My sister took her Rodeo in for a new Timing belt & tensioner 11/05 to shop A (odometer = 80,000)

11/06 she blew the head gasket & on the receipt from shop B there was a note that there was oil leaking round the timing cover which they recommended monitoring (odometer = 95,500)

she had to take truck back to shop B due to a bad O2 sensor and replace the spark plugs

Couple of days ago, she heard a bad noise and she lost all power. A belt with "teeth" from the front of the block had gone through a plastic cover and was to the side. It was towed to shop B.

After they looked at it, they said that they didn't know what was wrong and that they were waiting for someone from their other location to look at it. My sister asked specifically whether it was the timing belt that was off, to which he said he didn't know.

Today, he tracked my sister down (made several calls & looked up her work number that wasn't on her account there). He said that the bearings on the timing belt pulley locked up. He said that they were sealed.

He knew the timing belt had been replaced a year ago and he said that my sister needed to talk to shop A.

My sister asked him whether they removed the timing belt to replace the head gasket a few months ago. He said they only loosened them and they didn't have to remove it and the pulleys to replace the HG.

Haynes manual says the pulleys and belt have to be removed to replace the HG.


I have a very limited knowledge of engines and no experience with this engine.

Any ideas/suggestions on the probable cause? How should she handle the situation? What's the likely damage to the engine?

What's standard procedure for pulleys when the timing belt &/or HG are replaced?

Thanks in advance for any & all help!