The tow truck just dropped me off..

[ckhokie]

After riding an hour and a half home.

My timing belt and water pump decided to blow up while going 65mph. Nothing like the sound of valves fist bumping the cylinders.

Of course it happened 70 miles from home so I can throw the $240 tow bill on top of the $2XXX bill I know I have coming. I replaced the timing belt, water pump, tensioner, etc. 40k miles ago, which is miserable, because they should be good in my car for 80-100k miles

 

[HammerDown]

I feel your pain, man!

Forced conversation with a knot-on-a-log towtruck driver can be the worst part.

 

[JuiceTheGator]

Oh holy shit. My dogsitter's timing belt popped on the way over here last week. The engine is totally fucked because the young girl tried to keep going! Her Camry was old but it only had 75k on it.

 

[ckhokie]

Oh holy shit. My dogsitter's timing belt popped on the way over here last week. The engine is totally fucked because the young girl tried to keep going! Her Camry was old but it only had 75k on it.

I am really hoping that's not the case. I already know the head is going to have to be removed and the valves will all most likely have to be replaced. Unfortunately, I feel like the cost of this will start to approach half the value of the car I am really not in a place where I can just hold onto a nonmoving car, because I don't currently have a garage and only have one assigned spot where I am living now, so it looks like I am just going to have to open the wallet, bend over and grab my ankles on this one

 

[outofyourmind]

whoever designs an engine where the valves can even hit a piston in this situation needs to have their balls cut off.

the first timing chain I broke cost me $142.50 to fix.
but that was 1980.

 

[BTHOtu]

Happened to me back in the 90's. Had to push it into a vacant lot. Walked 5 miles to auto parts store and back. Me and a buddy replaced the belt and all we had was a screwdriver, channel locks, case of beer, pack of smokes and a zippo lighter. Took all night and half the next day. Car ran like shit but it ran.

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

Sucks I can't fathom why companies use belts vs chains. Chains typically do not break they stretch over time and the car starts to run poorly, I am of the opinion belts are a poor design.

 

[ckhokie]

Happened to me back in the 90's. Had to push it into a vacant lot. Walked 5 miles to auto parts store and back. Me and a buddy replaced the belt and all we had was a screwdriver, channel locks, case of beer, pack of smokes and a zippo lighter. Took all night and half the next day. Car ran like shit but it ran.

Sounds like we may not be driving the same car
I changed mine on this car (an Audi A4) and it required the whole front end be removed, radiator to be drained and pulled, and specialized tools that I had to rent from a Euro car website where I bought the parts just to open the case where the belt is held and keep everything at TDC.

 

[JuiceTheGator]

Have you considered having a friend push you in neutral until you're going fast enough to crash into a tree? I don't know what deductible you carry, but that seems like a good strategy.

 

[BTHOtu]

This^

 

[ckhokie]

Quote came in....$4354 with parts and labor. The head needs to be pulled and valves need to be replaced. I was able to source a replacement engine, but even then, with labor, it would almost be the same price. I cannot believe how expensive this is.

 

[Brocktagon]

Quote came in....$4354 with parts and labor.

what do you have? a freakin mercedes? that's a costly bill man.

i know where you're comming from because you can't even shop around or you'll have to tow it again.

 

[ckhokie]

what do you have? a freakin mercedes? that's a costly bill man.

i know where you're comming from because you can't even shop around or you'll have to tow it again.

It's an Audi. And yes, I am a little bit at at the mercy of the shop. Any difference in cost would have to vastly outweigh both the tow cost and any holding fee from the first shop.