Routine Caliper and pad clean getting ready for a 2 day track meet next weekend.
As usual i have a good look over & under the coupe.

Look what i found.



The coupes not been used since Spa!
Belt is not even 8 months old.

Lucky eh!

Lucky indeed,can't bit good maintenance practice.

could you pm me 5 numbers between 1 and 49 please

Well spotted!!! That could have been nasty.

Good spot that!
I always thought Continental belts to be of a good quality. It might be worth sending back to the manufacturers for inspection. They are always keen to see stuff from the (work)shop floor!
I know they're not expensive and you probably wont get a refund, but it might help in they're future development? You might even get a replacement by post?

Thanks Ross. I will think on.
Really glad i saw it. But i do fuss over it to be honest.

You may fuss over it mate but lucky you did 😉 as for sending it back it maybe worthwhile if they decide to make better belts.

Could this have been caused by a small stone? I`m really surprised to see this damage as the belt looks in good condition and as you say is almost new.
Do you have mesh up front?

I have bought some second hand F1 bits hoping to adapt a cover for the aux. belts but so far things haven`t worked out.

Yes it could have been a stone. But unlikely imo. Its in a well tucked away position. I am just happy i have spotted it before the next enslaught of track action.
As others will attest my coupe is not spared on track.

Last of the late brakers eh...

It looks like it has come apart adjacent to a reinforcing band but not 100% cleanly, can`t help thinking it has rolled over some debris, cfc fragment might be a possibility.

Main thing is that you found it!

[quote=KBT]
Last of the late brakers eh...




Compaired to my home track Spa is a brake holiday. My caliper piston seals were not even slightly melted.
As you say the fact the problem is found means magoo's coupe lives for another thrashing! God bless it what a fantastic bit of kit!

Glad for you Joe you found it in time. Would hate to see that mean machine of yours u/s.

After all you had a narrow escape with the turbo at Spa eh

Well spotted Joe. Saved an expensive engine swap there. You would have had to buy a 4th coupe then!!!

Good call that, Joe. You might want to consider changing it rather than using it again.

What what..........narrow escape...... explain?

Whats that then?

Ok. After close inspection of the belt this morning i have found a couple of worrying things.

Inbedded in the ribbed side of the belt are fragments and shards of aluminium/metal!

Also the belt walls seem to have been starting to shred and show its inner webbing.

So KBT's idea holds some weight i think.

I have been out to the car and inspected as much as i can and cant find anything out of order.

The two bits on the white paper show one being like a bit of scarf from a drill bit or milling machine.
The other is more like a broken bit of alloy and sits about 3 mm deep!

As i say i cant find any other bits inbedded anywhere around the engine/pulley area's.


New belts etc are on thier way from Alternative Autos who have gone the extra mile for me(on a Sunday) to be on the track next weekend. Thanks Steve.

Good spot indeed, think I'll be more vigilant on my next inspection of things, sorry I can't be of any assistance as to what's happened with it.

Have you checked the grooves on the pulleys for damage?
No point fitting new belts if there are sharp edges on the pulley ribs.

Close call though. Well spotted

Have a good check in the well of the engine support just by the idler. I think that is the most likely area that something occurred. I`m just guessing but expect some debris was drawn into the area which the belt cleared out in a sudden moment, shredding the belt and leaving some swarf type bits embedded.

There is not much clearance in this area, if it wasn`t raining i`d go and have a look on my car - what I do know is mine had an accumulation of oil and minute particles of road debris.

I`m assuming you run with an undertray, if you haven`t got any mesh I would consider some and I think this area is vulnerable and should be addressed. I will have a cover even if it`s just a crappy ally effort.

I have checked the pulley grooves and inspected and cleaned the fixed idler area, no swarf found.

I suffer with alot of tyre rubber flying about when following close to other cars on track but not alot of metal flying about,but its all possible.

My turning your engine off after a big flat right footer (at your suggestion )


On the more serious note hope this doesn't cause any more aggro than it nearly did

Ah yes its come back to me now! I was trying to work it out but all i could think of was the arbath 500 that i had to take avoiding action from at la source otherwise he would have pushed me off the corner.

Makes a change, it's normally Ferrari drivers pushing Coupes off the track at Spa