still in denial timing belt question

[speedy13]

I was headed to the bay yesterday and car just died coming to a stop light. No problem I said to myself, just the ISC acting up. So I go to give her a start and then I hear it... dun, dun dun... You guys know what sound I'm talking about, that sound when your engine is just turning freely, without a compression stroke in the world. I pull her off to the side of the road, walk home, since I was only about a mile away, grab some tools, hop in the vr4, and take off the timing cover to confirm my suspisions. So I take off the cover, give the engine a few turns, and yup, the timing belt go bye bye. My question is, how do i find out if I bent any valves without throwing another timing belt on there? Or do I have to throw another timing belt on there to find out? Or should I just pull the head and get it over with? Imput and how much you guy spent in these circumstances is greatly apreciated.

 

[talonracn49]

Just put the timing belt on it, and try it.

You can take off the valve cover and look for tossed rockers, but it doesnt have to toss them to have bent valves.

Good luck with the rebuild.

 

[FORMONTOYA]

If you heard the "clank", then you more than likely bent valves. It's rare to loose a belt and not at least bend valves, but it's been done.

I would just "bite the bullet" and pull the head to start the rebuild process.

 

[Defiant]

My question is, how do i find out if I bent any valves without throwing another timing belt on there?

You did. They were what stopped the flywheel's momentum.

 

[speedy13]

Yeah I figured. Car was in neutral when it hapened, if that helps. To top it all off, I'm moving this weekend from an apartment to a duplex, so I got a busy weekend. At least I have a garage now so I can have downtime now.There was no clack sound, car was droping to idle speed, and the radio was off as usual so I know I didn't hear a noise. I'm gonna slap a timing belt on there next week and see what happens. Yes I'm still in denial.

 

[BISHILVR]

Denial aint just a river in egypt. If you tried cranking the engine over with the timing gears not turning then its pretty much over, just pull the head and save yourself the work of putting a timing belt on twice and taking it back off once.

 

[wildfire]

Are you saying that if the car died because the timing was bad, and then someone tries to start the car, that will damage the heads?

I just posted, "Eclipse died while speeding down the highway", and I know nothing about cars. I'm searching around the threads so I can print out stuff for my husband to check before we take the car to the shop. He thinks the car died because of the timing. He wasn't at an idle, though. He was speeding along a highway.

Sorry to butt in on someone else's question. I just thought, "if I make hubby do anything to that car and it turns out to be something he has to re-do because I didn't warn him about something...."

Please forgive me and my ignorance.

Speedy, I hope you get your little car running again soon. Sounds like you like yours as much as I like mine- a whole lot!

 

[95talon_in_ma]

You can do a quick check by getting a spark plug adapter for a compressor air line. Blow a few lbs of pressure in there (when both cams for that cylinder are in the closed position), and you'll hear the leak if it's bent or broken.
It's the same thing you can do to replace valve seals instead of pulling the head. Blowing the air in there will hold the valves up and allow you take the springs off and change the seals.
I'd say since the car was idling you might have gotten lucky.

Of course if you know anyone (a top end mechanic), with an Oscilliscope, they can peak in there and tell you right away.

 

[BISHILVR]

What I was saying was that if the valves did'nt bend when the engine shut off the first time, then they are surely bent now with him cranking the engine over and over trying to get it to start.

 

[speedy13]

Ar contrair manfrair. If the valves got stuck in the closed position when the timing belt went, you can spin the pistons all day and you'll never touch a valve. My timing belt ended up striping where the crankshaft goes, so the crankshaft would spin but the cams would stay in place.Lucky for me, this is what hapened, otherwise, your right.I slapped on a timing belt last night just to see what would happen. As soon as i was doing the 6 turns, to double check the tension, I felt compression from the engine, good sign. I gave her a go and she started like a champ, like nothing ever happened. Had her on for about a minute,reved it to like 2500 once or twice, then turned it back off cause I had no waterpump and accessories connected. now I'm gonna change cam and crank seals, water pump, BS belt, all the pulleys, tensioner,etc,etc. Just so it goes documented, I GOT LUCKY. But just remember guys, there's hope out there if your a lazy moron like me that mods before maintanance. If you where at a stop light, or a stop sign and it just dies and your valves stay in the closed pisition, you just might get lucky.

 

[ROOKIE1]

How lucky are you ? Its remove the bs not replace . Don't push your luck .