Ok so heres the story, the balance shaft belt came off and somehow got caught in the timing belt and threw the belt and bent all 8 intake valves, so now after a new head and all new timing belt, balance shaft belt, new hydraulic tensioner, and timing belt pulleys, something is off down there and causing it to literally eat my timing belt. The car started, then was shut off immediately when this was seen, but it did not skip timing at all. Has anyone had something like this happen to them before? What was it? How did you fix it? Any help at all would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

project_tsi said:

Ok so heres the story, the balance shaft belt came off and somehow got caught in the timing belt and threw the belt and bent all 8 intake valves, so now after a new head and all new timing belt, balance shaft belt, new hydraulic tensioner, and timing belt pulleys, something is off down there and causing it to literally eat my timing belt. The car started, then was shut off immediately when this was seen, but it did not skip timing at all. Has anyone had something like this happen to them before?
...

Click to expand...

Did you get the balance shafts timed correctly? Did you get the proper belt tension? How is the crank pulley vibration dampener?

Cheers,
GTM

I've seen back-plates (behind the gears) installed backwards do this on other t-belt cars. The backplate then is leaning IN towards the belt. I done a couple of t-belts on these but I really can't recall whether the back-plates are leaners on dsms. Maybe someone who has done one more recently can recall?

GTM said:

Did you get the balance shafts timed correctly? Did you get the proper belt tension? How is the crank pulley vibration dampener?

Cheers,
GTM

Click to expand...

yes the balance shafts are timed correctly and both the secondary BS and the oil pump shaft spun freely. There does not seem to be anything wrong w/ the tension on the timing belt. I really dont know the condition of the crank pulley vibration dampener. Im basically trying to get an idea of whats wrong before I tear it apart. Thanks

akdsmer said:

I've seen back-plates (behind the gears) installed backwards do this on other t-belt cars. The backplate then is leaning IN towards the belt. I done a couple of t-belts on these but I really can't recall whether the back-plates are leaners on dsms. Maybe someone who has done one more recently can recall?

Click to expand...

I think this guy might be on to something. The back plate goes in between the balance shaft crank sprocket and the timing belt crankshaft sprocket. And it is specific to which direction you install it. Because it does lean inward to wards the balance belt normally and if it leaned the other way I can imagine it could potentially wear the belt like that. (I just did my timing belt this weekend and had it in backwards then realized it looked weird and then looked at the manual and it shows it leaning in.) The back cover after it has been used a while will have black sooty stuff on it (maybe small pieces of rubber after years of a timing belt wearing) However the sooty stuff only goes where it can get to and with the sprocket against it leaves the outline of the sprocket on the back cover in soot. So obviously when you put this on you will want that side facing the sprocket. Hope this helps..

yeah i agree you could be on to something, but its not like it is just rubbing, over time. Its like it literally started eating the t-belt in a matter of seconds and hasnt been started since. if anyone honestly thinks by this plates "hump" being on the wrong side could have near instantly started eating this belt, then no doubt ill check that out first when it gets pulled apart. also thanks for all your guys's help, at least its not leaving me in the dark here, and honestly i hope its something as stupid as that plate, so i dont have a major problem in the engine.

I concur with akdsmer - If you are freaked out now wait till you get to do this all again when you BS Bearings go...

By the soot I meant normal wear. Not what your expierencing... All engine will have the soot in there as normal wear and tear sets in.

I agree with BUCK might as well do BS elimination cuz the bearings will most likely fail on you in a few hundred miles and you'll be doing it all again.

Something's (bolt head?) sticking out into the rear edge of the belt. Get out the mirrors and flashlight and find out what, where.

Defiant said:

Something's (bolt head?) sticking out into the rear edge of the belt. Get out the mirrors and flashlight and find out what, where.

Click to expand...

Most certainly I'd be looking for a bolt sticking out if it's tearing the side off the belt instantly. If the damage is coming from the tooth part of the belt I'd go along with the backplate on the oil pump balance shaft. I'd pull the plugs if you don't see an obvious protrusion so you can rotate the engine by hand and witness what is occuring.

