Re: V8 repairs under way...timing belt this time

["Cobram ." <cobram@juno.com>]

 "Thomas, Nathan" <nthomas@imps0014.us.dg.com> writes:

>Well, it's timing belt service time for the V8.  It's getting close 
>to 100k miles, so I'm having every imaginable component replaced-

You lucked out, the belt interval have been updated to every 60K miles,
catastrophic failure was knocking at your door.  I change at 4 year
interval regardless.

>timing chains, belt, water pump, serpentine, tensioner, valve cover
>gaskets, etc.  I'm paying about $1800 for this, but it is from a
>mechanic I feel very comfortable with, which I am willing to pay a
>little extra for.  Any thoughts on how that rate compares to what
>others have experienced?

I replaced all the components I could reach when I changed the belt:  
 
ACCESSORY BELT	$32.00 	 
TIMING BELT	$38.50 	
WATER PUMP (NEW)	$209.00 
THERMOSTAT		$16.50 
FRONT ENGINE CRANK SEAL	$9.68 
TENSIONER ROLLER	 	$75.00 
TENSIONER ROLLER FORK LEVER $45.12 (I only needed this because I instaled
it backwards by mistake, and it got chewed up)
FRICTION PAD	$11.70 (same as above)
TIMING BELT RELAY ROLLERS	$110.00 ($55X2)
DISTRIBUTOR CAP (LEFT)	$45.00 
DISTRIBUTOR CAP (RIGHT)	$55.00 
DIST. ROTORS		$18.00 (interchange with YUGO)

Figure about $700 for parts. This was about 2 years ago, purchased from
Adirondack.
Labor, probably took me a SOLID 9 hours (including front/rear brakes, oil
pan gasket, distributor seals, a few other things I took car of in one
whack)

>What spooked me into doing this now was a loud rattling coming
>from the timing chain case on the front of the engine.  It made me
>go ahead and decide to get the service done, and when they 
>started pulling things apart they discovered that the right hand 
>chain
>had stretched and was banging around against the block.  Luckily
>it hadn't caused any damage yet, but I'm certainly glad to have it
>fixed at this point.

Something doesn't sound right here.  I think you may be referring to the
cam chain??  Did they point it out to you? 

Make sure they have the correct tools and all parts on hand before they
open it up.  I'd also spring for new WP bolts, something I always seem to
forget until it's too late to get them.  

>Ah the joys of owning a V8...

The joys definitly outweigh the rest, at least in MHO.

BCNU,

Cobram@Juno.Com
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Flats/1469/

___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]