Phoenyxx

Okay, so I just had a thread on here not too long ago about wondering where my coolant was going ect ect, and it turned out to be my head gasket. Lovely, that was a wonderful out of pocket expense to have randomly... So now onto more troubling news...

First let me clear this up. I'm no car expert, but I feel I know an "okay" amount. More than most of my other female friends in my age group would know... So I'm not car retarded, I'm just a little... meh with things...

So, I picked up my car last Saturday and they had it done. Fixed the head gasket, valve cover gasket and all those other shiny gaskets that come in that gasket pack of death with that terrible price tag. Whatever, at least it's done and I should have no further issues... so I thought... -_-

As SOON as I drove away from the mechanic, BOOM. The car completely lost power and died. It would crank and crank and crank but wouldn't start. I called AAA and they towed it right back to the shop. Of course I was pretty peeved off at this point and ready to murder them, but somehow kept my cool... The mechanic said it sounded like a fuel issue or no spark. Then proceeded to ask me if I had gas in it... I know people are stupid, but come on... seriously I'm not that damn bad... Of course I had 3/4 tank in there!

So, I left and went home disappointed I wouldn't have my car for another week or god knows what, but remaining hopeful that it was something simple they forgot to do... How wrong I was...


I called them today to find out that it was my timing chain... it apparently snapped. Okay... okay... okay... *breathes* First off, as far as I knew, timing chains were made to last on these cars pretty much the life of the engine, or at least more than the 115k miles that are on mine... Correct me if I'm wrong please, because again, I state I'm just generally knowledgeable, and not an expert by any means. I know it's a chain and not a belt, so I know they last longer. Of course when my chain broke, it bent my valves... lovely... -_-

So here's what I'm asking you guys. Even when the head gasket was blown, that car was a trooper and RAN! It didn't make any noise, it just drove really rough, but no noise EVER came from my car, no clicks, no ticks... nothing. I BABY this car, I check my oil weekly, I run synthetic, keep up with my plugs and blah blah blah... I NEVER heard any SLIGHT ticking. From what I understand you would hear a chain ticking from the slack... maybe?

Question being, is it possible, or does it sound likely to anyone out there, that when they put my engine back together ( because I know this car has a dual cam and they HAD to take off that chain, or at least loosen it ) Does it sound likely that one of these idiots didn't place the chain back correctly, or didn't have it lined up correctly? I realize you'd have to be a pretty big dip ____ to do this as there are dots and EVERYTHING there to make sure it's in time... but seriously, given the circumstances of not hearing any noise previously, does this sound probable? Just something I'm bouncing around in my head to throw up when I go pick up my car Friday ( keeping fingers crossed it's done by Friday )

My optimistic approach to life has told me, well, at least the top half of my engine will be damn near new... and there really isn't much doom that can happen from here on out that hasn't already poofed up... ( let me have my optimism dammit! ) I'm a Paramedic, I'm not Bill Gates, these repairs are eating me alive, and if it's likely they messed up that timing chain, I want to know dammit!

The funny part, the head gasket and all that they just replaced... has to be re-done... lmao... it's a good time... Not really...

Thanks in advance. =/