Was there a direction arrow on the belt?

Cheers,
GTM

Defiant said:

Something's (bolt head?) sticking out into the rear edge of the belt. Get out the mirrors and flashlight and find out what, where.

Click to expand...

Well sorry I didnt mention this earlier but I forgot about it. When the BS belt went the first time, and got caught in the t-belt, i remember that the t-belt had the same kind of markings on it, but never before the whole incident happened. So I think now that when it happened down there, something F'ed up and is now causing it. I just down see how all of a sudden a bolt or something else could be sticking out and tearing it. Also the t-belt was put on in the right direction.

I have seen this before, since it is eating the backside of the belt (the edge between the belt and the block/head, I would check the shim/spacer between the timing belt crank gear and the balance shaft crank gear. As mentioned above I also have seen this installed backwards. Additionally I have also seen this installed correctly but have a slight cut or bend in it. Also the timing belt tensioner pulley also has a built in lip on the back side of the pulley, this can also become bent or dented from prybars/dropping/ etc.

The long and short of this is simple, pull the timing belt cover back off and look for the problem, once the problem or problems have been identified, replace the necessary parts, and re-assemble. It should not be to difficult (when the cover is off) to identify the problem, and you know the consequences if this goes unprepared.

Quick question: OE Mitsubishi Timing belts dont have a direction arrow do they??

directional. Take everything off again and get a 1/2 in wrench and manually crank it. Have someone look at EVERYTHING the belt rubs on and you'll find the problem. Just like people having the problem with the oil pan bolts digging grooves in their belts. Yank the belts, pulleys and covers and manually turn it over or have a friend do it. You can even mark a spot on the belt with white out (or use the branding on it) as a reference and watch it every inch of travel. You'll see where it comes into problematic areas Good luck!

thanks for all the help guys. I sure hope its something stupid and simple. Should i then spend the extra time to remove the Balance shafts then? yeah i know its a lot of extra work, and ive done it before but i just want your opininion on should i do it. thanks again.

did you take the oil pan off for any reason? sometimes you can get confused and put a long bolt on the timing belt side of the oil pan where there's supposed to be a short bolt..

I did that reveal and it put a gouge in the passenger side of the T belt about 1/8 of an inch from the end about 1/4 inch wide. I don't think that would shred the belt like in that pic but stranger things have happened....they are after all DSM's...

Wow my timing belt did the same thing only on the other side of the belt. ( the drivers side ) I didn't notice it for about 3000 miles and one day I saw the damage. Another 2k later it doesn't seem to have gotten worse but I'm still changing the belt tomorrow or friday. I'll let you know what I find or if I see anything I could tell you to check.

oh the only thing I can think of that would damage it where yours is messed up is if 1 of those aluminum plates bolted to the head for the timing cover is bent a little a corner of it could be touching the belt so in turn starting the car it would shred it just like in your pic. I would check both of those plates before anything else.

thank you guys for all the help. BTW how long aprox did it take you to do a BS Elim kit and how hard was it. im very mechanically inclined, i just want to see what im in for. thanks again

project_tsi said:

thank you guys for all the help. BTW how long aprox did it take you to do a BS Elim kit and how hard was it. im very mechanically inclined, i just want to see what im in for. thanks again

Click to expand...

45 minutes to an hour for first timers. Just go to the vfaq website and follow the instructions there thats what i did. It includes pictures and what not so it will help out alot and its worth it too

Well the exact same thing happened to my car yesterday at the shop..... they where putting on a ton of new parts, removed my ballence shafts (because they where right there behind the oil pump they needed to replace) and when they put the T-Belt back on it must have been missalinged becasue it ate the back side like that..... They put a new Gates one on and no problems.

the trigger plate. sounds crazy but i had the same exact problem and the trigger plate was doing it.

If you just take off the front belt and replace the rear balance shaft with a stubby shaft. Its not that difficult. If you want to remove the front BS than have fun pulling the motor or pulling it out and cutting it to clear the chassis. However, my belt did the same thing when my idler pulley arm was loose and the belt walked sideways into the plates and tore it up.