'96 Stratus ES: broken timing belt

Our '96 Stratus ES (approx. 85K miles) "just died" several months ago
when our son was driving it, and we just got around having the problem
investigated.

Verdict: broken timing belt. This despite my having requested and paid
for a timing belt replacement about 25K miles and 5 years ago when the
water pump was being replaced.

Estimated repair cost: $2000 -- and I don't recall whether that even
covers valve replacements if necessary.

Is it worth fixing? The repair guy said that this model has also
suffered from main bearing wear, resulting in low oil pressure, which
leads to other problems. And the oil pressure light on this car has
occasionally come on when the engine is idling.

Perce

Percival P. Cassidy wrote:
> Our '96 Stratus ES (approx. 85K miles) "just died" several months ago
> when our son was driving it, and we just got around having the problem
> investigated.
>
> Verdict: broken timing belt. This despite my having requested and paid
> for a timing belt replacement about 25K miles and 5 years ago when the
> water pump was being replaced.
>
> Estimated repair cost: $2000 -- and I don't recall whether that even
> covers valve replacements if necessary.
>
> Is it worth fixing? The repair guy said that this model has also
> suffered from main bearing wear, resulting in low oil pressure, which
> leads to other problems. And the oil pressure light on this car has
> occasionally come on when the engine is idling.
>
> Perce

Most likely the oil light is a worn out (possibly leaking) low oil
pressure switch - very common in the Chryslers. The pressure is likely
not low.

Not sure if the car is worth $2000+.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

On 04/30/08 09:49 pm Bill Putney wrote:

> Percival P. Cassidy wrote:
>> Our '96 Stratus ES (approx. 85K miles) "just died" several months ago
>> when our son was driving it, and we just got around having the problem
>> investigated.
>>
>> Verdict: broken timing belt. This despite my having requested and paid
>> for a timing belt replacement about 25K miles and 5 years ago when the
>> water pump was being replaced.
>>
>> Estimated repair cost: $2000 -- and I don't recall whether that even
>> covers valve replacements if necessary.
>>
>> Is it worth fixing? The repair guy said that this model has also
>> suffered from main bearing wear, resulting in low oil pressure, which
>> leads to other problems. And the oil pressure light on this car has
>> occasionally come on when the engine is idling.
>>
>> Perce
>
> Most likely the oil light is a worn out (possibly leaking) low oil
> pressure switch - very common in the Chryslers. The pressure is likely
> not low.
>
> Not sure if the car is worth $2000+.


We've pretty much decided not to spend the money. Kelly Blue Book
estimates private-party sale value as $2500. The repairer says he'll
give us $200 for it, and we're inclined to accept -- or perhaps try to
push him up $100.

I am still very puzzled why the belt broke. Even if the people who
replaced the water pump did not in fact replace the timing belt at
approx. 60K miles, I don't think it was due for replacement yet.

A family member had a Sebring ('98, I think), probably with a similar
power train, and he simply walked away from it -- but his had a major
transmission problem rather than an engine problem.

Perce

On May 1, 10:04*am, "Percival P. Cassidy" > wrote:
> On 04/30/08 09:49 pm Bill Putney wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Percival P. Cassidy wrote:
> >> Our '96 Stratus ES (approx. 85K miles) "just died" several months ago
> >> when our son was driving it, and we just got around having the problem
> >> investigated.
>
> >> Verdict: broken timing belt. This despite my having requested and paid
> >> for a timing belt replacement about 25K miles and 5 years ago when the
> >> water pump was being replaced.
>
> >> Estimated repair cost: $2000 -- and I don't recall whether that even
> >> covers valve replacements if necessary.
>
> >> Is it worth fixing? The repair guy said that this model has also
> >> suffered from main bearing wear, resulting in low oil pressure, which
> >> leads to other problems. And the oil pressure light on this car has
> >> occasionally come on when the engine is idling.
>
> >> Perce
>
> > Most likely the oil light is a worn out (possibly leaking) low oil
> > pressure switch - very common in the Chryslers. *The pressure is likely
> > not low.
>
> > Not sure if the car is worth $2000+.
>
> We've pretty much decided not to spend the money. Kelly Blue Book
> estimates private-party sale value as $2500. The repairer says he'll
> give us $200 for it, and we're inclined to accept -- or perhaps try to
> push him up $100.
>
> I am still very puzzled why the belt broke. Even if the people who
> replaced the water pump did not in fact replace the timing belt at
> approx. 60K miles, I don't think it was due for replacement yet.
>
> A family member had a Sebring ('98, I think), probably with a similar
> power train, and he simply walked away from it -- but his had a major
> transmission problem rather than an engine problem.
>
> Perce- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Since your Stratus is the ES model, I am guessing that you have the
MMC 2.5L-6. I don't know what the belt change interval is for the 6,
but I would think it would have lasted longer than 25,000 miles. I
have a 1998 w/ a 2.4L-4. The manual recommends a belt change at
101,000 miles. I will probably do it at 95,000 miles. It has 87,000
miles on it now.

