Coolant and rubber belts

[mivecmad27]

Glad you found the issue, don't drive the car until the water pump is replaced, you risk engine damage otherwise. While you're at it, change the timing belt if you've no record of a recent change or the best hasn't been changed within the service schedule. The belt has to come off to replace the pump so you're as well to do both. Parts available with FTO-Ireland discount from http://www.camskill.co.uk.

CJ

You have to change the belt anyway as coolant damages the material the belt is made of

[CJ]

You have to change the belt anyway as coolant damages the material the belt is made of

New one on me, I wouldn't have thought that a coolant mix would damage rubber (considering that it flows around rubber piping in the system).

CJ

[mivecmad27]

New one on me, I wouldn't have thought that a coolant mix would damage rubber (considering that it flows around rubber piping in the system).

CJ

Timing belt is made for a completly different type of material than coolant pipes.

[CJ]

Timing belt is made for a completly different type of material than coolant pipes.

Sounds right - a rubber composite vs. a silicone compound. Oil can damage composites but modern coolant / antifreeze is specfically designed not to damage metal or rubber- this is the reason I'm having difficultly accepting your claim.

Marty, has your mechanic embarked on the repair job as yet?

CJ

[mivecmad27]

modern coolant / antifreeze is specfically designed not to damage metal or rubber
CJ

Modern brake fluid is designed not to damage paint but how would you feel about it being rubbed all over your fto

[colm_mcm]

Modern brake fluid is designed not to damage paint but how would you feel about it being rubbed all over your fto

On your basis, you'd be for respraying the car just in case it had damaged the paint, even though it looked fine

[CJ]

Split this topic as it was detracting freom the discussion in hand.

Modern brake fluid is designed not to damage paint but how would you feel about it being rubbed all over your fto

What are you talking about, how does rubbing brake fluid into paintwork prove your point? Gycol based fluid will eat paint, silicone based fluid won't - both are 'modern' brake fluids.

Back to the point, do you have you any evidence to prove that exposing rubber belts to a coolant / antifreeze mix damages or lessens the life of the belt? If so, post it up and be done with it.

CJ

[gary d]

steady on guys Lets be honest would do no harm to change the belt while doing the pump, regaedless of whether it has been damaged by leaking coolant. I'm presuming mivecmad has been advised this by someone, don't imagine he's making it up for the craic!

[CJ]

Lets be honest would do no harm to change the belt while doing the pump, regaedless of whether it has been damaged by leaking coolant

You're going slightly off the main point here but for what its worth, I totally agree.

don't imagine he's making it up for the craic!

There was never any suggestion of this Gary. We're trying to understand how coolant damages belts, simple as. Mivecmad, more info please.

CJ

[mivecmad27]

Firstly dot 4 brake fluid will only 'eat' paint if long exposure occurs,you can spill and wipe off without any harm or paint weakening,unlike older fluids.
As we all know a timing belt is not only made up of rubber,and i started this by saying coolant damages the belt,not the rubber alone,its actually the stregthening strands in the belt which are weakened and i apologise for not elaborating on this from the start.
This is one of the first things i learned in my first stint in college when learning about belts so never had any online links,have found the same discussion on many forums.

[CJ]

its actually the stregthening strands in the belt which are weakened

So the rubber component isn't weakened per se. Are the belt strands damaged with prolonged exposure? As I understand it, timing belts and the like are usually reinforced with fibreglass which is pretty impervious to most corrosive agents (antifreeze is toxic but non-corrosive by nature).

This is purely academic, chances are the belt is going to be changed if it has to come off.

CJ

[mivecmad27]

With prolonged exposure damage would occur that could most likely end up in timing belt failure,but who's to say how long 'prolonged' exposure is,which is why its recommended to replace the belt in the case of a coolant leak onto the belt.
Some belts are protected by the likes of fiberglass and kevlar but it all depends on what type of and where you buy your belt. Not too many people can say they checked what kind of material their belt is constructed from when buying. I certainly haven't!

[CJ]

If theres even a small chance of belt failure after prolongend exposure then it makes perfect sense to throw a new one on. I'm more interested in the effects of antifreeze on belt components, particularly with regard to the different types (etheylene glcol vs proplyene glycol). The latter can oxidise and create lactic acid i.e. can be corrosive to metals. This is the reason why I've always used an ethylene based mix. Wheres that chemistry book gone....

CJ

[mivecmad27]

CJ you're bringingin back memories of science classes all those years ago