Very frustrated, please help

[mechanicallyuninclined]

My handle tells of my credentials.

I have a 2001 PT Cruiser that just hit 100,000 miles. I took it to my local mechanic to get the timing belt replaced. Because he was already going to be replacing the timing belt he advised replacing a whole bunch of other stuff "to avoid future problems" I agreed to his suggestion.

The car has run perfectly since the day I bought it brand new in 2000. Three days after I got the car back from the timing belt job (and almost $1600) later, I was driving down the road in fourth gear when suddenly the car began jolting and immediately lost all power. No dummy lights came on and the engine revved when the accelorator was depressed, but zero power was transferred to the wheels. I figures it might be the clutch although I had replaced the clutch within the past year.

I had the car towed to the mechanic. He said the transmission is toast. I find it coincidental that I never had any symptoms of tranny failure at all prior to his $1600 timing belt repair. Is it possible that he somewhow created or contributed to my current problem?

I am not a mechanic. I am the most vulnerable man alive when it comes to this stuff. I just spent $1600 and I am flat broke. If my tranny is toast and the repair bill is legitimately my responsibility I'm pretty much screwed.

What do you guys think? Is is just a terrible coincidence or could it be that my mechanic messed something up?

[chris15]

I can't really shed any light on this issue, but I do know that some mechanics do pull the motor in order to do the timing belt, which could justify your increased cost of labor. (People typically pay between $900 and $1200 to do the timint belt 'job'-- that is, belt, tensioner, idler pulley, water pump, gasket) In doing so, he could have fudged with the tranny, but if he didn't pull the motor, it's highly unlikely.

I would seriously consider bringing the car to another mechanic to get a second opinion, as that could rule out one variable-- the potential incompetency of your first mechanic.

[quicksilverdon]

Agree w/Chris - SECOND OPINION.
Very few manual transmissions die, and the symptoms you describe sound peculiar.

[mechanicallyuninclined]

Thank you very much guys. If it is in fact the transmission, do you believe another mechanic would be able to tell whether or not the first mechanic somehow accidentally created this problem?

What I am getting at is this I guess: If the problem is in no way related to the work the first mechanic performed then it's my problem. If, however,another mechanic believes that mistakes were made during the previous repairs then I want to do everything I can to have the first mechanic repair this problem at no cost.

[quicksilverdon]

Originally Posted by mechanicallyuninclined

Thank you very much guys. If it is in fact the transmission, do you believe another mechanic would be able to tell whether or not the first mechanic somehow accidentally created this problem?

Yes, but unlikely.
I hope (for you) it's a shift linkage problem.

[mechanicallyuninclined]

Just got off the phone with the mechanic. He said the problem is definitely inside the transmission. He said he'll need to take the transmission apart to discover the problem. He said he thinks it's a broken shaft??

[cruserdad1976]

man a manual usually is pretty much bullet proof and yes a shaft would shut one down but unless you are pron the "GETTING ON IT" a lot its hard to believe it just broke--

I really dough that he would mess with your tranny the timing belt is enough of a pain pulling the tranny and rebuilding it will be a pretty high dollar repair unless you can find a used one from a salvage yard and even that will be spendy

[VNT]

If it is the trans get one from a wrecker with as low of miles as possible.

Did you ever change the fluid in trans and when they did the clutch, did the refill it to the correct level??

WHo's clutch did you use when it was replaced? A mopar or aftermarket??

[mechanicallyuninclined]

The same mechanic who did the timing belt did the clutch. I am seriously clueless when it comes to working on cars. I'm the most vulnerable schmuck on the planet. I assumed he refilled the fluid. I don't know what brand he used.

[VNT]

Did he give you a receipt for the clutch?? If it is in the drive train, my guess would be the clutch, not the transaxle assuming it had fluid in it.

Is this person who did the work have a shop or do stuff on the side.

I hope he used a mopar clutch/PP, god knows what junk is available aftermarket for jobbers.



Also, no offense but if you can read, you can fix most stuff. Time to buy a service manual or download the Factory service manual here in the tech section and start educating yourself. You can at least learn to do oil changes, brake jobs, tune ups and fluid changes. The coin you save on these can help offset the big involved stuff but you will at least be on a level playing field if you open the manual and take a peak. Everyone has been in the same boat.