So I'm stuck in a left-turn lane-forever-here in Austin, and something goes pop, pop, pop, etc. under the hood. Forever ends, and when I stop and check under the hood, well it seems that my trusted? mechanic had replaced (in a previous a/c repair) the fan belt from the engine pulley to the a/c compressor with a serpentine-spelling? belt instead of the proper v-belt. The thing broke, taking with it the metal heater hose. Said mechanic said that the belt in question must have been taken up on the roadway and wound around the fan, passing by the plastic splash pan that I have under the engine compartment.

Mechanic will pick up all costs-time to cast about for another mechanic? Up my blood pressure meds?

Todd

Does your mechanic run a one-man shop, or does he have helpers? I've seen some good mechanics with exceptionally stupid sidekicks.

BTW, the best foreign mechanic I ever knew was in Austin. Unfortunately, he got married and moved to El Paso 19 years ago.
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1991 245, 61k miles, looking for a 5 speed 92-93 245 cheap.

Agreed, Grassroots Motorsports was even stabbed by that scenario. No real mechanic would waste a more expensive serpentine belt in an improper application (unless he wanted to go out of business). OTOH it is possible to pick up crud like that off the road, just very unlikely. Your "pop pop pop" description does sound like debris as opposed to a belt coming off (which is usually "bang").

Mike!