Pull the Head or Not?

[marcinak1]

'98 GST 2G automatic. I was coming to a stop sign rolling about 20mph. Engine shut just shut down. (had the radio on so I didn't here any noise) Tryed to restart and nothing. Timing belt tentioner went bad. What are the chances I can get away with just doing the belt, tentioner, and water pump? Or should I just bite the bulet and pull the head?

 

[beating4g63s]

I would to see how far the damage is, if you bent valves, it also depends on the rpm you were at, some people have gotten away with just replacing belts and tensioner but not all. I'd just pull it now and get it over with so you know the extent of the damage and if it is repair able.

 

[Epic904]

I'm with beating4g63s on that. I had my car at idle and bent valves because of the tension not being right on the timing belt. I mean while you have the head off you can put a better head gasket on with some arp head studs if down the line you were looking to put a bigger turbo on. Even if it is just your daily driver you could freshen up the head.

 

[marcinak1]

I knew in my mind I should be pulling the head, but I just bought this car and was hoping to hear there was no problem with valves striking pistons. Thank you much!

 

[914g63gsx]

i have seen dohc motors, the tensioner break put new one on and belt and everything fine its up to you.

 

[fwspin]

Definitely pull the head. Lets say you don't pull the head you do all the work to do your timing belt and new tensioner and put it back together or turn it over for the test start and well what do you know it doesn't start. Your back to point A and this time you have to pull the head anyway. And like stated above its wouldn't be a bad time to freshen up that head or replace that head gasket.

If your going to do it DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!!!! And it will save you time and money down the road.


If your head is toast let me know I'm close by and have a shop and what do you know a spare head

keep us all posted on what you decide to do.

 

[klipschaudio]

Since your car died you probably bent a valve, but maybe not. What I would do is align the old timing belt correctly and replace the tensioner temporarily with a pry bar and your hand, then turn the engine by hand at the crank and see if it spins, if it does then you're good and don't need to pull the head. Then get a head leak tester from harbor freight and see that you aren't leaking just to verify that you didn't bend the valves slightly. Good luck.

 

[alice]

The first time I did my timing belt on the 4g63 it took me almost 10 hours. I messed up the oil pump alignment and had to tear it all back down and do it again. The second time around, it took me about 2 hours. How long does it take to pull a head? I would say if you have the time and money, pull the head, clean it, new valve seals, cometic MLS, and ARP's. If time and money are an issue, just throw a new tensioner and belt and see what happens.

 

[Icarus]

Do a leak down test to to find out if you have bent valves. It will also help figure how many cylinders were affected and start ordering parts before tearing into the head. It's pretty easy. Good luck!

 

[Icarus]

Sorry should have added that:

http://www.geocities.com/dsmgrrrl/FAQs/leakdown.htm

 

[BUCK]

Do a leak down test to to find out if you have bent valves. It will also help figure how many cylinders were affected and start ordering parts before tearing into the head. It's pretty easy. Good luck!

SO>>>>>>>>> You are reccomending that he rotate a Motor that has jumped time - OR - That he install new Tensioner Assemblies & THEN do a Leak Down to determine if he needs to pull Head?

 

[dontfeedphils]

Last time my engine jumped timing I didn't think it was a huge deal so I was just going to fix the timing belt real quick and take off, heres what I found after I decided to take the head off... and it didn't sound bad at all when it happened.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

 

[spawn7037]

I wouldn't bother doing the timing job first, you would be better off just pulling the head, trust me I learned the hard way. Spent my last day off for the christmas break doing a timing job on my gsx, did a compression test afterwards and was showing 0 compression on all cylinders . So now I won't be able to work on my car for a whole school semester. (my days off are the days I go to school)