Need Advice on Work done by my mechanic

[Eclipse1gen]

Alright 3 weeks ago my 92 plymouth laser 2.0 nt died while driving down the road. I had it towed to my garage (owned by my great uncle) because it would not start back up. I had a feeling the timing belt was gone and this is in fact what the garage told me. The timing belt skipped timing and the valves were bent. So my uncle called me and told me this, and told me it would be quite a bit of time and money to send the head to the machine shop. So i went on ebay and ordered a brand new rebuilt head from a very reputable seller. my uncle had no problem with this as it saved me quite a bit of money. Anyway the head went on alright with the new belt, etc. He called me yesterday saying it was all done and i went and picked it up. When i picked it up it ran fine but i notice below 2000 rpms it was louder and making a funny noise. above 2000 rpms it sounded the same as it always had. I think it has been developing an exhaust leak and figured it was just getting worse from sitting. That noise maybe really is the exhaust, but i just thought i would relay all of the information to you guys. Anyway the car ran fine yesterday and today. i drove it to class today and when i started it back up it was idling really bad and driving it home it felt like it had no power like it was running on 3 cylinders. i got home with it and let it idle for a minute while i looked under the hood. it then stalled and would not start again. it would try to turn over quicker than normal which told me that the timing skipped again. I called my uncle and he came and towed it back to the shop. he then called later and said yes it was the timing belt, it came loose. he said he will pay for the repair if it was something they did wrong. he mentioned that it could be a faulty timing belt or also something about the automatic tensioner not tightneing the belt correctly. Do you guys think i will have to pay another $800 or do you think it something they did wrong?? Also do you think the valves might be bent again? I just would like some feedback and opinions on this. If the timing belt was faulty, should i have to eat the $800 or should he? Sorry for the long thread. thanks in advance for your help

 

[awdrst]

To me it sounds like there could be a problem with the auto tensioner. Since you will be fixing the valves and having to reinstall the timing belt i would go ahead and put on a new auto tensioner and a new pulley as well. Its pretty cheap insurance and since you are in there anyway might as well do it.

 

[Eclipse1gen]

so then you think its not something the garage did wrong? that sucks if that is true. because then the $800 i just spend will be wasted, as i will have to spend another $800 to get fixed again. this sucks.

 

[awdrst]

you really wont know what happened until its opened up. They could have not torqued the tensioner pulley down correctly and the bolt could have come loose causing the auto tensioner to fully extend and may have caused a problem. In that situation it would be the shops fault but you wont really know until its opened up.

 

[tommiman]

After reading all the threads here about garages messing up TB jobs I decided to learn to do it myself. It took me 2 full days because I wanted to be sure I won't break anything.

Just a suggestion.

 

[Eclipse1gen]

Yeah Ill just have to wait till monday i guess. Is it common for that auto tensioner thing to not work properly. With college and stuff i really dont have time to change a timing belt myself. Also i had to have the head replaced. I just dont have the time, skill, or patience to change a timing belt and head myself.

 

[Defiant]

Sounds to me like your great-uncle is lubing you up for a nice reaming.

THEY effed it up, and it was that way when you left the shop, as you noticed.

 

[XtremeGST]

yes, most mechanics (yes possibly your uncle to) really slack on repairs, they do it improper. for instance my friend had his engine rebuilt by a shop, heres the short story.

Car wouldnt start he took it in (place changed ignition timing, btw WRONG MOVE it should have been fine)

car picked up 4 days later and it breaks down 12 miles outa the shop, engine is bearings spun n everything (DEFINATLY THE SHOPS FUALT for bad inspection)

pays to get it rebuilt (he pays 3 grand and its dun by the same shop, he shouldnt of had to pay in the first place)

gets it back 3 weeks later (new internals and head gasket and timing belt)

car is driven 15 miles! and it breaks down (they used wrong camshaft spacer, engine is totaled again)

car is repaired 1 week later, and runs like crap the turbo was definatly blown because it whistled and the car had startup troubles. valve cover was cracked (wasnt ever before) and it leaked oil and blew his engine again!! and now the shop refuses to fix his car!

definatly mechanical error! and hes taking em to court.

I suggest u mark all the visable parts u can with a small dot of a perminate marker and check to make sure its replaced. just dont want this to happen to anybody else

 

[Eclipse1gen]

Yeah im hoping they will pay for it or at least some of it. Have you guys ever heard of the auto tensioner not working properly and causing this?