I have a 2000 Dodge Caravan (2.4L) and a few months ago it had to have a new timing belt due to the other one breaking. It was replaced but put in time by hand. Since then, it has had a miss and the engine has been weaker, slightly. Now that it is summertime, I have been running the a/c and it is very weak and the miss is worse when the a/c is on.
I know that timing belts are supposed to be put on with the aid of a computer or laser or whatever. Would the dealer be able to put it in time if I tell them it is off and was done by hand? How much money would I be looking at?
Would other shops be better or about the same to consult?

Thanks

 

Maybe your just off a tooth. I guess I'm not aware of any scan tool thing that needs to be done after a timing belt is replaced.

 

im sure it is off a tooth. or two. but it was done by hand. and theyre supposed to be put on with some type of laser where it keeps everything in the right order.

 

not where I'm from they don't.

TIMING BELT

REMOVAL

1. Raise vehicle on hoist. Remove right front wheel.
2. Remove right inner splash shield.
3. Remove accessory drive belts. Refer to COOLING SYSTEM for procedure.
4. Remove crankshaft damper bolt, and remove damper. Refer to Removal and Installation procedure in this section.
5. Remove generator belt idler pulley.
6. Remove lower timing belt cover fasteners and remove cover
7. Lower vehicle and remove upper timing belt cover fasteners and remove cover.
8. Remove right engine mount and support bracket. Refer to Removal and Installation procedure in this section CAUTION: When aligning crankshaft and camshaft timing marks always rotate engine from crankshaft. Camshaft should not be rotated after timing belt is removed. Damage to valve components may occur. Always align timing marks before removing timing belt.
9. Before the removal of the timing belt, rotate crankshaft until TDC mark on oil pump housing aligns with TDC mark on crankshaft sprocket (trailing edge of sprocket tooth) NOTE: The crankshaft sprocket mark is located on the trailing edge of the sprocket tooth. Failure to align trailing edge of sprocket tooth to mark on oil pump housing will cause the camshaft marks to be misaligned Crankshaft and Camshaft Timing
10. Install 6 mm Allen wrench into belt tensioner. Before rotating the tensioner insert the long end of a 1/8" or 3 mm Allen wrench into the pin hole on the front of the tensioner While rotating the tensioner counterclockwise push in lightly on the 1/8" or 3 mm Allen wrench, until it slides into the locking hole.
11. Remove timing belt CAUTION: If timing belt was damaged due to incorrect tracking (alignment), the belt tensioner assembly must be replace. Refer to Timing Belt Tensioner Assembly Removal and Installation procedure outlined in this section.

INSTALLATION

1. Set crankshaft sprocket to TDC by aligning the sprocket with the arrow on the oil pump housing.
2. Set camshafts timing marks so that the exhaust camshaft sprocket is a 1/2 notch below the intake camshaft sprocket CAUTION: Ensure that the arrows on both camshaft sprockets are facing up.
3. Install timing belt. Starting at the crankshaft, go around the water pump sprocket, idler pulley, camshaft sprockets and then around the tensioner
4. Move the exhaust camshaft sprocket counterclockwise to align marks and take up belt slack NOTE: A new tensioner is held in the wound position by a pull pin.
5. Remove the pull pin or Allen wrench from the belt tensioner.
6. Once timing belt has been installed and tensioner released, rotate crankshaft two (2) complete revolutions. Verify that the TDC marks on crankshaft and timing marks on the camshafts are aligned as shown in Crankshaft and Camshaft Timing
7. Install right engine mount and support bracket. Refer to Removal and Installation procedure in this section.
8. Install upper timing belt cover bolts 4.5 N·m (40 in. lbs.)
9. Install the lower timing belt cover bolts 4.5 N·m (40 in. lbs.)
10. Install generator belt idler pulley and tighten bolt 54 N·m (40 ft. lbs.)
11. Install crankshaft damper. Refer to procedure in this section.
12. Install accessory drive belts. Refer to COOLING SYSTEM for procedure.
13. Install right inner splash shield.
14. Install right front wheel.

 

 

These are from the factory service manual, no lazers needed, just hands.

 

okay. thanks for the model. i watched it be put on by hand and it was really hard to keep the top cams aligned, put the belt on, and keep the bottom shaft aligned at the same time. idk. its a pain to get to anyway.
i talked to the dodge dealer and they were saying timing work would cost around $500 soooo that's a no go. however they did say to bring it in and they would diagnose it and see why it's got a miss (and i hope to also see why its so WEAK when the a/c is on because that's really bothering me)..but they charge $119 for that so no to that too.
idk what to do. it has a miss. mainly when the a/c is on is when i have the most problems. when the air is on, it seems like it drinks more gas, it has a miss bad when you initially accelerate. and there's hardly NO power when the air is on. i checked the plugs mayb a month ago n everything looked good i just adjusted the gap a bit. it hasn't been too long since it had a tune up. any ideas?

 

since it runs pretty good with the a/c off, is it possible that the compressor could be stiff, or in need of oil where the pulley is, could it be locking up? it seems like when the a/c is on it just KILLS the engine.

 

you can't oil the pulley. Here's something to think about. my Grandfather owned a chevette with a/c... top speed with the a/c on was 60mph wide open. turn off the a/c and 75-80 was top speed. It take HP to move a vehicle, a 2.4 is pretty low on HP and torque compared to a v-6. add extra load on the engine and you use engine power to turn the load and not move the vehicle. I owned a 2.5 4cyl stick minivan. With the A/C on I got worse fuel mileage than my wifes 99 grand caravan 3.3.

 

yea. well idk what to do because i went to the parts house today and found refrigerant oil. but he was sayin that if it wasnt making any noises and was cooling i probably didn't need it. soo maybe i just dont remember it being like this. we've had the car for years now but who knows.
wow poor chevette though. haha that makes me feel better.
if only i could figure out why it misses with the a/c on.