2004 PT Cruiser needs to be saved!

[Dwight]

I am in Southern California and I want my PT Cruiser to be saved from the graveyard...it threw the timing belt (I know you've all said it happens) but the body is straight, I have both the stock and aftermarket rims and everything is there including new battery and tranny cooler and both the stock and chrome gas cover...

I wish this little guy could get a new home...I've had it since new but can't fix it.

All the body and interior parts you need...

Will someone buy this from me?

[rckstein]

Welcome to the forum

Sorry to hear that you have to get rid of your PT

You should post an ad in this section:

Classifieds: For Sale/Trade - PT Cruiser Forum

Including some pics and whatever else you think may help to sell it

[CREWZIN]

Why does it need a new home? The PT engine is a non-interference engine so NO damage should have been done when the belt broke. Trying to sell it the way it is will only bring you scrap money. If it's as good as condition as you say, a new belt will make it worth a lot more.

[rsrocket1]

The timing belt is a very do-able job, but it can be frustrating because everything needs about 1/4-1/2" more room than you have available. I wish you were in NoCal, I'd be happy to walk you through it having just spent about 30 hours doing it myself. Although if I had to do it again, I could probably do it on a full Saturday.

As Crewzin said, there is likely no damage to the engine if all it did was break the timing belt unless you were gunning it at 4k rpm when it broke. You could have a shop do it for ~$1k or do it yourself for ~$150 in parts.

If you've had it since new in SoCal, the bottom of the car is probably very clean with no rust. My 09 spent most of its life in San Diego and the suspension fasteners come off looking almost new.

[ptprice]

If I had thought that way when SOOO BIG threw his timing belt just off of I-95 in Kingsland, Ga. on the way home from a High School anniversary in Pennsylvania I'd a missed two enchanting nights in strange motels with strange people as I awaited his repair.

$750 and two days later he's good for another 100,000 miles of PT fun. Why don't you do the same thing. It's usually a non interference engine.

I was going 80mph seconds before the timing belt went as I pulled off the off ramp stopped at the stop light. With turn signal on waiting to turn into a fuel station, the engine just shut off! No drama no trauma. A friendly passing local fire chief and his assistant helped me push SOOO BIG to the fuel station and there under the Georgia sun two competent roadside truck repair mechanics fixed SOOO BIG in two days. I'm glad I did it and so is SOOO BIG!

SOOO BIG and I wish you Good Luck with your PT. They're special.

Happy PTin', ptprice

[Wolfman01]

I concur. Don't toss a good car over a broken rubber band. Mine didn't fail on mine, but my roommates and I did it as part of the water pump replacement as my water pump was bad. We used this mechanics videos, and following his instructions made this job very doable:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...9yKAhFnK8c3JlJ

Give yourself a good weekend and be patient, methodical and make sure you keep track of all the bolts. It's not easy, but it isn't as hard as it looks either.