2002 S60. Moved timing belt, bent valves?

[Rhiannon_volvo]

I have a wonderful 2002 S60, but I made the mistake of letting someone change my altinator, thinking he new more than he really did. In the process he took off my timing belt , thinking it was the serpentine belt, he then replaced my altinator and put everything back together. When he started the car it rolls over but does not catch on now. I'm now told my Volvo is totaled because when he tried to start the car all my valves bent and they would have to replace the head. When I took it to the mechanic he said he thinks the valves would be bent but he would have to fix my timing first to even find out and that would be 500$ I guess can someone who really knows something if my car is really totaled? Or could it mirically just be the timing is not right?

[abscate]

Ouch.

If the mechanic cranked it over with the timing belt wrong, your valves are gone. The only thing you can do now is..

Get the belt back in the right place (obvisouly not with the same mechanic)
Check compression on all five cylinders.
Evaluate and go from there. Im certain you will find a couple of cylinders with no compression

Get a bill ready for mechanic number 1. To remove a timing belt during a serpentine belt replacement is gross incompetence.

[JDS60R]

Mechanic should have it repaired for you. Check your state laws to see if you have to give him a chance to fix it or if you can have mechanic of your choice .

I do agree with Steve to put have the belt put on and see if he offset it more than 3 teeth and bent the valves.

The mechanic will be out his time plus $40 to skim the head, cost to replace the valves (likely 10 intake valves at $12 -$20 a piece and any head work needed to repair damaged valve seats. If he was a decent human he would recondition the head which would cost about $300 -$400 including valves and machining.

Then also head bolts ($36), head gasket,intake and exhaust gaskets ( $140) and the volvo cam cover sealant $50.

So for under $600 he should be able to fix his mistake .

Can you please share any pics you have . I am not sure how you could possibly be so bad a mechanic that you would mistake a serpentine belt with a timing belt.

[oragex]

When I took it to the mechanic he said he thinks the valves would be bent but he would have to fix my timing first to even find out and that would be 500$

He is asking $500 simply to put the belt in the right position? That takes at most 15 minutes to do.
Perhaps finding an honest guy is the first move. As for the first guy who said he took the timing belt off, he also lied to you shamelessly because if he knows what is an alternator well the serpentine belt is the one that passes right on the alternator, so there is no way one would confuse it with the timing belt since the timing belt is completely hidden and doesn't come even close to the alternator. These guys seems like they are completely screwing you. Perhaps the first one messed with something else than the timing belt and it's waiting for you to sell them the car for $500.

I'd go on local.google.com and look for some imports garages in the area and check the reviews on that specific place it might help

[JDS60R]

+1

If he made the mistake - You don't pay him to fix it.