With only 51,000 miles, on our TC..I had not expected the timing belt to fail..But the car is almost 20 years old, and It should have been the first thing I replaced along with the rubber fuel lines that dry rot. I had inspected the timing belt and adjusted the tension about 6 months ago, and the belt looked fine...So while taking a drive to see our daughter at college about an hour away.

The TC stalled as we got off the exit ramp of the interstate. Luckily it was only about 2 miles from our daughters place.

Got it parked safely along the side of the road. I cranked over the engine, and it sounded out of balance....I have heard this before, I knew it was the timing belt. Opened the bonnet (for you brits out there) and removed the plastic inspection plug in the top belt cover. I had the wife crank it over and sure enough, the camshaft isn't turning.

Called the tow truck and had it towed to our daughters apartment. We took her Lebaron home after our visit with her on Sunday.. TC had to sit outside (Oh the pain...the pain) Well long story short, I spent today installing a new timing belt, tensioner, crankshaft seal, and intermediate seal, and our TC is happily back in the garage at our home.

Just a thought to others with TC with low mileage, be aware you too might be on borrowed time too... Replace those timings belts. You just never know when you too might be taking your Sunday drive in a tow truck.

Well everything turned out OK, and our TC is running great again...

and will likely do so for another 50-60k till the next belt job, our little 8valves are just about as rugged as they come.

We are fortunate that our 2.2/2.5 motors are non-interference or 'break safe'. There are multiple four cylinder engines that when the cam belt does let go, the pistons meet the valves in a most unfriendly way I just changed the cam belt on my daily driver Passat 1.8T at the urging of my cylinder head machinist. He said he repairs 1-2 of those a week and has to replace valves on at least 2 cylinders. His charge for the valves and valve job is $800-$1000. Then there is the parts and labor to pull the head etc. Yep, our 2.2's are pretty bulletproof

Good work on doing the seals while you were at it


Alan

Are the TC 16V engines interference?
Inquiring minds want to know!

Yes they are, you should change your cam belt ASAP!!!






































Ok, they're not, but do you want to be stranded somewhere when your 20 year old belt lets go? Belts are expensive and all gone from dealers... I still have a couple OE in package spares for $250. shipped

Alan

Mr Toad im so sorry to hear about your sunday blues ,funny but it seems to happen on sundays over here my tc has 28k may be its somthing i should look at .
On a different note ,anyone have a brit car if so id be prepared to help with parts shippping etc and vice versa it might be less expensive to do ,so Norma jean look alikes please apply .
Would like to put a luggage rear lid rack on any ideas please,keep it up you great guys /

dude with the huge trunk that a TC has you need MORE luggage space? Is you lady parris hilton or sumthing?

paris hilton didnt she make a video!!!
i carry a full size spare ,and was thinking of trying to intergrate a rear wind break (during a nutty english proffesor moment)

instead of a full size spare, carry a can of fix a flat and CELL PHONE The fix a flat works great for punctures and well you know what the other is for.

Fix a flat won't help if you have a blow out or more than a small puncture. And you can't always get cell service in some areas. We have a f/s spare and made a cover for it out of the trunk carpet from one of the parts TCs.