My timing belt has gone. I had it happen to my '93 talon, and now my '97 neon. My neon has over 250,000 miles on it (it is hard to pin point exactly how much, because the odometer only works when the spedometer works and that is only after you give the dash a couple of love taps). My question is, Is it really worth fixing the timing belt knowing the milage and the fact that the last time this happened, it cracked the motor of my Talon?
May have possibly done the same thing to your Neon especially if it happened at highway speeds.
Glenn Beasley Chrysler Tech
I'm sure that there is a very warm and nasty place in Hell reserved for the individuals responsible for bringing us the interference engine designe. Why I loved my old 2.2l in my Daytona, unfortunately long gone. Also why I ensured prior to purchasing that my 97 Intrepid, 2000 Blazer and 98 Monte Carlo all utilized non-interference engines... One of the first things I check prior to purchasing a car...
They are called, economy, and emissions.
The extent of the damage won't be known until the head is removed. If this is the original engine it would not make sense to rebuild just the head. If you were mechanically inclined you could rebuild the engine yourself for about the same cost as a used engine. In 2000 I rebuilt a Dodge 2.2L for about $700. In 2006 I rebuilt a Mitsubishi 2.0L turbo for about $2200, but that included a few upgrades.
Nothing wrong with interference designs, especially for those who change the timing belt at the recommended intervals. On the other hand, if you don't approach preventive maintenance in the proper fashion, you have to pay the piper. Just as the old Fram commercials used to say: "You can pay me now, or pay me later." I'd rather pay now.
As well as performance. You can eek out a couple more ponies by increasing the valve timing...
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.