[Diy_efi] Reality check - no efi content - long winded

[Bill - Comcast]

Sorry for the off topic post but I know there's a lot of mechanical 
knowledge here and thought I'd solicit some opinions on this situation. 

We just returned from the vacation-from-hell.  Amy's wagon ate the 
timing chain in upstate NY.  We got towed into a garage where they 
quoted 4-5 hours labor,  $450 to $500 to fix it.  They stumbled and 
bumbled around with it for 3 days (each time I asked they were almost 
done,  only a couple more hours) while we waited and finally at about 
5:30 on the third day they started it,  but it ran like garbage and was 
leaking antifreeze from around the water pump and had a major oil leak 
from the valve cover.  They fiddled with the plug wires for 2 more hours 
before they finally gave up and pushed it out of the bay and into the 
yard.  They went home to supper and left me, Amy,  and the 2 kids (7 & 
4) sitting in the car for 5 hours waiting for my car hauler to be 
brought up from CT. 

Oh yes,  before they went home they handed me a bill for $1050.  The 
bill lists a tow ($27),  parts ($180) and the remainder labor:  replaced 
the timing chain & gears,  clean debris from the oil pan, and R&R valve 
covers for the compression test.  The owner feels perfectly justified in 
the 2X bill,  didn't know he had to clean the oil pan when he gave the 
estimate,  didn't include the compression test (& valve covers) in the 
estimate.

Some questions for the gang:

1) Is the 1988 Buick 3.8L V6 an interference engine?  What are the 
chances we bent a valve?

2) They did a compression check before doing the work and said all 6 
holes were 120 to 140.  They had to pull the valve covers and loosened 
the rockers since the cam wasn't turning.  I can't imagine how this is a 
valid test since the valves didn't open on the suck cycle.  Is there any 
way this could have been a valid compression test?

3)  I did a compression test this afternoon (cam's turning now :-) ),  
I've got 30 psi in hole #1, 90 in #3,  and about 120 in the others.  
Squirted oil in #1 and retested... still 30.  I pulled the valve cover 
to try to fix the oil leak and while it was off I removed the 2 rockers 
on #1 and retested... still 30 psi.

4)  They spent 3.5 to 4 hours trying to remove the oil pan to clean the 
debris out of it (billed me for 4.3 hours).  Is this reasonable for a 
Buick Century wagon?  Seems to me there should have been another way 
other than removing all the stuff they did.

5) Is there any way to check cam timing without  taking the timing cover 
(& water pump) off? 

I did some other checks too - all injectors are firing,  I have spark in 
all 6.  I'm thinking either a valve is bent in #1 or the cam timing is 
off.  Any thoughts would be appreciated,  my apologies again for the off 
topic post.

Best,

Bill