2004 Civic Burning Oil After Changing The Timing Belt...?

Question

So, yeah.  I brought the car into the dealer to change the timing belt [routine maintainance] and they changed out the water pump and put on new fan belts at the same time.

Afterward the car sounds a bit funny.  The engine is louder and makes a sputtering noise in the lower RPMs, but seemed to perform fine, so whatever.

Fast foward a month or so and I found that the car was down a quart of oil.  Just yesterday I noticed that the exhaust is smokey [not a whole lot, but enough that I could tell] and doesn't have the fruity smell that it's supposed to.  Then today my engine light came on.

Anybody know WTF they screwed up and how much it's gonna cost me to get it fixed?

LeAnne · Accepted Answer

There's really no parallel between a timing belt and water pump vs. oil consumption. 
The "sounds a bit funny" doesn't really do much to describe a noise.
You'll need to have the fault code(s) retrieved from the PCM to determine just what set off the check engine light.

Paddy · Answer

if there was a bent valve ya'd know about it , if ya burnin oil and the exhuast is real smokey specially after start up it might be valve stem oil seals which wouldn't have been touched in a timing belt replacment or if its using water too ya could check the oil filler cap for a yellowey gunge if there is some ya head gasket is gone 

i doubt it was anything to do with the belt being done though , if the belt was on wrong the car wouldn't run ... full stop

revolvur2000 · Answer

Oh dude! When they put the new belt on they got it just a hair off so your camshaft isn't opening the valves in sync with the crank. This will leave a valve open with the piston at top dead center and has probably bent a valve stem, knocked a hole in the piston, scored up the cylinder wall, and generally screwed up the motor. I'd be back in to that dealership pronto for a new motor; the one you have is toast. 
P.S. I'd sue them if they don't offer to fix it for free. It was their screw up that did the damage.

Willy · Answer

Timing belt Replacement is a job that has nothing to do with the symptoms you just mention, If I would have to guess? they switched the engine .lol.

2004 Civic Burning Oil After Changing The Timing Belt...?

Trending Questions