My buddy broke the timing belt on his '02 Neon. Was a great running car before. New brakes, tires, shifter repaired and alignment. If I can get it for next to nothing is it worth my time? I was thinking about throwing a belt on there and trying to start it up. It broke seconds before he was pulling into his parking spot. What do you guys think?
Later, Bruce
If its an interference engine, it only takes milliseconds to bent the valves... KJ
Take it apart, have the head and valves fixed, new gaskets and belt, and some time, you are back to a running car with only about $200 and 6 or so hours into it.
I'd jump all over it.
I think I'll bring it back to the house and look it over. My BMW is killing me in gas.
gonna make a bet that there are no bent valves....take off valve cover set motor 90 degree atdc and turn cam shaft a few times. make sure no binding and that all valves come all the way back up... after that. new belt and tensioner and enjoy.
Didn't this publication goes through this about a year ago?
Usually a neon with any sort of timing failure is going to bend a few valves they are pretty cheap but tend to tear up the seats and guides during the machine work is what can get you. Depending on your location I do sohc neon timing belts for $325 and have good used engines for $400. It sounds like a good deal for anything under $500 second gen neons are pretty impressive cars for the price.
I would expect more like $400-$500 to fix it (if you get a junkyard head) but if its cheap enough thats still not bad.
Ranger50 wrote: Take it apart, have the head and valves fixed, new gaskets and belt, and some time, you are back to a running car with only about $200 and 6 or so hours into it. I'd jump all over it.
This. You should be able to pick up a complete head for $100-150. New gasket, T-belt, idler, and water pump, and it is good to go for another 100k.
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