One eye
 

Looks like one eye is going to survive after all. Turns out the reason why it snapped the timing belt was a bad harmonic balancer. Since half the damn engine needs to come off anyway to get at the timing belt, we decided to change the HB and keep it going for a bit longer.

This is a good thing since I'm not commiting on another car until I find out what my Texas fate is.

One eye? :?

Oh, I thought it was public knowledge that my wife's Dodge Neon is called One eye, after the couple of months she drove it without a passenger side headlight.

Does the neon have an interference motor? I'm assuming no?

Yes, it is.

That's exactly what I was wondering when Morty said he needed to buy TWO cars now.

And the engine is ok? If a timing belt breaks in an interference engine it'll cause a lot more damage to other parts.

Then either you don't understand what an interference motor is or you are having the entire motor reworked. Heads, for the valves that got hit, pistons if they chipped or dented. Etc etc.

Yeah I know "basically" what it is.

When the belt broke the car immediately stopped according to Annalisa. The car was towed to the shop and its being fixed. It hasn't fired since the belt broke, the mechanic said the valves weren't bent.

I don't know more beyond that, other than we were quoted a flat price to get things running again and its cheaper than buying another car, something I don't want to do at the moment.

If it is infact an interference motor, you WILL have bent valves.

Because you are from New York (private joke) I'll cut you some slack.

An interference motor is a motor in which the vales can impact on the piston if the crank and cam are not in time. This means that when the belt or chain between the crankshaft and camshaft breaks the valves that are still in the open position will be impacted by the piston.

The motor won't fire because the camshaft is no longer moving. The camshaft moves the valves for intake and exhaust open and closed because via that belt/chain it is in time with the crankshaft that has the piston rods and pistons attached to it. When the belt breaks, you are no longer getting fuel or exhaust and some valves are left open.

When that belt broke, if you have an interference motor... pistons hit the valves that were still open. There is no way around it. The motor doesn't immediately stop...things like the crank and pistons keep moving for a bit.

A non interference motor is one in which the valves are spaced far enough up in the cylinder that the piston can not reach them whether the timing is off or not.

Yeah, I just don't know the answer.

I never really troubled myself to learn anything about the neon. I don't do anything more on it then change the plugs and oil. If you've ever looked in the engine bay of one of these things you'd understand why. It isn't anything nearly as comfortable as the bonneville.

I guess when we get the "call" later today, I'll let you knows what happened.

Seems to me the better answer here would have been "I don't know".

Honestly Morty..I'd rather you admitted not knowing things than posting something that might mislead another member later on. If any of the other Neon owners rely on what you said above and find out differently the expensive way.....let's say... I doubt they'd be happy or respect you.

I'm not sure and I don't know go a long way in life. Please be willing to admit lack of knowledge, as we have seen....this is not the first time.

When you asked me yesterday, I looked up on the net whether or not a 1996 dodge neon had an interference motor. The answer was yes. Do I understand what it is? No.

So the mechanic said the valves were ok? If so maybe he needs a lesson in interference engines too.

Good article for Neon owners. Information about everything.

http://www.aa1car.com/library/2004/us60426.htm

O these engines you do have enough room with the head design that you shouldnot impact a valve.... But thats not to say that it will never happen...

Too bad its not really a chrysler engine in the first place

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All I know is that if it's DOHC 16v like my scirocco was it's not a good thing to blow a timing belt.....did on mine and got lucky.....only had minor leakage from #3 and #4 cylinders....didn't even really notice the difference when I got it fixed!! On the other hand if in fact " 'Ol one eye" has a DOHC engine......it may not have been so lucky....sounds like u may need a second opinion from another mechanic!!

He'll know in a hurry if he has a bent valve or several...

Morty How many miles did the car have on it? When was the last time the timming belt was changed?

These engines have a 60k timming belt interval, if they are not replaced you are on borrowed time...

So for any of you that have a Mitsubishi 4 Cylinder, yes we all know its really a Mitsu motor... Replace that timming belt at 60K unless you want to pay a lot more later

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There are some diffrent designs, on some of the mitsu 4 cylinders the heads are like a hemi head in a way, and in some there is enough room to avoid punching a valve.... But I'll say it again I have seen a couple do some damage.... There were other Mitsu engines that were big time interference engines and it took nothing to crush valves and have them imbedded in the pistons / head...

