congrats

i think its a bust rod but will just pull the engine--i have 2 good engines a built 2.4 shortblock and a built 2.0 longblock with an hx40. just hope i have at least one good head out of the 2 for the 2.4

I bought a 97 gsx that had supposedly just a broken balance shaft belt( but it doesnt) . I turn engine by hand and made clunking sound down low--took both cams off looks like all valves are up and tried again. same clunk but if i rotated it back and forth a little it would continue to rotate...

well i WAS go put it back in time for the hell of it, but the belt is so stretched i can not get it to tension. oh well another crankwalked 7 bolt.

i still taking apart for now just to see where the marks end up

well it all a moot point at this time as went to take crank pulley off and was able to move entire crank well more than 1/4 of an inch in n out. so when i get to it it will be time to pull the engine

i dont see how it can be 0 when i have gotten 60 already across the board. but just got back and will start tearing into to in about an hour, but u can be right i never rule anything out.

i can tell right now i already know the black 98 has jumped 2 teeth like said earlier but will make complete positive conformation later-- when i get it started i will shut it of and do a complete timing belt kit on it.

if i have to remove heads i will just replace the engine with my backups

balance belt issue is on the 97(green one) not this one that we have been discussing

i do trust my instincts but any mechanic that tells you he knows everything is the same mechanic that knows nothing, So i came her to just post the qquestion and hopefully other may learn from it. "The more I learn the dumber I feel" (a quote that i love) plus i love learning more specifics...

with what u said i verified both gears to be 2 teeth retarded. so when i completely verify tomorrow (witch i am now more positive) that it will be off i will be sure that u were the winner. thank u sometime i forget the old tricks i used, been a hevy mech for 15 plus years now and have been...

cam gears line up correctly. with that said i put a dowel down #1 piston and watched it, and it was not at tdc when cam gears are aligned it actually comes up 2 teeth approx before the cam gears line up.

so either out of time or head gasket?

actually both cars dont run but was told black one stopped running for no reason and the green one popped the balance belt will try to get a good look at both this weekend, but my 94 tsi with a 6 bolt runs. i have engines already if need be for both cars but want to use in case of something else...