NHTSA Complaint #10467884 — 2004 DODGE STRATUS

I WAS DRIVING HOME AND FELT A MISS IN THE ENGINE, PLACED IN NEUTRAL TO SEE IF IT WAS JUST A BUMP OR IMAGINATION. I WATCHED THE ENGINE RPMS DROP TO ZERO. SOMEHOW THE VEHICLE STARTED BACK UP AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP IN TIME ONLY TO HAVE TO THROW IT IN NEUTRAL AGAIN AND DRIVE TWO FOOTED ALL THE WAY HOME BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS TRYING TO DIE. SO, I DROVE MY TRUCK TO WORK FOR THE NEXT WEEK AND THEN SATURDAY CAME AROUND AND I FIRED THE CAR UP NOTHING APPEARED OR SOUNDED UNUSUAL. I LET IT IDLE FOR ABOUT 5 MIN. BACKED UP AND OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY AND AT THE SECOND STOP SIGN I HUNG A RIGHT AND HEARD A "POP" NOISE FOLLOWED BY A CARD IN BIKE SPOKE SOUND FROM THE ENGINE, I OPENED THE HOOD, AGAIN NO DAMAGE ....THE VALVE COVER CLOSEST TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE HAD 2 CRACKS IN IT! IT WAS OOZING OUT OIL. SO AS IT TURNS OUT THOUGH I GOT REALLY LUCKY, I BENT 2 VALVES ON #3 PISTON, ALSO DID COMPRESSION LEAK DOWN TEST ON ALL OTHER CYLINDERS THEY WERE FINE. (IF YOUR CHAIN SNAPPED IT IS A VERY EASY AND FAST TEST TO DETERMINE IF YOUR MOTOR IS JUNK OR NOT AND SHOULD NOT COST YOU MUCH AT ALL) DEALERSHIPS WANTED OVER 6K FOR LONG BLOCK, THE CAR ISN'T WORTH THAT MUCH! AUTO PARTS STORES WANTED OVER 400 BUCKS FOR TIMING SET ONLY. I FOUND THE TIMING CHAIN SET, OIL PUMP, AND WATER PUMP ON LINE FOR HALF THE COST OF THE TIMING CHAIN SET ALONE. GOOD BRAND NAMES TOO! UPON REMOVING THE TIMING COVER AND HEADS FROM THE ENGINE I FOUND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, THE WATER PUMP BEARINGS SEIZED, AND BECAUSE THAT WATER PUMP IS DRIVEN BY THE LARGE TIMING CHAIN IT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE CHAIN SNAPPING AND ALMOST RUINING MY ENTIRE ENGINE. *TR