Mitsubishi Repair: 2006 Mitsubishi eclipse, mitsubishi eclipse gs, 2006 mitsubishi eclipse

Question
Hello I have a 2006 Mitsubishi eclipse gs
When I bought the car they recently had the timing belt replaced and 9 months later my car won't start. I took it into the shop and the told me when the belt was replaced the timing was off by about 180 degrees. If that makes sense. They told me the heads werent damaged then told me they didn't have the equipment to repair it. I called Mitsubishi and they had no clue what I was Talking about.  So if the timing belt what off what needs to be done to fix it and is it major problem?

Answer
Kayla,
It doesn't make much sense to me about the timing belt being 180 degrees off.  Though they may be referring to the balance shaft belt (also referred to as 'timing belt B').  This belt need to be properly positioned around the balance belt sprocket, and if shaft is out of phase, then the engine will run very rough and may even not start.  If the balance belt is installed improperly or breaks, it should won't normally cause damage to the cylinder head, but in certain circumstances, a broken balance belt could damage the main timing belt, and that could cause more serious problems.  

To replace the belts, it can be quite labor intensive for mechanics with little experience with such engines.  There are no special tools that one really needs, though that assumes experience.  If you're able, have a Mitsubishi dealership inspect and repair if you don't have confidence in your local mechanic.
Good luck!