Monday, September 19, 2011

Changed timing belt....now 2 weeks later...head gasket blew..help!!?

My automatic 2003 Dodge SX 2.0 has reached 60,000 miles 2 weeks ago, so I went to change the timing belt, the water pump, and did a seasonal check up and they told me everything was fine. It cost me around $550 for all of it.



Between then and now (2 weeks later), I drove the car like 4-5 times. Yesterday when I was driving, something weird happened to the rpm. Then some smoke came from the front of my car. I drove 5 more min to park it, then after I parked I saw a whole trail of liquid following my car. This morning when I woke up, there is a big puddle of liquid under my car.



I towed it to the same mechanic who fixed the timing belt, and he told me the thermostat wasn't working properly and engine cooling wasn't going in through as it should, then it overheated and the head gasket blew, and all the liquid that was on the floor was engine cooling liquid. Yesterday it was saturday and he couldnt give me a price to fix it cuz all the shop to order pieces were closed. I asked if this had anything to do with the timing belt being changed, and he told me no. I will figure out Monday how much it will cost.



Do you know if this couldve happened when they were changing the timing belt and they screwed up something?? I really feel so. And how much would it cost?



Thanks!!Changed timing belt....now 2 weeks later...head gasket blew..help!!?First, if you don't trust your mechanic, find a new one.



Second, it probably isn't related to your timing belt. It's just bad luck.Changed timing belt....now 2 weeks later...head gasket blew..help!!?As a mechanic the only thing i can say is, the mechanic would have had to take the thermostat out to see if it was stuck in order to tell you that. But that would have resulted in your Temperature gauge to take off to 260 degrees or the coolant light on the dash would have come on signalling the driver that his car is overheated. If this happened to you while you were driving it then that could have caused the head gasket failure. Cars overheat from cooling fans not working as well as thermostat problems and low coolant or waterpump and radiator problems. If this was not the case you may be a victim of coincidence with no other way to prove otherwise. Cost of repair? 700 to 1000 bucks. This whole scenario really sucks, too many %26quot;gray%26quot; areas.Changed timing belt....now 2 weeks later...head gasket blew..help!!?wll it ws possible it might had something to do with timing belt much not much more likely you didnt see the sign it was running hot and you didnt pull over and stop and drove to far with it hot costing more money thermostat cost like 12 buck head gasket might be another 500 car care priceless