Do I have a blown motor or is the timing belt the problem.

BREE_BASSETT

MEMBER
2000 PLYMOUTH NEON
157,000 MILES

I have a 2000 neon and I started having problems with it long ago, but recently I had to replace the thermostat and then then very next day I was on my way home when I started loosing speed and then seconds later the car just died and acted like it wanted to start but just wouldn't. I had it towed to a shop where they checked all the sensors and then the spark plugs but when pulling them out found that they were covered in oil. The co2 sensor was bad so they replaced it. I have one mechanic telling me that I have a hole in the piston and I need a new motor, I have a 2nd mechanic telling me it's the timing belt but I don't have a lot of money I'm a single mom that's broke! HELP!

Monday, December 12th, 2011 AT 6:39 PM

2 Replies

WRENCHTECH

MECHANIC
20,761 POSTS

It could be both. A broke timing belt will cause the pistons to collide with the valves. That usually just bends the valves which is bad enough but it could put a hole in the piston too. They would have tro inspect the piston with a boroscope.

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Monday, December 12th, 2011 AT 7:28 PM

JEFFREYDJUDSON

MEMBER
19 POSTS

A compression test will determine whether or not you have a bad cylinder, but a Borescope will have to see whether it's a bent valve or a hole knocked out of your piston dome. (If the compression test does in fact prove that you have a bad cylinder.)

You're not going to want to hear this, but the rods have a small pin hole that sprays oil up under the pistons to lubricate the rings and wrist pin. If you've got oily plugs, you may in fact have a big enough hole in your piston dome(s) that that's where the oil is coming from. How many of the plugs were fouled?

Perhaps you can find a nice engine in a local junk yard and have it changed without it costing you an arm and a leg.

Good luck!

Jeffrey

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Friday, December 16th, 2011 AT 4:03 AM