Hey guys.
As a financially struggling international student, I took my old rust bucket 3rd Gen TE Magna to a mechanic from my home country who said he has more than 30 years of experience, to fix the overheating problem. And I told him to change the timing belt as well because the tensioner was gone and the crankshaft seal was leaking. So he charged me 430 bucks for the timing belt kit, hydraulic tensioner and a thermostat. He didn't charge me for labour.

After the service my car wasn't overheating and it wasn't leaking any oil. But the valves were bent and there is a noise coming from the engine which I can't express with words... He also found the courage to ask me when I can pay for the parts!!!

The experienced mechanic offered me to find a 2nd hand engine around 400-450 bucks instead of fixing it. Fixing the car is out of options because he managed to give that much damage while trying to replace the belt, I wonder what he can achieve while trying to fix the valves...

The car is 96 V6 Magna with 255000km on the clock. I can't get a loan because of not being a permanent resident, and I have doubts about getting approval for a finance option as well. The best thing I can do is trying to find funds for a newer 2nd hand car hopefully with low kms.

The wreckers are offering 200-300 bucks for the car. The car is in kinda good condition except the fading paint on the roof, a small area of clear coating gone on the left side of the boot, and a minor damage on the bonnet as a result of rear ending a Jeep a while ago.

I know it's a long post and I'm sorry about that. So, do you guys have any advice for me? Should I replace the engine, or wreck the car for parts and sell the rest to a wrecker?
Thanks in advance.

Most of your money in wrecking cars comes from upper spec models (VR-X, Verada, etc) or from modified vehicles. There'd be sweet bugger all money in wrecking a base model TE Magna with a damaged engine (unless you had a manual conversion).

I would seriously consider buying another motor and getting someone else to fit it.

just shows nothing comes free in life hey? Sorry i have no advice... maybe sell the car to a wrecker and buy a Mazda 121 while you save up.

Sucks to hear about the wrecked engine, thats life i guess. Haydens advice is quite sound, unless you need a larger car?

Also, i highly doubt the mechanic bent the valves when changing the belt unless he did something very stupid. If the tensioner was broken, its likely the belt suffered the same fate and caused the pistons to smack the valves, thus bending them.

How soon after he did the service did you notice this problem?

Aside from the overheating was the car running ok when it was dropped off to this mechanic? If the answer is yes, the it is clear he has made a grave error in the fitting of the kit and to be honest while you are liable for the parts use, the mechanic is then liable to either replace the motor at his cost OR repair the motor at his cost.

As far as wrecking, I wreck cars for a living and a Magna that is untouched in the form of a std TE or TF is not worth over $300 tops, if you strip parts off the car and then try and sell the car then it is worth what ever the weight is in scrap metal. If you can not come to an agreement with this mechanic (provided of course that it can be found he was at fault) the I would look to go to somewhere like consumer affairs. The fact he stated that he would not charge labour is beside the point if he is a registered business, he has done the damage then is his bad luck. Given again that he did agree to assist you here perhaps you can both reach an agreement where you will tip in a couple hundred $$ to make things a little more even towards a secondhand motor.

The car was running OK beside the overheating. There was a clicking sound coming from underneath the timing belt cover and I knew I have to change it but I was able to drive like that since the day I bought it. When I drove the the car first time after the service I felt that it was revving a bit more than it used to be. The next morning I started to hear the noise like there was something running free like a bolt or a screw underneath the cover. Today he opened the cover and I saw that the belt was loose in the middle between camshafts. Then he used a screwdriver to lift the tensioner then the looseness gone.
I was at the verge of a killing spree so I just drove the car back home like 3kms and now the noise replaced itself with a kind of bearing noise. I just didn't wanna do anything stupid and definitely didn't wanna see the guy anymore.

Regardless if he charged you for labour or not, if it's because of his poor workmanship that there is now got a busted engine then he is liable to provide a form of suitable compensation.

It would be the same for anyone. Even If I did anything to a mates car or other possessions (as a friend), and as a result of my misconduct, it caused damages to the owner, I'd be liable to provide suitable recompensation.

I recommend you look into consumer affairs or even through the small claims courts.

Is the mechanic accredited at all?

However the problem here will be the cost of chasing compensation. It could cost as much as having anouther engine fitted.

I would talk to the AMC///QMD crew. There are some pretty mechanically minded people in the qld division. Maybe someone would be willing to help you fit up a new engine for a nice slab?

If chasing compensation will be the same amount I guess it'll be better to wait for him to call me. If he finds an engine around 400-450 bucks, I'llpay for the engine but not for the parts. This way we'll be even. If he wants he can try chasing his parts money. Does anyone knows how much te engines are worth?

what a crappy spot to be in, ive been there not nice at all

mal has a TE on his site under the wrecking tab.

send him a email or give him a call and see if he can anything for ya than letting your mechanic source something.

his details are at the bottom of everything he posts ( he mad a post 4 spots above this one to make it easy for ya) .

if this mechanic is just running out of his shed or from home id consider getting someone else to fit the engine to, as previously mentioned post over in the qld state section and see if anyone will help ya for a carton of beer or some cash.

second hand engines from a wrecker is usually around the $350-$450 mark, if you do go this way, make sure the wrecker does a compression test on the engine. but the old saying is, beware what you buy, since more then likely you wont hear the engine run before you buy it, the engine could have other problems associated with it. if i was in your situation, and i just was not long ago, i would look in to buying another TE-TF-TH magna with respectible Ks on the clock for $500. there is plenty about, some have been in accidents, some with blown gearboxes, just as long as you hear that engine run. then swap out engines

Whereabouts are you situated..?

I know ABC Wrecking Oxley & Wacol have a few 6G72 (3.0L V6) motors around as well as GDM Wrecking, Coopers Plains

If all else fails.. There's a mechanic with the know how to swap it over in Ipswich (crackajnr) who also may be able to source a motor for you..

SuFz :ninja: