Help Please- Cylinder misfire and Timing Belt

[NC_VX]

First off, I've been off the website for a few months now, only checking back a couple times here and there. My wife and I had our first child. You can check out pictures here.

Second and most important. I took my car into a repair place Monday for an oil change, tire rotation, and new Timing Belt. Looks like a half day's of labor turned into a three day project. Seems that the Water Pump they wanted to add was the wrong one, then the Timing belt wasn't "Timing" right and they couldn't figure it out. Then it looks like the gasget cracked and oil was leaking, then the timing was still off... Finally on Thursday afternoon I pick up my car. They only charged me for three hours of labor even though it took them forever.

I get my car and drive off into the sunset. Well, when I start her up she doesn't seem to be reving up right, the idle is in between 0-1,000 RPM's and just doesn't sound right (hell, I have a PV muffler if you wanted to know). I head onto the onramp of the freeway and it spudders a little bit as I floor it and the CHECK ENGINE light blinks rapidly twice or three times and then stays on. I take the VX back to the repair shop and they said that the computer code is "Cylinder 5 Misfire" and the code was reading this when I came in. I just drove the thing 700 miles this weekend for thanksgiving and the light did come on once and I figured it was for the timing belt or the maintenance. Anyway, my car doesn't feel right, I'm afraid I've got some engine failure going on and I was wondering if anyone had any advice for me.

I feel kinda cheated here causee I expect to get my car back better then when I brought it in since I paid $450 for them to do all that stuff. What do you recommend?

Thx

[AlaskaVX]

At around 64,000 miles mine got a code that said "random misfire" I just did what I can do and changed the spark plugs first. Sure enough I haven't had a problem since. Just something cheap that might work. I had problems with the back right one but it was easily done myself with lots of little extensions. You have to fit them together inside hole to spark plug and then take them apart by using a screw driver down in there to pry extensions apart.

I am supercharged and that is the reason the back right one was difficult.

[NC_VX]

Thx. Thats a choice. I recently had the plugs replaced, maybe 30k miles ago... I'm going to check history and get back to everyone.

Don't you have 35's now?

[AlaskaVX]

33's read the signature!

[NC_VX]

I saw, but I thought someone in Alaska put on 35's and I thought it might be you!

Thx

[NC_VX]

Wow, I thought a lot of people would pop up and give some advise.

No worries, I just have to spend another $575 to get my Cam's aligned. The original mechanic had no clue how to change this timing belt...Oops!

[Maugan_VX]

NC_VX:

Before I started doing my own work on my vehicles, I took my trooper to Techniquest in the middle of Cary (W. Chatham St.).

They always treated me right and got it right the first time. They even replaced the starter when it was 3 months out of warranty because they knew I'd been having such trouble with it.

I highly recommend them for anything you need done.

[Tone]

The original mechanic or his shop should be funding that if they cannot do it. I encourage you to go back to them, talk to the owner and even engage a lawyer to at least write a demand letter on your behalf. It didn'tdo X before ya'll worked on and now it does is a pretty clear indication of who is at fault. I'd fight a little before I paid $575 which is WAY high to just to reset timing and not change the belt again.

[Maverick]

i recently had similiar symptoms, luck was not on my side.. one cross threaded plug, done at the last major service just before i bought my VX was the culprit. thread bore was mangled beyond thread chasing.. warentee expired.the final result was a replacement head. cost me $4,051 and change at the dealer when all was said and done (including tranny, front and rear dif service.) it hurt, bad.. and im still not 100% happy with the way its running, 12/12 warentee on the repair, so i think im going to take it back after xmas to have them double check the manifold for leaks..

i hope you have much better luck than i did, paying a third of the value of the car in repairs is a real bummer..

[Dallas4u]

Originally posted by Maverick
i recently had similiar symptoms, luck was not on my side.. one cross threaded plug, done at the last major service just before i bought my VX was the culprit. thread bore was mangled beyond thread chasing.. warentee expired.the final result was a replacement head. cost me $4,051 and change at the dealer when all was said and done (including tranny, front and rear dif service.) it hurt, bad.. and im still not 100% happy with the way its running, 12/12 warentee on the repair, so i think im going to take it back after xmas to have them double check the manifold for leaks..

i hope you have much better luck than i did, paying a third of the value of the car in repairs is a real bummer..

Hmm... was the last major service not written down and recorded before you purchased the VX? If so, under warranty or not, I would assume you could hold the servicing shop/dealer accountable for the mishap.

[Jay Dunford]

Originally posted by Maverick
cost me $4,051 and change at the dealer

Man that sounds WAY high. IIRC a complete engine is around 6K from a dealer. You might want to do some checking and dispute that bill.

[NC_VX]

It will probably cost me some money to get a legal letter written, but I am going to talk to a lawyer and hopefully get them to front the bill. It does seem like a high price to reset the Cam Shafts. Why? I am being billed at 7 hours of labor.. IF anyone can pipe up, I'm definitely wondering if 7 hours is accurate.

I'm going to call Techniquest on my next service, thanks Maugan_VX.