I let a Ford dealer replace the timing belt on my 01 Montero limited, 3.5l. The tensioner was making a god-awful noise and I didn't want to risk driving it 100+ miles to the nearest Mitsubishi dealer. It took them 4 days to complete the job. It ran fine for about 200 miles ,then the bolt on the crank shaft pulley backed out, locking the pulley while driving. I drove approx. 2 miles like this thinking it was a broken serpentine belt. THe shop left off the spacer behind the pulley. They towed it back and replaced the pulley, bolt, and spacer.

After about another 200 miles, I hear a knocking. I immediately pull over, got underneath it, and find the crank shaft pulley is jumping up and down and oil is dripping from the vicinity the front main seal. Called the shop, they had it towed, and sent a car to take me home.

I stopped by the shop to see what was going on and they have it completely torn down and are starting over with a new timing belt. Oil is definitely pooled at the front main. The nose of the crank appeared to be fine but I couldn't really tell for sure and there was no tech there to talk to, just the service manager.

My question is, what could be damaged? The vehicle wasn't leaking any oil at all so I'm assuming an un-balanced harmonic balancer damaged the front main seal (they insist it's called a crank shaft pulley). What are the chances that the crank has been ruined? How would I know if the main bearings are damaged? So far the shop has been honest and admitted fault, I have it all documented. I'm not trying to get a new engine, but I don't want to be screwed over either.

 

I doubt if you will have any internal damage from the problems given you caught early enough. Sounds like the shop is doing the right thing and standing by thier workmanship which is uncommon these days. Just make sure you get some doucmentation on on each occasion listing what was repaired including date & miliage. Hopefully they do not take any shortcuts like pouring a bottle of stopleak into engine rather than seal replacement.

jim

 

I hope you're right. But after talking to a tech at a Mitsubishi service center I suspect they ruined my crank. The tech said that if you use a puller that centers on the bolt when removing the HB, the threads in the crank shaft will be damaged and you'll never get proper torque on the bolt. He said he actually has one in his shop that this happened to.

It was supposed to be ready on Tuesday, still no word.

 

There is a high possibility of bent valves. Good luck