Carol the van has finally received a proper diagnostic!

So…. I have a new mechanic.

I was driving Saturday when my van was misbehaving. I pulled off the road shut her down for a few minutes and restarted and drove straight to Asiaworks, Inc.  My neighbor recommended them, after my explaining all of the trouble I’ve had with my van and my mechanic.

I found out the funny smell, I’ve smelled for months, every single time I drive Her, is from my leaking radiator.

The “lawnmower” sound, I’ve been complaining about is from my timing belt tension adjuster going bad.

I was sold a van from a mechanic who didn’t do any basic maintenance on the van.

So I need a timing belt package, this is just regular maintenance after a certain amount of mileage. It saves your engine and your safety!

I had to leave my van and should get a call Wednesday or Thursday to come pick her up. I have a very long list of things that are wrong with her that are getting fixed. Mostly maintenance type stuff. The timing belt being a very dangerous one to have need of.

The new mechanic said, there is NO WAY, a mechanic should have allowed me to drive that van in that condition!  I should not have been driving it with the timing belt tension making that noise. I was clueless, as to the cause of my concerns and fears. All that I knew was, that syrupy weird smell isn’t normal, my van shakes too much and isn’t riding smoothly, and my engine sounds more like a lawnmower and that ISN’T normal. I was scared to drive it and afraid it would break down on me at anytime.

I’m not a mechanic but did have my van at the old mechanics shop, more than I’ve had it at home since we purchased it last year.  I don’t know cars but i do know sounds of change and that unsettle feeling in the pit of my gut.

My old mechanic is a beater mechanic. He doesn’t know Hondas and should have admitted to that or at least referred me out to someone. I did want to change mechanics way  earlier, but he’s so nice, my husband really likes him and assumed he knew what he was doing.

Now its down to me feeling safe in my van and wanting to make sure if I’m on the highway to my mom’s, I won’t break down with a van full of my babies!

I’m finally at peace while awaiting to get my beloved Carol back in excellent repair.