Tensioner Bolt Timing Belt, bolt sheared Options

[vaughn1971]

hi guys .nice forum.
I'm driving my moms 1996 Mitsubishi eclipse rs 420a...I have put some money in it as it has sat for awhile

i had the timing belt.pulleys.cam bearings and water pump fixed Saturday.
The car drove wonderful until today.....took it back to my mechanic......he informed me the tensioner bolt sheared off.....and that this was a problem from the factory.which he didn't know about until today when he called to order the new bolt...is this a common problem with these engines????

i hope it didnt hurt the engine...it drove wonderful on the interstate.then getting off slowing down... the car jumped.then stalled.

[greenydsm]

the jumping and stalling means that the tensioner moved, the belt was no longer under tension, the belt jumped, causeing the timing to be off and SMACK one row of your valves most likely smashed the pistons


i hate to say it, but your topend is is most likely effed

[vaughn1971]

the jumping and stalling means that the tensioner moved, the belt was no longer under tension, the belt jumped, causeing the timing to be off and SMACK one row of your valves most likely smashed the pistons


i hate to say it, but your topend is is most likely effed

man i hope not.......the mechanic did say so far it doesnt appear to have damaged the head or engine.....i didnt hear a loud noise so maybe i got lucky

im wondering about the tensioner bolt shearing.....is this a common problem?... thanks for the replys

[bueshy]

and if the head is fucked up due to the mechanics mistake then he should fix it for free

[EMC 3000gt]

...is this a common problem with these engines????

No it is not

[Boosted_talon]

That actually happened to me too man... I was so pissed because I had just bought 16 grinds from crane and oversize SS valves and made it 11 miles...It was a gold bolt on the timing belt tensior pulley....Broke right in half and you cant just get a new bolt you gotta get the whole pulley bracket for like 110.00.. but yeah my mechanic wouldnt fix it.. good luck and mine just shut right off, it didnt make a noise or anything going like 25 and it bent a row of valves

[pwee05]

if you know the pitch and thread count on the bolt you can go to any hardware store to find a replacement

[vaughn1971]

yea im paying for the new bracket and a new timing belt......there going to do the work for free... i just emailed him asking about the valves again.....c an they check them without taking the head off? this does suck because the car had 96000 trouble free miles on it.....and i decided it needed a new timing belt.. i changed the assesory belts myself.they were dry rotted

i also changed the valve cover gasket...i wanted to do the timing belt myself.....but i dont have the special tools.and i know its hard to do.

[waynerwats]

Do a compression test.

If you go to DODGE and get the part for an eagle talon ESI the part is cheaper trust me. I had both the idler and adjuster pulleys blow up on my car and they cost almost half the cost from Dodge instead of Mitsubishi for the exact same part and it came in a mopar package.

[vaughn1971]

update...all the valves got bent,so they had the head rebuilt....going to cost me 1000 more dollars,i told him it would take me almost all month to save the money.so he is taking his time to fix it

I am starting to question the shearing of the timing bolt.

if you have heard of the bolt shearing please reply.....everyone i talk to about this,tells me it sounds like the mechanic did something wrong

[calin666]

I have never heard of hat being a "common problem" on our cars.
Sounds like the mechanic is giving you a load of shit.
Now, the head is toast, I think we can agree on that.
However the price may go up, if the pistons are damaged, and they have to be replaced.
You CAN actually do the job yourself for half that price, if you want to get into that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[vaughn1971]

thanks for the reply's....After calling a few Mitsubishi dealers and talking with mechanics.....i finally talked to the parts guy...who confirmed Mitsubishi did update the bolt to a fatter one.....which also means the bracket changed also.... he said he thinks the change took place in 99

i wanted to change the belt myself...but i dont have the special tools