Loud Pop and then thwapp thwapp thwapp!

[chelfy]

I was driving my 97gst today low rpm's turning down a street when all of the sudden i heard a popping noise and then a thwapp thwapp thwapp. I turned the engine off, looked under the hood (nightime) and couldn't feel any broken belts. I am guessing it is the timing belt (No time to investigate because I used my girlfriends AAA to have it towed to mechanic shop overnight).

I had the timing belt replaced at 93k and now the car has 104k.

If the timing belt did indeed break and screw up my engine should I be entitled to free repair from the shop who sold and installed the timing belt?

If anyone can give me a bit of advice on how to handle this situation I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[dSmgs-T]

unless you were severly beating on the car in those 10k of the new belt i highly doubt thats what it is...

 

[AlaskanDsm]

I wouldn't think that it would be the shop that installed the belt who you would contact but maybe the makers of the belt. If that is what turns out to be th problem. But from what you described, I wouldn't think it was the timing belt because YOU turned off the engine. In my experience, if you lose you timing belt...the engine would die...as far as i know because how else is the engine getting fuel and air? you will just have to wait and see what the shop says or dig into it yourself

 

[slcorman91]

Are you sure it isn't your diff in the tranny. Did the motor stop running? You should be able to check and see if the timing marks line up still. Can you go into detail a little more?

 

[99RedGs]

I assume you checked alternator belt / power steering / a/c belt ? When I blew one of them recently it made the same noise your talking about. The broken belt wrapped around the crank pulley and it was hard to see it at night. Something to think about if you haven't checked it. Everyone seemed to over look the fact that it could be one of those belts. If it was alternator your car would still keep running because it is running off the battery. These belts are Extremely easy to fix and I wouldn't pay a shop to do it. Were you experiencing any squeaking or anything? It has been pretty cold here so if it was slipping the stress cold have worn it down and broke it. I mean its -2 in Menomonie here so I assume its just as cold down there.

 

[bane3d]

Also, check your warranty. Most shops only have a 6000 mile warranty for things like a timing belt.

d

 

[turboblack2door]

most definently is not the timing belt because if it was you wouldn't have to shut it off it would have died right then and there

 

[brassc2007]

Is it more of a slapping sound, or a nocking sound? If it still runs then it is not the timing belt. Check to make sure you didnt throw a rod.

 

[chelfy]

You know the more I think about this the more i'm confused as to what the problem is. Indeed the car did stay running, although it sounded terrible, so it isn' t the timing belt. Maybe I'll drive over to the shop today in the girlfriends car and take a peak with some wrenches during the daytime since the shop wont be getting to it until Friday.

I can't but feel like I should have held on to my reliable Integra GSR now that my GST is becoming a huge expense to me. In the last year alternator, clutch, slave and master cylinder, starter, disc brakes, ignition, and now this

 

[FORMONTOYA]

I can't but feel like I should have held on to my reliable Integra GSR now that my GST is becoming a huge expense to me. In the last year alternator, clutch, slave and master cylinder, starter, disc brakes, ignition, and now this

Well...it is a 10 year old car. No matter what you buy you will eventually have to do maintenance work on it. Stay on top of the maintenance in stead of waiting for things to just "take a crap" and it will not hit you all at once (and that goes for any vehicle).

 

[99RedGs]

You know the more I think about this the more i'm confused as to what the problem is. Indeed the car did stay running, although it sounded terrible, so it isn' t the timing belt. Maybe I'll drive over to the shop today in the girlfriends car and take a peak with some wrenches during the daytime since the shop wont be getting to it until Friday.

I can't but feel like I should have held on to my reliable Integra GSR now that my GST is becoming a huge expense to me. In the last year alternator, clutch, slave and master cylinder, starter, disc brakes, ignition, and now this

My money is on an accessory belt..

 

[chelfy]

My money is on an accessory belt..

I hope your right. I will post the problem when I find out.

 

[6 bolt dreams]

When they did the timing belt did they install a new tensioner? When i was doning my community survie a month a go i dumped into a guy that use to work for a dealership cant remeber which one but he used to work on dsm all the time and was telling me he used to replace a lot of them cause they were only good for 80k or so?

 

[FORMONTOYA]

Actually the auto tensioner and balance belt (if you still use it) should be replaced with every TB job at the minimum.

But the timing belt would NOT be the issue if he had to turn the car off himself as when the TB goes...the car will die.

 

[Calan]

But the timing belt would NOT be the issue if he had to turn the car off himself as when the TB goes...the car will die.

And the sound would more likely be a "clank rattle clank" as the valves smacked into the pistons, rather than "thwap thwap thwap"

My bet is on an alt or A/C belt. Check the harmonic balancer (crank pulley) to make sure it hasn't separated while you're at it. It's common problem and will throw belts.

 

[chelfy]

Well guys it turns out one of the spark plugs shot out of the engine. I had to have it rethreaded but at least it wasn't anything major.

 

[bane3d]

Wow, were you able to verify that it didn't score the walls and your got buy with a fairly cheap fix?

d

 

[chelfy]

Wow, were you able to verify that it didn't score the walls and your got buy with a fairly cheap fix?

d

I didn't do the work, a local mechanic who said he has seen this happen before did the work. I don't think there was an issue with the walls of the piston getting scored because I don't think any part of the spark plug fell into the chamber.