When I had my 1990 Dodge Spirit w/ a 2.5L-4, the recommended change
was for 50,000 miles. I had just put on the third belt when the
headgasket went soon after. I donated it to the kidney foundation.

-KM

On 05/01/08 03:01 pm wrote:

> On May 1, 10:04 am, "Percival P. Cassidy" > wrote:
>> On 04/30/08 09:49 pm Bill Putney wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> Percival P. Cassidy wrote:
>>>> Our '96 Stratus ES (approx. 85K miles) "just died" several months ago
>>>> when our son was driving it, and we just got around having the problem
>>>> investigated.
>>>> Verdict: broken timing belt. This despite my having requested and paid
>>>> for a timing belt replacement about 25K miles and 5 years ago when the
>>>> water pump was being replaced.
>>>> Estimated repair cost: $2000 -- and I don't recall whether that even
>>>> covers valve replacements if necessary.
>>>> Is it worth fixing? The repair guy said that this model has also
>>>> suffered from main bearing wear, resulting in low oil pressure, which
>>>> leads to other problems. And the oil pressure light on this car has
>>>> occasionally come on when the engine is idling.
>>>> Perce
>>> Most likely the oil light is a worn out (possibly leaking) low oil
>>> pressure switch - very common in the Chryslers. The pressure is likely
>>> not low.
>>> Not sure if the car is worth $2000+.
>> We've pretty much decided not to spend the money. Kelly Blue Book
>> estimates private-party sale value as $2500. The repairer says he'll
>> give us $200 for it, and we're inclined to accept -- or perhaps try to
>> push him up $100.
>>
>> I am still very puzzled why the belt broke. Even if the people who
>> replaced the water pump did not in fact replace the timing belt at
>> approx. 60K miles, I don't think it was due for replacement yet.
>>
>> A family member had a Sebring ('98, I think), probably with a similar
>> power train, and he simply walked away from it -- but his had a major
>> transmission problem rather than an engine problem.
>>
>> Perce- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
> Since your Stratus is the ES model, I am guessing that you have the
> MMC 2.5L-6. I don't know what the belt change interval is for the 6,
> but I would think it would have lasted longer than 25,000 miles. I
> have a 1998 w/ a 2.4L-4. The manual recommends a belt change at
> 101,000 miles. I will probably do it at 95,000 miles. It has 87,000
> miles on it now.
>
> When I had my 1990 Dodge Spirit w/ a 2.5L-4, the recommended change
> was for 50,000 miles. I had just put on the third belt when the
> headgasket went soon after. I donated it to the kidney foundation.


We thought of donating ours to the local Rescue Mission, but I think
they take cars only if the needed repairs are minor. I don't think a
major engine overhaul counts.

Perce

On 05/01/08 03:56 pm I wrote:

>> Since your Stratus is the ES model, I am guessing that you have the
>> MMC 2.5L-6. I don't know what the belt change interval is for the 6,
>> but I would think it would have lasted longer than 25,000 miles. I
>> have a 1998 w/ a 2.4L-4. The manual recommends a belt change at
>> 101,000 miles. I will probably do it at 95,000 miles. It has 87,000
>> miles on it now.
>>
>> When I had my 1990 Dodge Spirit w/ a 2.5L-4, the recommended change
>> was for 50,000 miles. I had just put on the third belt when the
>> headgasket went soon after. I donated it to the kidney foundation.

> We thought of donating ours to the local Rescue Mission, but I think
> they take cars only if the needed repairs are minor. I don't think a
> major engine overhaul counts.

I called the Rescue Mission, and they are happy to take it. It's not
just for whatever profit they can get out of it after fixing it up, but
they actually teach people to repair autos, so it'll be doubly useful.

Perce

I had a thought about this after I posted earlier: One possibility is
that whoever replaced your belt and pump did not replace the tensioner
pulley. They do wear out and lock up. If that happened, that could
have led to an instant chain reaction with the results you see. Do you
happen to know if they replaced the tensioner (also might be called
tensioner pulley)?

