Problem.Timing Belt replaced 1 month ago and now car is not running?

airwaves1

Hi my car broke down today, I brought it back to my mechanic and he said that the head gasket is gone and the car is kaput! I spent 600 euro on replacing the timing belt with him a month ago.Could that be the problem. Car is Opel astra 1999.

Plug

The timing belt has got nothing to do with the head gasket at all. Unless he did not replace the water pump and maybe it over heated and then went but thats just really guessing. Is the coolant low?

airwaves1

Thanks plug. I dont know if the coolant is low. Just a shame the head gasket didnt break down a month ago.

cadaliac

That's a balls. Unfortunately as Plug said, it has nothing to do with the timing belt, really. Unless you asked the mechanic to test the car for a failing head gasket, it would be almost impossible for Joe Bloggs (non-mechanic) to detect a failing head gasket. It is common enough on Astras of that vintage I believe.

junkyarddog

airwaves1 wrote: »

Hi my car broke down today, I brought it back to my mechanic and he said that the head gasket is gone and the car is kaput! I spent 600 euro on replacing the timing belt with him a month ago.Could that be the problem. Car is Opel astra 1999.

Engines in the '98 on astra are not great,head gaskets fail regularly,
replacing the timing belt would not cause it,
but €600 to replace a timing belt on a '99 car:eek:mad money.

zilog_jones

Plug wrote: »

The timing belt has got nothing to do with the head gasket at all. Unless he did not replace the water pump and maybe it over heated and then went but thats just really guessing.

Don't water pumps tend to make awful noises when they're on the way out?

mondeo

600 is unreal for that job!
HG issue, well thats another 600 euro you will probably be spending to get it fixed, exceeding the value of the car at this point.
Shop around and find a new mechanic or another cheap reliable runabout.

johndaman66

Them model Astras are particularly prone to headgasket failure alright. Would guess that water pump, all tensioner pulleys and coolant was changed at that price but if not I guess stranger things have happened too. If going through with the Headgasket repair do make sure a complete job is being done, all gaskets replaced, head checked for hairline cracks and skimmed, head bolts replaced (as theres only one squeeze in them). A complete flush of the radiator and cooling system would also be recommended, in particular if you can see a mayonaise type sludge in the coolant bottle. Also try to ascertain if water pump was indeed replaced with timing belt and if not certainly replace it also if going ahead with the job. Skimping on any of these parts or processes and the job is a bit pointless as you will probably end up with the same problem pretty soon again.

On the face of it, it would be touch and go if the job is worth following through with on a 99 astra. To a large extent it would depend on what the rest of the car is like, if its a relatively low mileage minter worth doing I would think while if not may well make more sense to park it up, probably a judgement call based on the car and sort of quotes you get no doubt.

On a side note I would have thought 600 for a timing belt is certainly excessive and overpriced for a full timing belt kit and water pump fitted but not absolutely unreal either. With most garages you wont have much change of 500 for same job in any case so I think to describe 600 as outrageous is perhaps too strong a word, given the discrepancies in prices for goods and services in Ireland. Thats not to say its not excessive though and certainly worth taking the time to get a few quotes for such jobs

Run_to_da_hills

Plug wrote: »

The timing belt has got nothing to do with the head gasket at all. Unless he did not replace the water pump and maybe it over heated and then went but thats just really guessing. Is the coolant low?

It might have a lot to do with the head gasket if the mechanic didn't properly tighten the circlips retaining the hose pipes on the waterpump.

The waterpump should alwas be replaced with timing belt as a matter of course and at e600 one would expect it to be gold plated.

Esel

@cadaliac: Black text is invisible to users on Cloud skin, which uses a black background. I think the Cloud skin is one of the most popular on Boards.