FYI make sure you keep them changed. Bought the car with 89,000 miles. Car skipped time, low compression. Waiting on a remanufactured cylinder head to arrive as it was going to be almost the same to have my current one redone. Car has 151,000 was told after that they are to be changed every 50,000. Don't learn by it going out.

 

So the timing belt had gone out. Valves were messed up, no compression in some cylinders. Got a remanufactured cylinder head, new plugs, new wires, new water pump, new timing belt, new head gasket set. It's getting an oil change as well. Found out saturday my exhaust manifold was cracked also which I didn't know. Rockauto was cheapest for this, about 134 with shipping for a new dorman unit. Waiting for that to come in so the car can get back together.

 

The saga continues. Put everything back together, the flywheel is turning freely according to my mechanic. Looks like it's either a broken flywheel or broken crankshaft on top of the other parts.

 

Final update here. Turns out that the crankshaft broke, engine is toast. Mechanic is afraid to put new crankshaft in not knowing the integrity of the engine block due to the fact it had started leaking oil out the rear main seal, which he thinks the crankshaft had started to wobble and pushed the seal out. Basically if he put a new crankshaft in, no way to tell if the same thing would happen soon after repair.

Car either needs a new or used engine. Remanufactured runs 2300 at minimum, plus install labor rate. Used engines look to be between 600-800 or more for a decent one plus install rates.

My first dodge, and my last. Back to fords and chevy's for me.