But yes most 16 valve engines are interference....

I believe that Morty pretty much has the same 2.0 in his neon as I have in the Mitsubishi Galant

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It's a good thing I ditched my DOHC Sebring. :lol: I never really liked that engine, though it's better than the 2.7 from what I understand :roll:

are 3800s non interference?

I don't we don't really have to worry about it cause they're pushrod motors...still curious though.

3800's are non- interference.

Oh god! The 2.7 sludge monster! My aunt had a nasty expierience from that engine. She hadn't changed her oil, and we did it and it was near the consistency of goo. She was so lucky it didn't kill the POS 2.7.

Can you explain why it being a pushrod motor has anything to do with the possible interference when a timing chain snapped (if it were to happen)?

Yes the 2.7 was a POS... I can't begin to tell you how many of those totally dies before 100K...And what the yards around here want for one is nuts( They are in high demand BTW )... The 2.7's are all junk even if you doo keep the oil changed like a nut...

The 4 cylinder laster a hell of a lot longer and was better by far...

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This is a neat one to explain...

If we look at the old 3.0 Buick V6, really a shorter stroke 3.8( yes shorter deck heigth too ).... It was not supposed to be an interference engine.... But with the 3.0 having 9.0 - 1 compression pistons, the dish was very shallow and didn't leave much room for the valves.... What usually happened with these motors if that the Nylon Teeth would strip off the Cam gear and the result is that the engine would jump time... I have seen a couple of 3.0's that were running down the interstate when this happened, and all of the valves left marks on the pistons, crushed a couple of valves and bent a series of pushrods...

The 3.8 and 3800 had 8.5 - 1 compression for many years... I have seen the 3.8's jump time as they used the same nylon teeth on the cam gear for a while, I have never seen a 3.8 get damaged.. They would just jump a tooth and have hard starts, bad idle, and then finally when it jumped further it just quit...

With the 3800 GM tried to correct for these problems... An all steel cam gear with a timming chain tensioner... I have almost never heard of a 3800 jumping time, but its still possible...

On the L36 we have 9.4 - 1 compression, and the pistons are damn near flat... I would be willing to bet that if one of these L36's jumped time we'd know about it in a hurry... But when was the last time you heard of an L36 doing this? I have seen LN3's all original with 300K+ on them all original.... So weather or not we'll see one jump time will only be seen in the future

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Right...the chances of us seeing it are lower than very slim. Like a 350, you'd wear a hole in the cover before you could jump a tooth.

The car has 76k on it and this is the first time the belt is being changed.

Bill thank you for that article.

Yes the 2.7 sludge monster. :lol: Just looking at that engine gives me a headache. It looks like a mess.

My Sebring is at 43K and would have been due for a timing belt change within a year the rate I drive. I'm glad I really don't have to worry about bending valves if my chain should go.

Which brings up a question...what's the interval of changing the timing chain on our engines? How much over 100K in other words? If a water pump should go I guess it would be a good time to change it too.

Not really pete... I would reccomend 100k to change the timming chain... But thats not a have to... I have hardly ever heard of a 3800 jumping time... Don't think you have a lot to worry about there bud.... I am at 148k on my 95.... I did the 91's at 80K ish due to the Interupter... The chain tensioner was doing its job, but being that I was in there and the chain set was $41 and the gasket set was $14 I did it just to do it while I was there...

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I'll agree with Don there...if you are in...do it.. Otherwise..we have people well over 150-200K w/o issues.

Morty if you guys keep the one eye for a lot longer, please change the timming belt again at 136K...

When we did the belt on the 92 Mitsu it was shady at best, I have checked the belt a couple of times and so far its doing ok but its almost due for a replacement...

And have you guys got the car back yet?

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Don, what do you know about timing belt life on other imports? Say my 04 Civic, for example? :lol:

You may want to look in the owners manual, but if memory serves honda 4 cylinders have a 90K mile timming belt life... Their V6's are 60K tho

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