[Shotimes] Timing belt Help :>(

[Steve Weinrich]

Mike,

If you have backfiring, that means that timing, either ignition or camshaft,
is screwed.  Go back and triple check the plug wire routing.

Break out the timing light, clip it on the #1 or #5 plug wire, remove the
SPOUT plug near the camshaft sensor, then try cranking.  You can also use it
to check for spark on the outputs of all the other plug wires.

Look for a flash at 10 BTDC.  If you do have it, you will at least have
verified base timing.  If you don't have spark at the proper time,
troubleshooting can proceed to determine why.

Hook up a fuel pressure guage and VERIFY that you have adequate pressure.
Don't guess if you are in doubt.

Steve "projectSHO89" W


----- Original Message -----
From: "Midwest SHO Specialists" <SHOtimes@midwestsho.com>
To: <shotimes@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 11:15 PM
Subject: [Shotimes] Timing belt Help :>(


> Hey guys,
>
> I'm at my wits end here and I am looking for ANY help or insight.  To
premise
> the problems you are about to read, here is a little summary of the
problem.
>
> We received this car, not running.  It is a 3.2 conversion with 0 miles.
The
> owner took it to his local mechanic originally to have the car's loose
end's
> tied up.  The mechanic ended up putting the timing belt on wrong, forgot
the
> retaining disc on the crank and frayed some fuel pump wires.  From there,
we
> were contracted to finish the car.  Thinking this was a simple timing belt
> replacement, we put everything back on and the car wouldn't fire.  What
you
> read below is a detailed account of what we experienced afterwards...
>
> The first thing we did was check the spark plug order.  Sure enough, his
> mechanic reversed cylinder's 5 and 6 on the coil.  Still no start.
>
> The two cam sprocket marks were at 12 O' clock, matching the inner timing
> cover marks, the crank mark was at 5 O' clock, lined up with the mark on
the
> oil pump housing, the belt's writing was facing away from me, the marks
were
> lined up with both cams and the 3.0 mark on the crank.  Tension was
applied.
> The car procedes to backfire when turning over.
>
> From there, we pulled the intake and valve covers.  The two cams on each
bank
> of cylinders appear to be in time with each other.  When lined up, the
marks
> are exactly opposite of each other.  So we put everything back on.  Still
no
> go.
>
> We think for a second that maybe the cam sensor is bad and we throw on a
known
> good spare.  Still, nothing.  Here is what the car does have.  It has
spark.
> I pulled a couple wires and checked.  We know we have that.  It has a tach
> signal and the tach works.  We have fuel (we think).  When pressing the
valve,
> we get fuel.  It doesn't spray out, but it definetly is under pressure.
> Additionally to that, we have had the car running ONCE, albeit out of
time.
>
> As a last ditch effort, we removed the Y pipe thinking perhaps the cats
are
> clogged.  (We don't know the history on the Y pipe.  It appears to be
used)
> There was no change.  The car is in time but it sounds like it's not.  As
you
> can see, we are at our wits end.  I'm not too keen on being defeated by a
car,
> especially two in one week.  (Speaking of which, Paul, Craig's control
arms
> showed know signs of even beginning to move tonight. :>)   )  If you can
offer
> ANY help here, even small, it is much appreciated.
>
> Common guys, teach me something here.  Point out something obvious that I
> missed.  I'm beginning to think that someone is trying to tell me I
shouldn't
> be working on cars. :>)
>
> If you list something and that ends up being my problem, I will send (or
> Paypal) you a $25.00 check.  Obviously, it would go to the first person to
> mention the problem. :>)  I am an honest guy, or so I like to tell myself.
>
> ~ Defeated SHO "Specialist"
>
> Mike Kopstain
> Midwest SHO Specialists
> 827 North Chestnut Avenue
> Arlington Heights, IL 60004
> www.MidwestSHO.com
> Sales@midwestsho.com
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