Of course it couldn't have been a cheap problem

[geekchick]

Cracked radiator. They may be able to get the part today; if not, not sure what I'm going to do. Timing belt ought to've been replaced 30K miles ago too, but that's not happening today. Oh yeah, and the valve stem seals are definitely leaking. Cha-ching. [Edit: Valve cover gaskets, I misheard what was said. Much cheaper, and will be done with the timing belt.]

Happy Friday. :-P

Comments

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

We snapped a timing belt on a car once. It was Not Pretty At All. Made a very interesting snarling noise, if I recall correctly, as it trashed the inside of the engine

[nminusone.livejournal.com]

Engines are classified as interference or non-interference depending on whether or not damage will be done if the timing system (belt, chain, etc) should fail. Toyota, at least up to a point, only used belts (which will snap, eventually) on non-interference engines. In that case, if the belt snaps, no harm is done. On interference engines they only used chains, which essentially never break. I used to think all major manufacturers followed this rule... but lately found out it's not true. So now I have to find out about Mazda.

[geekchick]

I'm reasonably sure Heather said it was an interference engine. I'm going to call on Monday so they can order the parts and get that done next week, $380 to replace the timing belt and the water pump and the valve cover gaskets (which are what was leaking, I misheard her). So, $800 total, which is still better than $2000 and up.