Desperately Need Advice...1997 Sebring LX, timing belt broke!
Anyone that knows this car, this motor...I could surely use some advice right now.
In October, I bought a 1997 Sebring LX, which is the 2.0. I bought it as-is...of course. Four days later, it broke down on an interstate. Timing belt broke. And, with this motor, all of my intake valves were bent. So, after saving up the cash for 4 months, I finally had her all put back together. My mistake was that a friend did it, and he had never worked on a 2.0 before. So, the car is now all back together, but won't start. Turns over, but doesn't start. I've had many people tell me that the timing is off. A few have told me that there may be bottom end damage. Also, there is a coolant leak at the bottom of the head. When the original head was removed, there was silicone sealant in the one corner. My friend did not put silicone sealant back on. I'm told that it's normal to use the sealant around the water jackets?
So, my question is this....5 months and $1,000 later, the car still doesn't start. I'm mulling over continuing- tearing the motor back down, sealing the head and redoing the timing. I've found someone else who is familiar with the motor and is willing to do this work for me. Anyone who knows this motor- is this going to be worth it?? The car only has 78,000k on it, and I hate to invest all of the money that I have already invested only to scrap the car, or trade it off for a car with a ton more miles on it. This Sebring is my dream car.....it's absolutely beautiful, and it's the car that I've been looking for for years. Any advice??
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03-13-2009, 08:43 PM
