WTF!! Timing marks off and VERY loud tap up top?

[triton185]

OK, i have a 95 talon tsi. I had a guy change the timing belt the other day. I drove the car home, just about 3 miles. Everything seemed ok but last night i had the car in my garage just idling. It ran for about 2 or 3 minutes and it just stopped. I don't mean cut off , I mean it just made a made a quick noise and stopped completely.

My first thought was it locked up.
Then I tried to crank it and it would not turn an inch.

About 15 minutes later i tried cranking it again and it cranked. I didn't drive it but just sitting there it sounded ok.

Today I go out and crank it and there is a huge tapping sound that seems to be coming from the top end.

I took the timing belt cover off and the timing marks were both at about 3 oclock. Looking in the chilton book i saw that they should be at : the left one at 3 and the right one at 9.

Did my mechanic just screw up?

And is it going to hurt anything to drive it 3 miles to his shop the way it is?

thanks in advance.

 

[SBstar]

I wouldn't even start it if the timing is off. The loud sound you're hearing could very well be the pistons colliding with the valves. If so you might have a real problem on your hands. It could mean you'll need a new head or at least a rebuild. If you can get it onto a trailer and have the mechanic fix it. And when he does have him fix it for free, and make sure he replaces the balance shaft belt too if he hasn't already done that.

 

[styx]

I wouldn't even start it if the timing is off. The loud sound you're hearing could very well be the pistons colliding with the valves. If so you might have a real problem on your hands. It could mean you'll need a new head or at least a rebuild. If you can get it onto a trailer and have the mechanic fix it. And when he does have him fix it for free, and make sure he replaces the balance shaft belt too if he hasn't already done that.

if you paid an autoshop to change the belt and the timing is off keep cranking and make sure all the valves get smashed so you can get a free head at the cost of their insurance company. if you are lucky enough and are able to break a piston you could even get a free motor to.

 

[Daimyo]

You should call him about the problem and have him tow or trailer it back to his shop.

It sounds like the belt jumped from your description of the marks and the noises.
Hopefully there is no valve damage.

/D

 

[triton185]

thanks for the help. i definitely won't drive the thing. I wish i had not even run it at all once i heard it. i'm going to talk to my mechanic in the morning. well one day i'll actually get to drive the damn car. i bought 3 mos. ago and have only driven it about 20 miles. just glad its a project.
thanks

 

[Defiant]

Did my mechanic just screw up?

Yup.

And is it going to hurt anything to drive it 3 miles to his shop the way it is?

Yup. And, it's already screwed up. Count on it.

 

[TotalEclipse112]

Something to rember when checking the timing marks is that unless you can see all 4 (intake and exhaust camshaft sprokets, crankshaft pully, and the mark on the foreward balance schaft pully) there is no way to tell if the motor is out of time just by looking at the camshat sprokets. But since you did pay someone to do it I would have it towed to their shop at their expense and let them deal with it

 

[huafist]

If the mechanic had put the timing belt on THAT far out of whack, the car wouldn't have ever started. You need to make sure that the crank is at TDC then check the marks (it could take up to 6 complete rotations of the crank to make everything line up). Just use a 1/2" drive ratched and a 6" extension to turn the crank clockwise. Do it SLOWLY, and if you encounter any resistance, stop. It would also be a good idea to take the plugs out so you don't have to fight compression.

If it's still off (which I suspect it is), have it towed back to the mechanic. DON'T intentionally try to cause more damage - lots of times, mechanics will tell you "tough shit" in a situation like this.