[Shotimes] Is engine OK? was: SHO cranking but not starting

[don d]

jim

how long has this problem .. been going on for ?

I just picked up on this thread ... and am not sure if this is a on going problem ... or if u just did a 60 k and than these issues came up .. or did u just buy the car ..etc.

Regarding the knocking ... if it is lower end .. a deep noise .... very likely its rod bearings failing.

It can be intermittent ... but there is definite difference n pitch from valve train noise versus rod knock noise.

How many miles on this car .. and have u been driving it for any length of time. Generally ... what happens with these older motors .. u get careless ... and let the oil go way below the qt low fill/mark ... and when your low oil sensor comes in .. it means u have already done damage to the bearings.

Regarding the timing belt ... i have done about 50 or so major tune ups ... and as long as u installed the timing belt right ... with the proper tension .... i have never seen a belt "skip".

I have seen belts break ..... i have seen several instances of crank cancer .... but never a belt slipping.

dond

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Koper Jim" <jkoper@frankgates.com>
Reply-To: <jkoper@frankgates.com>
Date:  Tue, 16 Mar 2004 12:45:12 -0500

>Steve,
>
>92 MTX.
>
>It thought it might be too much slack (especially at the top like that), but
>the belt was replaced summer of '02, about 10-12K miles ago along with the
>water pump, crank position sensor, cam position sensor, shims, plugs, wires.
>I wonder if the belt tensioner has come loose. Probably can't adjust it
>through the little window on the middle(?) cover. I'd bet that I have to
>tear apart the front of the engine to really adjust it.
>
>A belt jumping a tooth is a somewhat rare occurrence?  Have you noticed that
>there are, IIRC, TWO 'white' marks and one 'yellow' mark on the crank
>dampener?  Which white mark do you actually use? Helms does not specify, and
>perhaps that is where the problem started. I had a good amount of guidance
>(by phone and e-mail!) with George Fourchy that summer, so I figured I did
>it correctly. Maybe not! Perhaps the slack started IF I used the wrong white
>mark....
>
>I didn't pull the cover completely off--just enough to see if the belt was
>still rotating or if it had broken.
>
>Dampener pulley was loctited and torque to 115 lb-ft, per Helms. I wondered
>if I should have added a little more to that number. What torque spec have
>you used?
>
>Thanks for your contributions!
>
>Jim
>
>
>
><your message below>
>
>Several issues come to mind.
>
>Too much timing belt slack.  How old is it?  ATX or MTX?  Might just be a
>stretched belt that has jumped time - check static belt alignment.  If ATX,
>might be the tensioner has lost pressure.
>
>The noise is likely to be either rod bearings, cam chains/tensioner, or
>crank cancer.  Was there a good dusting of reddish powder inside the timing
>belt covers?  This is a strong (but not the only) indicator of crank cancer.
>A mechanic's stethoscope is a valuable tool for isolating the source of the
>knock/noise.  About $10 Unless you have a harbor Freight nearby, then $2.50
>on one of their sales).
>
>Do check the IAB.  It is likely the source of your idle problems.  Look for
>other vacuum leaks before jumping into replacing it.
>
>Steve
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