymous]

hey ho... from another proud owner of a Vreg Black Kat
sounds like they could have very well buggered up the timing..... hope you get it sorted!

 

[Cherie]

Don't take no for an answer or let them fob you off. Keep us informed and we'll know to avoid that particular garage in the future for Puma cambelts. k:

 

[Anonymous]

where are you located... someone may be able to point you to a puma friendly garage for future problems....
and yea Im with Cherie dont take no for an answer - take them out for a drive in it too.....

good luck matey

 

[red]

Welcome to the site. Sounds like you've all the advise you need. Does sounds like they've not done the job properly though.

 

[jacko]

mention small claims court......scares a lot of mechanics as there getting hung out to dry these days! courts very often go in favour of the customer