Car has less than 40,000 on a rebuilt engine (the 2.7 liter, the original engine failed at 47,770 miles). Check engine light was on, code P0440 which had to do with the evaporative emissions system malfunctioning. Then the engine itself started making a ticking noise. Took to a mechanic and he told me that the lifters were plugged and not to worry (note, this engine has no lifters). I drove this to my parents and the engine started to misfire. I checked the plugs, coils, and insulators and these were fine. The engine continued to stumble. When I tried to take the car to Grand Ledge from Lansing (about a 12 miles drive) the engine sputtered and I couldn't get the car to crack 35 miles an hour. So I drove it back to my parents' house, shut off the motor and luckily, I ran well enough to get it home.
The next day, the engine started fine, but the ticking noise was louder. On a hunch, I pulled the right hand valve cover and noticed the primary timing chain was loose and the tensioner plunger was at maximum length. There was no sludge or unusual wear inside the engine (it looked brand-new under the valve cover. There was a lot of oil blow by inside the intake and yes the oil itself was clean. Last night, I went to move the car and the engine ran very rough in the time it took to get it to the overflow lot at my complex.
Taking this to a mechanic is going to cost me around $1500 just to replace the timing chains, sprockets, water pump and balancer. The radiator, valve covers, intake, timing cover and camshafts (four total) will need to be removed to replace the parts and this is no guarantee of a long term fix. The valves could have been damaged and this will require even more money to take care of. Between this and some body integrity problems, this is going to necessitate scrapping a seven year old car with no rust, working A/C and pefect interior. Anyone hoping and praying Chrysler will step up to the plate should know that their liability ended when FIAT SPa bought them out. If you own one of these wreck, the best bet is to cut your losses.
Car has less than 40,000 on a rebuilt engine (the 2.7 liter, the original engine failed at 47,770 miles). Check engine light was on, code P0440 which had to do with the evaporative emissions system malfunctioning. Then the engine itself started making a ticking noise. Took to a mechanic and he told me that the lifters were plugged and not to worry (note, this engine has no lifters). I drove this to my parents and the engine started to misfire. I checked the plugs, coils, and insulators and these were fine. The engine continued to stumble. When I tried to take the car to Grand Ledge from Lansing (about a 12 miles drive) the engine sputtered and I couldn't get the car to crack 35 miles an hour. So I drove it back to my parents' house, shut off the motor and luckily, I ran well enough to get it home.
The next day, the engine started fine, but the ticking noise was louder. On a hunch, I pulled the right hand valve cover and noticed the primary timing chain was loose and the tensioner plunger was at maximum length. There was no sludge or unusual wear inside the engine (it looked brand-new under the valve cover. There was a lot of oil blow by inside the intake and yes the oil itself was clean. Last night, I went to move the car and the engine ran very rough in the time it took to get it to the overflow lot at my complex.
Taking this to a mechanic is going to cost me around $1500 just to replace the timing chains, sprockets, water pump and balancer. The radiator, valve covers, intake, timing cover and camshafts (four total) will need to be removed to replace the parts and this is no guarantee of a long term fix. The valves could have been damaged and this will require even more money to take care of. Between this and some body integrity problems, this is going to necessitate scrapping a seven year old car with no rust, working A/C and pefect interior. Anyone hoping and praying Chrysler will step up to the plate should know that their liability ended when FIAT SPa bought them out. If you own one of these wreck, the best bet is to cut your losses.
- walterg, Grand Ledge, MI, US