Hi guys,
Took my Jeep for a timing belt change in Florida late last year. it is still not done. I'm on business out of state for another month, but I've had enough run around. The guy is claiming they can't get the parts...something bout a national backorder for rocker arms. My mechanic is a cool guy, I don't want to be an booty and call a lawyer, but I don't want to be lied to. Any suggestions or can anyone confirm a parts shortage?

uh you don't need rocker arms to replace the timing belt... unless he made a mistake...
get a set of rocker arms from forum member "wobbly" - if you really need them.
here's what your engine could look like...
https://plus.google.com/s/harlan%20stanley#s/harlan%20stanley

_________________
Harlan in Austin
2005 Jeep Liberty Sport CRD: Samco, No Muffller, EGR removed, Mechanical Fan Back On, Rancho RS5k's, Self Installed Rockers, Lifters, Engine Mounts, and Timing Belt, CCV to Airbox Mod, Hacked RB1, CD-Changer, AuxInput; 2005 PowerStroke Excursion 6.0: Rancho 9k's, SuperChipped, Stock otherwise. BioDiesel Maker.

Let's understand this better, you brought your jeep in for a timing belt and the dealer says that you need rocker arms.

Did your engine make any noises or was it running rough when you brought it in for service?

If it didn't, then here is my guess as to what happened.... I suspect that the tech messed up on the timing belt work and trashed the rockers and other parts in the motor when he started it for the first time, he messed up and timed it wrong!

_________________
2006 Liberty Limited CRD, Deep Beryl Green, Yeti tune, Arp studs, new cams, rockers, lifters, TB. "Green Monster"
2005 Liberty Sport CRD, Deep Beryl Green, GDE Hot Tune, ARP studs. "Rocket"
1982 Fiat 124 Spider Convertible. "Fiona"

X2 I was typing the same thing. The only thing that's been hard to get recently that may or may not be considered part of the TB job is a water pump.

Where in Florida?

_________________
Sold to LOST member my 05 Ltd, GDE Stg II turbo + TCM tune, SunCoast TC w. Transgo kit, Steiger window regulators, Samcos, Fumoto valve, 2nd gen filter head with Lub. Spec. bleeder, Hayden clutch & 11 blade fan, inverted spare, P-1 battery, BF Goodrich Long Trail TAs, Etecno1 glow plugs, timing belt at 50K miles/8 yrs

Good reason to turn the engine slowly by hand for at least two revolutions. Any tech with a brain should do this and have enough sensation to tell between normal compression and valve crash.
Chrysler/FIAT should bust their butt and expedite the rockers from VM, even if one of their clowns needs to haul them in his/her luggage on a flight.

_________________
2006 Pearl Green CRD
Magnaflow 2 1/2" Cat Back
KJ Extra Leg Room Brackets, Carter Lift Pump, V6 Airbox, ORM
Fuel cooler, Oil Separator, Progard 7
Gauges EGT Boost Trans Temp Oil Pres, Michelin LXT AT2 245 70 R16
7,000# Draw Tight hitch, PML EX Deep Trans Pan
Centrifuge, SunCoast, Transgo, RAM TCM, InMotion Stage 2
Wife's 99 TDI VW Beetle

Do we know if it was a dealer or an owner operator shop that did the work?

The shop may be into 100ds if not 1000ths of dollars in replacement parts and may lack the tools or funds to do the repair.

Your timing belt work, including the new water pump and labor should cost between $1200 - $1600, and have taken no more than a weeks’ time to do the work, if all the timing belt related parts were on hand.

If in fact they are telling you the truth and they have not begun work on the CRD and the engine is still intact because they are waiting for parts, tell them that you want to take it somewhere else and drive it home and begin to source another place to do the work.

I say forget cordiality and friendship at this point and reflect on your time and money being affected and also his integrity.

_________________
2006 Liberty Limited CRD, Deep Beryl Green, Yeti tune, Arp studs, new cams, rockers, lifters, TB. "Green Monster"
2005 Liberty Sport CRD, Deep Beryl Green, GDE Hot Tune, ARP studs. "Rocket"
1982 Fiat 124 Spider Convertible. "Fiona"

And if you are looking for a place to do the work and are willing to get your hands dirty I'm in Florida and have the full Miller tool set and have helped with one TB job, not including the water pump. Can offer use of driveway and supervision/advice but not the disaster area I call a garage. Alternatively geordi is willing and not too far away if he has the time and I know he is looking for $s toward a GDE turbo.

_________________
Sold to LOST member my 05 Ltd, GDE Stg II turbo + TCM tune, SunCoast TC w. Transgo kit, Steiger window regulators, Samcos, Fumoto valve, 2nd gen filter head with Lub. Spec. bleeder, Hayden clutch & 11 blade fan, inverted spare, P-1 battery, BF Goodrich Long Trail TAs, Etecno1 glow plugs, timing belt at 50K miles/8 yrs

The guys are right: a normal, scheduled timing belt change doesn't require new rocker arms. A timing belt change that involves rocker arms is either one where the belt broke before being changed, or the normal scheduled change was performed really wrong and resulted in valves and pistons crashing together.