I have a few issues with my 1999 mazda protege. Coming home the battery light came on. When I got home my car was smoking. The next day I was driving to work and it smoked again and died. Take it to the shop and the main belt snapped and now I have no compression. Any thoughts on what I need? Shop seemed to thing that I was screwed and needed a new engine. Thought?

 

If the battery light comes on in pretty much any car it means one of two things, either the alternator stopped charging or the belt broke. Sounds like the belt broke which drives other things aside from the alternator. Meaning you likely overheated it and it blew a head gasket/scored the cylinder walls/etc.

 

Would the head gasket/scored cylinder walls/ect. issues happen that easy? Is it worth fixing the belt and seeing if that fixes it? Or should I just throw in the towel? What is the name of the belt that I need to fix?

 

If it has no compression then you are likely better off replacing the engine new/used. It does not take long to trash an engine once the waterpump stops circulating coolant. Less than 10 minutes of driving.

 

Is this something that I can rebuild or a whole new engine is needed?

 

It is an old car. Find a good used engine in the junk yard. Ask your mechanic if he will help choosing and installing.

 

I found a 2000 protege with 110k but it needs a catalytic converter. Other than that, its ok. Should I by it or pass?

 

It's YOUR call, my friend. How do you know it is o.k? what exactly does o.k. mean?

If properly taken care of these engines last 200K +. If this engine has good and even compression over all 4 cylinders it is a buy. Get a new catalytic converter for it, get new oil/filter and change that new oil/filter at about 500 miles just to be sure.

Consider a new timing belt and tensioner because they are easy to replace when the engine is out. Water pumps last very long but you could consider that as well.