QuestionMy car died driving 70mph on the hwy. Batteries were good, the engine wouldn't turn over. Mechanic said it was out of time (due to a worn belt) and some valves were bent.$900-$1000 for repair. Does the diagnosis and price sound right?
AnswerIan,
An engine like the one in your car has a dual overhead cam design. It's referred to as an "interference" engine. That means that the valves and pistons can occupy the same space, but avoid banging into each other when the timing belt is set correctly. If the timing belt slips enough or snaps, your timing will be off, causing your valves and pistons to hit each other. And if traveling at 70 mph when this happens, that can do some serious damage to your engine head.
So, with the info you provided and without seeing the old belt, I would think your mechanic gave you the corerct diagnosis. And yes, around $1000 is an average price for a head rebuild. My guess is that your mechanic will want to pull the head, recondition and rebuild the head with new valves, guides, seals, and head gasket. Be sure to get a COMPLETE parts list that your mechanic wants to replace.
Don't be afraid to shop around to other mechanics. Give them a call, and simply ask for an estimate on rebuilding a cylinder head for your car. Most of the cost of that $1000 that was quoted to you is actually labor cost. It's not an easy job. By calling other mechanics, you may find that some have a cheaper labor cost rate. You may save a couple hundred dollars if you're lucky.
Good luck!
