So the starter doesn't run when you switch the ignition to start?

Do you have and know how to use a multimeter?

You snapped the timing belt? You need to verify you didn't bend any valves. Its highly likely you did.
You mentioned you're new to working on cars but you casually mentioned you replaced the timing belt. You are talking about the cogged belt under the plastic covers?

steve said:

So the starter doesn't run when you switch the ignition to start?

Do you have and know how to use a multimeter?

Click to expand...

No the starter doesn’t and yes I know how to use a multimeter and have one.

pauleyman said:

You snapped the timing belt? You need to verify you didn't bend any valves. Its highly likely you did.
You mentioned you're new to working on cars but you casually mentioned you replaced the timing belt. You are talking about the cogged belt under the plastic covers?

Click to expand...

How would I check if I bent any valves? I’d say I’m pretty new to working on cars but I just watch YouTube videos and work on it. Yes that is the belt

To check for bent valves you normally do a compression test. Of course, that involves a working starter so you can crank the engine.

Another way is to use a scope camera to look inside the engine through the spark plug holes, turning the scope to examine the valves and see if they're bent as well as look for any damage to the piston. You can buy a scope at Harbor Freight, or on Amazon.

You could also do a leakdown test, but this will be much more laborious in your present state. For a LDT you screw a compressed air attachment to the spark plug hole of a cylinder. You make sure the cams are rotated so all the valves for that cylinder are closed, and turn the crank so the piston is at top dead center. You'd have to do this in stages so the rest of the valves don't hit their pistons. Once that cylinder is all set, you apply compressed air to the cylinder and listen for where any air is leaking. If you hear hissing air coming from the intake, you have bent intake valves on that piston. If you hear air hissing out of the tail pipe - exhaust valves. Then you move to the next cylinder and repeat the process.

You said you drove down a flooded street, and that you had water in your intake piping. I'm wondering if you ingested water and ended up soaking the plugs, preventing them from firing. Maybe even had hydrostatic lock - enough water in one cylinder to prevent the piston from moving up fully, causing the crank to stop spinning suddenly while the cams were still moving, creating enough stress to snap the timing belt.

Xyloren said:

So I have a 97 Eclipse GST that I was driving one day and it was raining really hard and I ended up driving onto a flooded street.

While I was driving in the flooded street (going 35mph) my car just suddenly dropped speed and then the engine died. I tried to start again but it wouldn’t even crank but still had power like dash, lights, etc.. After I got it home the next day I found out there was water in the spark plug holes and intake piping so I took out all the water as well as changed the oil in case water got into the oil and also found out the timing belt snapped. I’ve read that a snapped timing belt would mean I need a new engine but I went and replaced the spark plugs and put a new belt on (with the new belt the engine does still turn over by hand) as well as put on a new CAM sensor and CRANK sensor. I got the starter tested and it was good, as well as got a new battery but still no crank no start.

What should I do now? I’m honestly thinking of just taking it to a shop but I’m pretty tight on money rn. BTW this is my first car and I’ve had it for little over a year now and I’m also new to working on cars and DSMs in general but just wanted to ask for some help.

Click to expand...

I also forgot to mention that when trying to start the fuel pump primes when I turn the key to start

CKOPOCT said:

To check for bent valves you normally do a compression test. Of course, that involves a working starter so you can crank the engine.

Another way is to use a scope camera to look inside the engine through the spark plug holes, turning the scope to examine the valves and see if they're bent as well as look for any damage to the piston. You can buy a scope at Harbor Freight, or on Amazon.

You could also do a leakdown test, but this will be much more laborious in your present state. For a LDT you screw a compressed air attachment to the spark plug hole of a cylinder. You make sure the cams are rotated so all the valves for that cylinder are closed, and turn the crank so the piston is at top dead center. You'd have to do this in stages so the rest of the valves don't hit their pistons. Once that cylinder is all set, you apply compressed air to the cylinder and listen for where any air is leaking. If you hear hissing air coming from the intake, you have bent intake valves on that piston. If you hear air hissing out of the tail pipe - exhaust valves. Then you move to the next cylinder and repeat the process.

You said you drove down a flooded street, and that you had water in your intake piping. I'm wondering if you ingested water and ended up soaking the plugs, preventing them from firing. Maybe even had hydrostatic lock - enough water in one cylinder to prevent the piston from moving up fully, causing the crank to stop spinning suddenly while the cams were still moving, creating enough stress to snap the timing belt.

Click to expand...

