Timing belt

[Fishin4Life]

Reading Valv's post about him joining the darkside sparked a question. I have a dodge neon with about 93,000 miles on it. When should one look at changing the timing belt/chain. I have hear horror stories about doing major enging damage when these break. I had a 92 Blazer with 180,000 on it, never did that one....

Also I had all new breaks put on about 5,000 miles ago, and they squeel when you apply medium pressure. less pressure the squeel stops, more pressure the squeel stops. Any ideas?

[Valv]

DO NOT do it yourself, have a REPUTABLE shop doing it with warranty. Thes are no clearance valves motors, I replaced mine on a Plymouth Breeze and I destroyed motor.....no kidding, I threw car away.

Be sure whoi does it KNOWS what they are doing.....

[Fishin4Life]

Oh for sure. I wouldn't do these on my own. I am good with small engines and such, but when it comes to my daily driver, I tend to take it in for matters other than simple oil changes and brakes and such (even take it in for that if its bitter cold)

[Jeremy airjer W]

Valv is correct! These are an interference engine. if the belt brakes the pistons will smack the valves and bend them. The funny thing is that you hardly ever see one brake because the head gaskets start to leak well before the timing belt is due. Replace the head gasket replace the timing belt. I'm guessing that your neon is a lot newer than the head gasket wonders of yesteryear!! Without knowing what year yours is I looked up a 2000 neon and the rec. service interval for the timing belt is 105,000. So, its due any time between now and when/if it breaks!

Your blazer had a timing chain not a timing belt. It is rare to see a timing chain fail.

Is the noise coming from the front or the rear (rear squeal is pretty common)? Did you use a good quality brake pad? where the rotors resufaced? I would bet that a cheap set of pads was installed. Our shop has recently switched to NAPA and we have been using there premium brake parts. We have not yet had any problems with noise. I am also a big fan of Wagner Thermoquiets. In my opinion these are the top of the line!

[Fishin4Life]

Its a 98. Lovely head gaskets! Had that replaced at about 40K. And what is that, oil leaking again at 70K miles. I just let er leak. I figure some day it will go bad, and to the junk heep it will go. It does have a engine knock when first started, again its been doing that for probably 20K, but getting louder. Generally it goes away when warmed up. Any ideas on that one?

The pads put on were mid grade. Not sure of the brand, but they supposidly had something to keep them quiet. All rotors replaced at the same time as the pads, so those are in good shape. Man those are fun to get off, need one BFH!Its hard to pinpoint the squeel, but if I had to guess it seems to be coming from the front. Oh and I noticed that the emergancy break was actually a little drum inside the rear disc, that was warn out, could that be it? No comment on how a person wore that out, LOL. (its not a stick, its an Auto at that) LOL

[PierBridge]

Expect 3.5 to 4.5 hours of labor for your timing belt....

I'm not even at work and I can't keep up with Airjer...

Thanks Airjer..

[Jeremy airjer W]

I'm not at work either

Knockin noise? Don't want to go there without actually hearing it. Is it actually a knock or a tick?

If theres only 5k on the brakes and the rotors are new I would suspect that the fronts are glazed. Possibly from towing that boat all over the metro (I think that is you)! Most if not all auto parts have a one year 12k warranty. Take the pads back upgrade to premium and have the rotors turned. That should take care of it. I doubt if the ebrake shoe is the cause. if it was it would make noise all the time.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Quote:

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Expect 3.5 to 4.5 hours of labor for your timing belt....

I'm not even at work and I can't keep up with Airjer...

Thanks Airjer..

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Do you ever work

[Fishin4Life]

Haha you caught me. I will have to get that taken care of.

The knock is more like a tick than a knock...

as far as the timing belt, Holy smokes, do I smell expensive. What are my chances of hatching the motor if I just leave it until it breaks? Do I have a chance of at least getting 130K out of the car before she goes? Because I could handle that, hehe

[Jeremy airjer W]

Bending valves 100%

making it to 130k - 50/50

Tick noise would seem to indicate to me that it is a lifter issue. Again if I can't hear it its tough to say. Heres something that can't hurt. Next time you change oil pour a half a can of Seafoam motor tune in the oil(I sound like Paul Bran now ) run the engine for 10 to 15 minutes. change the oil and filter (the oil will be hot!!! By the way on those really hot days we where checking the temp of the oil coming out of the vehicles we where servicing 180 to 200 + degrees F., OOOOUUUUUUCCCCCHHH!!!!!!! ) Fill with oil and then add the other half of the can to the oil. I haven't run into a hydraulic lifter that this stuff won't quite yet! If it doesn't work your only out 5 or 6 bucks!

[Fishin4Life]

Hey thanks for all the help Airjer! I just changed the oil about 600 miles ago, can I just dump half a can of that stuff in now, then do it again when I change it in 2500 miles?

Or would I not get as good of results?

Thanks again!!!

[Jeremy airjer W]

If you have kept up on your oil changes I don't see a problem. Basically what it is doing is removing deposits and built up sludge. Thats why they recommmend changing the oil after running the first half. The direction on the can will be more specific. I'm pretty sure Ive added half without changing oil a couple of times. As long as it isn't my car i'm not to worried!!

[Fishin4Life]

Haha nice, I will change the oil right after adding. Makes sense. I know what you mean about those hot oil temps, burn the tips off your fingers trying to take out the plug on real hot days. (not the best move to go get the oil, filter, come right home and start on it, lol)

[Jeremy airjer W]

My bad! These are equiped with a 2.0 liter not a 2.2. every where you see 2.2 substitute 2.0.

[Valv]

Quote:

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My bad! These are equiped with a 2.0 liter not a 2.2. every where you see 2.2 substitute 2.0.

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I was wondering about you and the 2.2s...

My Rav-4 has a 2.0l but you kept saying 2.2, I figured you were a little tired after work....

It's hard to keep up with customers sometimes....I know the feelings, trust me, and I am not kidding here.

[Jeremy airjer W]

and on top of it I posted it in the wrong thread! I'm losing it!!!!

[DTro]

lol, funny thread........do I dare say that my RAV4 has a 2.4?

[Valv]

I thought yours has a 4.2

[DTro]

no actually it's a version 4.2 (generation 2001-2005) that has a 2.4. The 4.1 version has a 2.0. Would you like to know about the version 4.3?

[Valv]

[Fishin4Life]

I thought those toys came standard with 5.7s haha.

I thought you were just telling me to keep up with my oil changes airjer, lmao. I just went along with it. Didn't really pay much attention to the 2.2, i figured you ment 2.0.

[Jeremy airjer W]

I agree with valve!