Post by C&H Ranch on Jan 31, 2012 19:44:31 GMT -5
I originally posted this in conversation at HF, but given how many people don't even know about a timing belt, I thought I would spread the word here too. I would be sad if this happened to you (if you didn't know about timing belts on your car), and I could have said something beforehand but didn't!
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It sucks giving people bad news. I had to tell a person today on the phone that his van they were traveling in from Oregon is ruined. Apparently when they did the timing belt, the water pump wasn't replaced at the time...this is often done to save people money, but we won't do that..it's all or nothing because we can't guarantee the work if it all isn't replaced. The reason for that is when you replace the tired parts with new stuff, the new stuff has new tension, etc. and if one of the parts is still old, it applies an awful lot of new pressure to that part...it breaks the part pretty quick.
So, when it's a timing belt related item that goes, the timing belt becomes loose and the valves in the engine are bent. This means that all of that has to be replaced and rebuilt...which I'm not sure the price for a Eurovan yet, but in a Passat and a Jetta that's upwards of $3000 in repairs. A Eurovan will most likely be worse. To compound the problem, since it was the the water pump that failed, coolant stopped circulating and the van overheated. This caused it to blow a head gasket, which is about $2000.
That being said, the engines just aren't available in their entiretly for a full replacement. I called wreckers and no one has one. That sucks. All to save a little bit of money in the short term, and now their van is ruined.
Ladies - get ALL the components of your timing belts replaced. Timing belts are critical to your car's health! And your wallet!
Thank you for listening to my public service announcement.
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It sucks giving people bad news. I had to tell a person today on the phone that his van they were traveling in from Oregon is ruined. Apparently when they did the timing belt, the water pump wasn't replaced at the time...this is often done to save people money, but we won't do that..it's all or nothing because we can't guarantee the work if it all isn't replaced. The reason for that is when you replace the tired parts with new stuff, the new stuff has new tension, etc. and if one of the parts is still old, it applies an awful lot of new pressure to that part...it breaks the part pretty quick.
So, when it's a timing belt related item that goes, the timing belt becomes loose and the valves in the engine are bent. This means that all of that has to be replaced and rebuilt...which I'm not sure the price for a Eurovan yet, but in a Passat and a Jetta that's upwards of $3000 in repairs. A Eurovan will most likely be worse. To compound the problem, since it was the the water pump that failed, coolant stopped circulating and the van overheated. This caused it to blow a head gasket, which is about $2000.
That being said, the engines just aren't available in their entiretly for a full replacement. I called wreckers and no one has one. That sucks. All to save a little bit of money in the short term, and now their van is ruined.
Ladies - get ALL the components of your timing belts replaced. Timing belts are critical to your car's health! And your wallet!
Thank you for listening to my public service announcement.