I do have a scope camera I could use to look inside, there was water filled to the top of cylinder 2 and 3 in the spark plug holes and I removed the water before I took the spark plugs out but when I took the spark plugs out of 2 and 3 there was no water but cylinder 1 had little water in the spark plugs hole till I took out the spark plug then there was water inside the cylinder and I removed it, while cylinder 4 had little water with the spark plug in and when I took it out. I also checked all the fuses and they’re all good

Ok. So that tells the story. You ingested water... a lot of it. And since water doesn't compress, you hydrolocked the engine. That's what snapped the timing belt. It's possible there are other things damaged as well. The pistons on 2 and 3 essentially hit a brick wall with that water in there. That put a lot of stress on the rods and bearings. I've seen a couple of engines snap rods from hydrolock.

At this point I'd say you're looking at pulling the head at a minimum, but may be staring down the barrel of a full rebuild. I'd ask others to weigh in, those who have more experience in rebuilding the 4g63 to see what they'd recommend.

Really sorry this happened. Sucks, man.

CKOPOCT said:

Ok. So that tells the story. You ingested water... a lot of it. And since water doesn't compress, you hydrolocked the engine. That's what snapped the timing belt. It's possible there are other things damaged as well. The pistons on 2 and 3 essentially hit a brick wall with that water in there. That put a lot of stress on the rods and bearings. I've seen a couple of engines snap rods from hydrolock.

At this point I'd say you're looking at pulling the head at a minimum, but may be staring down the barrel of a full rebuild. I'd ask others to weigh in, those who have more experience in rebuilding the 4g63 to see what they'd recommend.

Really sorry this happened. Sucks, man.

Click to expand...

Alright I get what you’re saying, thank you for the help I really appreciate it and it helped a lot

CKOPOCT said:

Ok. So that tells the story. You ingested water... a lot of it. And since water doesn't compress, you hydrolocked the engine. That's what snapped the timing belt. It's possible there are other things damaged as well. The pistons on 2 and 3 essentially hit a brick wall with that water in there. That put a lot of stress on the rods and bearings. I've seen a couple of engines snap rods from hydrolock.

At this point I'd say you're looking at pulling the head at a minimum, but may be staring down the barrel of a full rebuild. I'd ask others to weigh in, those who have more experience in rebuilding the 4g63 to see what they'd recommend.

Really sorry this happened. Sucks, man.

Click to expand...

So if I were to pull the head would I just need to get the block or bottom replaced or rebuilt?

I would wait to see what others say first. But if the consensus is that a rebuild is the right way to go, then that means both the bottom end and the head.

Given the engine was running when the t-belt broke, it is very likely you have bent valves. That means the head will probably need to be rebuilt to fix that. Even if the valves aren't bent the head should still be checked by a machinist to ensure it is true (perfectly flat) and that everything is okay.

As you are not experienced, hold off. There's a lot to pulling the head and block and we can give you advice that will make things go a lot smoother should you decide to do this yourself. But one step at a time.

@steve and @pauleyman, what do you think about the integrity of the engine given hydrolock? What would you advise?

Depending on how fast the engine was turning when it drove through the water it could have bent a rod at this point. How hard does it turn over by hand?

CrazyDave said:

Depending on how fast the engine was turning when it drove through the water it could have bent a rod at this point. How hard does it turn over by hand?

Click to expand...

It’s actually relatively easy to turn over by hand after removing the crank pulley, I don’t have to use that much force to rotate it

Xyloren said:

I do have a scope camera I could use to look inside, there was water filled to the top of cylinder 2 and 3 in the spark plug holes and I removed the water before I took the spark plugs out but when I took the spark plugs out of 2 and 3 there was no water but cylinder 1 had little water in the spark plugs hole till I took out the spark plug then there was water inside the cylinder and I removed it, while cylinder 4 had little water with the spark plug in and when I took it out

Click to expand...

You need objective data. Compression, leakdown boroscope etc. I think the guess is probably right, you sucked water and the damage is catastrophic. Likely why belt broke etc.

pauleyman said:

You need objective data. Compression, leakdown boroscope etc. I think the guess is probably right, you sucked water and the damage is catastrophic. Likely why belt broke etc.

Click to expand...

Yeah I just got done using the boroscope and will send the pictures shortly but I did find out that when I rotate the engine it will get stuck at a certain point and when I rotate it the opposite direction a bit and go back it won’t be stuck anymore. I also found that when rotating piston 1 doesn’t rotate with the others and is the one getting stuck, piston 1 is about 2 inches lower than piston 4 at TDC

From top to bottom is 1- 4

If the spark plugs are removed and you feel a "hard" spot while turning that isn't good at all. Rod is probably broken and valves are probably damaged. Time to pull the engine

CrazyDave said:

If the spark plugs are removed and you feel a "hard" spot while turning that isn't good at all. Rod is probably broken and valves are probably damaged. Time to pull the engine

Click to expand...

That’s what I was thinking after I finished rotating the crank