Northern VA shop? (Leesburg)

scargoz · Post by **scargoz** » Fri May 23, 2008 10:40 am

I want to get the timing belt replaced on my 2001
ACR. Its at 110,000, and a little over due (its a
commuter - hasn't seen a track for years).

It would be nice if it was a place that would install a
timing belt tensioner I bought earlier this year when
I hand planned on a diy. The shop I usually went to
(The Tire Shop) will not install "customer parts" (yeah,
I know the whole car is a customer part ...).

I'm in Leesburg VA.

Thanks!

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:05 pm

Well, my dealership isn't far from you (Manassas Dodge). As long as they are factory parts we have no problem with installing them for you. If they are aftermarket...I'll have to check. It's a pricey job, but if you want me to get you some prices I can do that for ya

spencersummerfield · Post by **spencersummerfield** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:15 pm

1000+ to do it at a dealership..... or 1 day in your garage and some friends + a case of beer.. 200$..

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:38 pm

Pretty much. If you have the ability and the space to do it, you would save yourself a lot of money.

scargoz · Post by **scargoz** » Fri May 23, 2008 3:56 pm

It would save some cash to diy. I was thinking it would take
a whole day to make it through the process.

That would probably go towards the proper balance
puller - what I've read online makes me think it would
be good to get (borrow

the right tools.

I ran into a good link for diy earlier this year. It is warmer
now. It had a list of parts - maybe not part numbers, of
what to have on hand too.

Would the find manual be a benefit?

What about risks - how easy is it to get the timing
mis-aligned and cause piston-valve bumping?

Thanks!

jake_tim · Post by **jake_tim** » Fri May 23, 2008 4:06 pm

spencersummerfield wrote:1000+ to do it at a dealership..... or 1 day in your garage and some friends + a case of beer.. 200$..

one of my local shops charged me just over 400 to install a timing belt and water pump. not a tensioner though.. I dont know what would cause it to be that much.

-Jacob

scargoz · Post by **scargoz** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 10:48 am

I found a shop right in town for the work.

Leesburg Automotive (leesburgautomotive.com)

The price was good, and I could pick it up late (after
7pm on a friday!), and they would install the part
I had already bought!

Sweet! Dave at the shop had the old parts in a small
pile ready to give back - I just looked at the show &
tell. The accessory belts and timing belt were ready to
go - cracks on the underside/inside. To be expected
at 109K miles though.

The water pump was leaking as well, so that was
more than just a preventative replacement.

The timing belt tensioner is way different than the
one from partsdinosaur.com - the older (removed)
mechanical thing was a bit odd, and the bearing was
a little loose.

Best part - due likely to the tensioner, the car is actually
no longer making the cold morning start sounds of
a diesel on its death bead. It has always, since new,
sounded like poop when started after an overnight
(like between work, 5pm - 6am cool off). It is also
much more quiet at idle than before. Now I would
be able to enjoy a louder muffler if a nice low
dollar used one becomes availble)

Very cool. High marks for the part, and the shop!