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

"Percival P. Cassidy" > wrote in message
...
> On 05/01/08 03:56 pm I wrote:
>
> >> Since your Stratus is the ES model, I am guessing that you have the
> >> MMC 2.5L-6. I don't know what the belt change interval is for the 6,
> >> but I would think it would have lasted longer than 25,000 miles. I
> >> have a 1998 w/ a 2.4L-4. The manual recommends a belt change at
> >> 101,000 miles. I will probably do it at 95,000 miles. It has 87,000
> >> miles on it now.
> >>
> >> When I had my 1990 Dodge Spirit w/ a 2.5L-4, the recommended change
> >> was for 50,000 miles. I had just put on the third belt when the
> >> headgasket went soon after. I donated it to the kidney foundation.
>
> > We thought of donating ours to the local Rescue Mission, but I think
> > they take cars only if the needed repairs are minor. I don't think a
> > major engine overhaul counts.
>
> I called the Rescue Mission, and they are happy to take it. It's not
> just for whatever profit they can get out of it after fixing it up, but
> they actually teach people to repair autos, so it'll be doubly useful.
>

Heh.

What they will probably do is find some wrecked ES in a yard with a
perfectly good engine, and $500 later they have a running car.

I did that myself with my 1980 Datsun 210 probably about 6 years ago
it was. Engine swaps are very easy to do, all you really need is a
cherry picker - and Harbor Freight loves discounting those.

Ted

why not just replace the belt and see what happens????

wrote:

> On May 1, 10:04 am, "Percival P. Cassidy" > wrote:
> > On 04/30/08 09:49 pm Bill Putney wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > Percival P. Cassidy wrote:
> > >> Our '96 Stratus ES (approx. 85K miles) "just died" several months ago
> > >> when our son was driving it, and we just got around having the problem
> > >> investigated.
> >
> > >> Verdict: broken timing belt. This despite my having requested and paid
> > >> for a timing belt replacement about 25K miles and 5 years ago when the
> > >> water pump was being replaced.
> >
> > >> Estimated repair cost: $2000 -- and I don't recall whether that even
> > >> covers valve replacements if necessary.
> >
> > >> Is it worth fixing? The repair guy said that this model has also
> > >> suffered from main bearing wear, resulting in low oil pressure, which
> > >> leads to other problems. And the oil pressure light on this car has
> > >> occasionally come on when the engine is idling.
> >
> > >> Perce
> >
> > > Most likely the oil light is a worn out (possibly leaking) low oil
> > > pressure switch - very common in the Chryslers. The pressure is likely
> > > not low.
> >
> > > Not sure if the car is worth $2000+.
> >
> > We've pretty much decided not to spend the money. Kelly Blue Book
> > estimates private-party sale value as $2500. The repairer says he'll
> > give us $200 for it, and we're inclined to accept -- or perhaps try to
> > push him up $100.
> >
> > I am still very puzzled why the belt broke. Even if the people who
> > replaced the water pump did not in fact replace the timing belt at
> > approx. 60K miles, I don't think it was due for replacement yet.
> >
> > A family member had a Sebring ('98, I think), probably with a similar
> > power train, and he simply walked away from it -- but his had a major
> > transmission problem rather than an engine problem.
> >
> > Perce- Hide quoted text -
> >
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> Since your Stratus is the ES model, I am guessing that you have the
> MMC 2.5L-6. I don't know what the belt change interval is for the 6,
> but I would think it would have lasted longer than 25,000 miles. I
> have a 1998 w/ a 2.4L-4. The manual recommends a belt change at
> 101,000 miles. I will probably do it at 95,000 miles. It has 87,000
> miles on it now.
>
> When I had my 1990 Dodge Spirit w/ a 2.5L-4, the recommended change
> was for 50,000 miles. I had just put on the third belt when the
> headgasket went soon after. I donated it to the kidney foundation.
>
> -KM

On 05/01/08 08:16 pm I wrote:

>>> Since your Stratus is the ES model, I am guessing that you have the
>>> MMC 2.5L-6. I don't know what the belt change interval is for the 6,
>>> but I would think it would have lasted longer than 25,000 miles. I
>>> have a 1998 w/ a 2.4L-4. The manual recommends a belt change at
>>> 101,000 miles. I will probably do it at 95,000 miles. It has 87,000
>>> miles on it now.

> I called the Rescue Mission, and they are happy to take it. It's not
> just for whatever profit they can get out of it after fixing it up, but
> they actually teach people to repair autos, so it'll be doubly useful.

Went back to the Rescue Mission today to retrieve the garage door opener
we had left in the car. Auto Donations Manager said that the engine was
too far gone to repair, and the used engine they got as a replacement
wasn't much good either.

He says that the Chrysler/Dodge 2.5l and 2.7l engines were a terrible
design from the beginning, and that the company through which they offer
warranties on their reconditioned cars refuses to cover cars with these
engines -- or BMW or Jaguar cars.

Perce