[s-cars] Lesson of the day

[Mtgadbois at aol.com]

OK Boys,

Lesson of the day.

While cruising to work last week my S6 with 101K miles quietly shutdown.  I 
coasted to the side of the road and had it towed home.  I originally thought it 
was an electrical problem but further investigation showed that the timing 
belt was quite loose.  I tore the front off and found that the crankshaft gear 
had self destructed breaking the timing belt and causing all sorts of fun that 
I have yet to uncover.  The cause was not apparent.  The serpentine belt was 
fine, its tensioner as well as the tensioner for the timing belt looked fine.  
However, after some thought and more evidence it looks like the four smaller 
bolts that hold the harmonic dampener to the crankshaft pulley came loose, 
backed out and at some point twisted causing the crankshaft gear to shatter.  

My timing belt change was done 40K miles ago by a recommended shop.  I did 
notice that there was no lock-tite on the 4 smaller bolts or the 1 main bolt.  
Lesson for the day - check these bolts.  My suggestion is that at an oil change 
or sooner remove one bolt, coat it with blue lock-tite, reinsert it and do 
the next and so on.  My wife suggested that I post a picture of the gear and  
the current stage of the S6's front end but I told her that you guys would puke.

Last item - what could cause the bolts to loosen?  I think that my A/C 
compressor was on its way out and when engaged you could see that the serpentine 
belt tensioner was dancing quite a bit.   I presume this caused enough vibration 
to move these bolts.   

Oh well, so down the slippery slope I go - I know I should have bought the 
A6-4.2.    

Mark  wrenching (or retching) near Chicago