Bad shop install of timing belt

[viterbi]

I had a local shop (later confirmed to be morons) change out the timing belt/water pump for my stock 2G turbo (big mistake). Long story short, during the first install they misaligned the balance shaft (the car rumbled like a 747 jet on takeoff...the entire frame would vibrate upon even a mild acceleration) so they fixed the 300dB airplane rumble but the car drives like the exhaust/intake camshafts are misaligned and/or balance shaft is misaligned or something else since Ive lost about 30-50 hp since they touched the car (most noticeable from a dead stop). I also hear an occasional hum from the timing belt area but it comes and goes.

I've checked VFAQ and verified the ECU timing is sending out pulses however the mechanical timing is still an unknown. Any ideas on what to look for without removing the timing belt? I'll probably do the work myself with the help of a more mechanically inclined DSM owner or locate a better shop. Please help...my loss of power at WOT is driving me nuts

 

[meliketoball]

I would go back. Tell them to give you your money back then go to a Mitsubishi dealership and get it done over there.

 

[super97gst]

the cam gears are most likely misaligned. when reinstalling the cam gears on the cams both timing markers have to be lined up. it jumps time bad if they are only a degree off.

when you pull it all apart, or have someone do it for you make sure they check that cylinder 1 is TDC and the cam gears are in time with each other and with the crankshaft. you check by checking the timing marks on the crankshaft pulley.

if you decide to do the job yourself you should be able to get most of the info on realigning the cam gears if their off in any shop manual.

 

[My1GLaser]

WTF is wrong with mechanics at shops anymore? Can it really be that hard to do a good job the first time?

Sorry I wanted to bi*** for you.

Any ideas on what to look for without removing the timing belt?

Anyway, pull off the upper timing cover and turn the crank until it is at TDC on #1. See if the cam gears line up correctly. Than see if the crank pulley mark lines up with 0 on the lower timing cover. (or T or whatever yours says that means #1 is at TDC) Thats not perfect but its easier than pulling the lower timing cover, but if anything looks misaligned then it would be a good idea to pull the lower cover and actually check at the crank gear.

I have a 6 bolt, but I imagine they are similar enough to a 7 bolt that my suggestion will work?

 

[super97gst]

WTF is wrong with mechanics at shops anymore? Can it really be that hard to do a good job the first time?

Sorry I wanted to bi*** for you.



Anyway, pull off the upper timing cover and turn the crank until it is at TDC on #1. See if the cam gears line up correctly. Than see if the crank pulley mark lines up with 0 on the lower timing cover. (or T or whatever yours says that means #1 is at TDC) Thats not perfect but its easier than pulling the lower timing cover, but if anything looks misaligned then it would be a good idea to pull the lower cover and actually check at the crank gear.

I have a 6 bolt, but I imagine they are similar enough to a 7 bolt that my suggestion will work?

yes, they are. thats why i recommeded the same thing above. the timing is all checked and adjusted exactly the same between 6 and 7 bolts.

BTW, when you are rolling cylinder 1 over to TDC, absolutely do not turn on the camshafts to get it there. make sure you only turn the crank.

 

[My1GLaser]

Ha ha. I read your post super97gst and didn't even really see what you said because I get so pissed off that mechanics can be so sorry I just had to say something. Didn't mean to restate your suggestion as my own.

Oh yeah, pull the plugs out and the SOB is really easy to turn.

 

[Maxboost1010]

Wow that sucks man, I would definitely go back to them and demand my money back, since they created more work for you, it sounds like they misaligned something too me too.

 

[super97gst]

Ha ha. I read your post super97gst and didn't even really see what you said because I get so pissed off that mechanics can be so sorry I just had to say something. Didn't mean to restate your suggestion as my own.

Oh yeah, pull the plugs out and the SOB is really easy to turn.

oh, thats fine. i use to have some of the same problems with sorry mechanics. its no good when you pay a man to do a job for you and end up spending more money in the end to get it redone.

i learned a long time ago that the old saying, "you want something done right you do it yourself" was sadly true too many times.

 

[viterbi]

Finally caught up with the owner of the shop (had to lie about who I was to get him on the phone). The mechanic (the only one competent enough to understand terms like 5 degress BTDC and DOHC) showed me that all the timing marks and notches were lined up but failed to check anything else so I told him to test the pulleys and tensioners and what do you know the idler pulley had a ridiculous amount of play in it and the timing belt had begun to develop a grove in the center along the full length of the belt! Not sure what the TB could have been hitting against since the original TB had no signs of this kinda wear????
So he replaced the t-belt and idler pulley and the car drives like normal again

(On a diff note RipYouOff-Boys tried to charge me labor on an alignment warranty job that they screwed up a month ago...they wanted me to pay the labor for the time it took the mechanic to reinstall the inner tie-rod that he obviously popped out while adjusting the alignment...tried to shortcut the job I bet, popped out the tierod and have me pay the labor...shops in Atlanta are the worst Ive ever seen! )

Is there anything I should check on the t-belt or tierods since some ppl are morons to the nth degree? Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[super97gst]

Finally caught up with the owner of the shop (had to lie about who I was to get him on the phone). The mechanic (the only one competent enough to understand terms like 5 degress BTDC and DOHC) showed me that all the timing marks and notches were lined up but failed to check anything else so I told him to test the pulleys and tensioners and what do you know the idler pulley had a ridiculous amount of play in it and the timing belt had begun to develop a grove in the center along the full length of the belt! Not sure what the TB could have been hitting against since the original TB had no signs of this kinda wear????
So he replaced the t-belt and idler pulley and the car drives like normal again

(On a diff note Pepboys tried to charge me labor on an alignment warranty job that they screwed up a month ago...they wanted me to pay the labor for the time it took the mechanic to reinstall the inner tie-rod that he obviously popped out while adjusting the alignment...tried to shortcut the job I bet, popped out the tierod and have me pay the labor...shops in Atlanta are the worst Ive ever seen! )

Is there anything I should check on the t-belt or tierods since some ppl are morons to the nth degree? Thanks for all the suggestions!

. you had an idler pulley in that bad shape and the mechanic didnt even notice it. that shop is definitely piss poor, for sure. if it was wearing a groove into the timing belt and it was just changed it must have been in horrible shape. i just dont see how he couldnt have seen it. i mean, you're suppose to check everything while doing a t-belt job. key word "suppose to". anyways, as long as the timing marks are all lined up and your problem is solved i would just look over everything and make sure it all looks good.

as for the tierod, did it ruin the sleeve when the tie rod was popped out?? if so you might make sure its not bent, if so replace it back to the hub. steering components are something you definitely need to keep in check. other than that theres not a whole lot you can do. just talk to several ppl before you take your prized car to a repair shop or alignment shop again. i even only have 1 shop that i will let get near my gst to change tires on my expensive wheels.

 

[viterbi]

I will check the tierod sleeve later today. The new tbelt looks ok so far at 100 miles.

 

[viterbi]

Tierod sleeve doesn't look torn and I got a second set of eyes to look at it. I think all is well.