i made a post about my montero just cutting out and then nothing. my mechanic did some test and thought it was the distributor,turns out it was the timing belt. i was going up steep hill and at about 3,000 rpms its 1990 with replacement 3.0 engine in it. my mechanic thinks its an interference engine but I'm not sure, am i up a river here? what make me more upset is i have paper work from previous owner showing the timing belt being done 3 years and only 39,000 miles on it. the plan is for my mechianic to do a leak down test and see if the valves are bent.

It's not an interference engine. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Find another mechanic.

Run don't walk.

I'm not joking.

Ray is right,

but find another mechanic.

Do I need to say it again??

Agree with what Michael said. This is a very common engine found in multiple vehicles so the fact that your mechanic doesn't realize it's a non-interference engine is worrisome.

No offense to your mechanic. I had a nice guy near me estimate a head gasket replacement on my MM at $1500, after he plainly admitted never working on a Mitsu 2.6L. It seemed to me in the 80s that everything had that engine, as much of what I delivered for auto parts was just that. If the mechanic is a friend, just get him a beer as the Montero is loaded onto the flatbed hauler of your choice and goes to a bona fide shop. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />

There are things to go wrong if you're not informed beforehand when doing this timing belt job...ranging from the timing belt tensioners to camshaft positioning to harmonic balancer bolt and keyway. This should be a weekend job for an ordinary Joe in the know. A good shop is faster though. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Standard belt replacement interval for that engine is when the belt snaps, no big deal. Put a new one on and drive it until it quits again, should be 100k+ miles give or take depending on the quality of belt used.

[quote] Standard belt replacement interval for that engine is when the belt snaps, no big deal. Put a new one on and drive it until it quits again, should be 100k+ miles give or take depending on the quality of belt used. [/quote

This is more worry some then my mechanic. The belt on only lasted for 39,000 that's seems awful short

Until it's taken apart, assume nothing. The belt may have failed because of a bad tensioner, water pump, or <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />...

maybe he is a boat mechanic..... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

or cam and/or front main leak getting oil on the belt.