'02 PT Cruiser

[Ozwynn]

So we finally got the insurance check for the totaled '12 Prius and had $15,xxx left after it was paid off (the check was $15,xxx, Geico paid the car off) so my wife went out and picked out her car herself and came home with a 2002 PT Cruiser with a 5spd that she paid $3599....... So when I get up in the morning I have to change the spark plugs/wires, do a compression check, and install a new stereo as the one it has the CD player does not work....... Hopefully the head gasket is not blown...........

 

[exbass94]

Good luck. My girlfriend used to have an '06 PT Cruiser 5-speed. Honestly I wasn't too impressed with it overall, but it wasn't too bad. I changed the plugs in it once. You have to remove the upper intake manifold to do it, but it's actually not hard at all.

 

[Rolled Ranger]

If you remove the bolts from the upper to the lower intake pieces and a bolt for a bracket in the back, you can leave everything else attached to the manifold and hang it from the hood with a bungie to make it easier to do the plugs. Check the upper and lower motor mounts. Depending on the mileage it would be a good idea to do a timing belt if you are trying to get it fixed up. They like to break if not done on time.

If taken care of they are not bad cars. My wires Audi was recently totaled my a PT so she shakes her fist at them any time she sees one. But there are a lot of people that like them.

 

[Ozwynn]

it has a timing chain. I had to unbolt everything from the plenum. It took twice as long as it should have.... not as bad as changing the plugs and wires on a Neon SRT-4.

The stereo was the easiest I have ever done....... took less than 10 min. (not including the time I spent last night soldering the wire harness)..... its a chrysler ... its junk.... thats all there is to it.


found out whats wrong with the CD player ... it had 2 CDs jammed in it.


I am going to add this ..........

I bought a sony something or other with a USB jack and thats what I installed ........ upon looking at the hole after I got the factory stereo out there is indeed enough room for my double din touch screen pioneer.

 

[exbass94]

No, it has a timing belt. All PT Cruisers do. I even looked it up on NapaOnline just now and confirmed it. It is technically a non-interference engine since the pistons will not hit the valves if the belt broke. However, it is a DOHC engine and the intake valves will hit the exhaust valves and cause damage if the belt broke, so it kind of IS an interference engine.

 

[Ozwynn]

I just had the valve covers off and it has a chain.......

there is no external timing belt.

 

[exbass94]

OK, looks like not ALL PT Cruisers have belts. I stand corrected.
Lucky for you, I hear the PT Cruiser is one of the worst vehicles ever to do a T-belt on. It's like a 10 hr job and involves discharging the AC system

 

[Ozwynn]

I just looked it up...... my engine may have come from a Neon SRT-4 or a PT Turbo...... Because I run the vin code and I can get a part number for a belt and nothing for a chain so maybe you were right ...... could also be an over seas engine.... there is evidence that the engine has been pulled.

what I want to know why someone would replace just one spark plug and not replace the other 3 or atleast gap them...........

next time I do anything I am either pulling the hood or atleast the hood latch, got tired of bashing my head on the latch.



looks like a chain would be a bigger pain.......... all timing belt/chain work on FWD cars is better left to a shop

 

[Ozwynn]

My wife hates her new stereo... guess she got spoiled by the touch screen.

 

[2813josh]

Hmm,I've only seen them with belts....and yes they are very fun to change lol. Guess you at least lucked out in that derpartment.

 

[Ozwynn]

I just pulled the the plenum and valve cover again ..... I was wrong, it has no chain, what I thought was a serpentine belt was infact the timing belt........

 

[exbass94]

Ahh ok, that was really puzzling the crap out of me 'cause I thought for sure it had a belt and all my Googling indicated they all have belts. I stand re-corrected.

 

[Psychopete]

I don't know what it is about Chrysler products, but women sure do seem to like them for some reason.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

My superduty has a tighter turning radius than those wonderful pieces of crap....

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Oh and the ignition switches like to bust on em too....which entails replacing the entire steering column...

Did one at work last month that came in for a no start.