2000 Lanos won't start

[gasloan]

My wife drove our 2000 Lanos about 60 miles last week for a doctors appointment. She parked in the parking lot, spent a couple of hours in the doctors office and when she left to come home the car would not start. It turns over but doesn't fire. We had it towed home and I have determined that it is getting fuel and fire, but it still will not fire up. The starter sounds normal as it is turning over. I have checked all fuses, relays etc...at wits end..any ideas? The car ran perfect before she turned it off...

Jerry Sloan

Liberal, MO

[DomWoo]

pull off the timing belt cover and see if the timing belt is snaped... my friend pulled her lanos into a parking spot and right as she was turning it off it died so she thought that it just turned off but the belt broke

[gasloan]

pull off the timing belt cover and see if the timing belt is snaped... my friend pulled her lanos into a parking spot and right as she was turning it off it died so she thought that it just turned off but the belt broke

Ok where is the timing belt cover?

Thanks

Jerry

[DomWoo]

ok well i just went out and pulled her timing belt cover off and it didnt break.. it ripped all the teath right off

[DomWoo]

the quickest way to tell if your timeing belt went out is to take a flat screw driver and pry the lip of the belt cover off the top of the head. they pry it back to see if the belt is loose or not.. the timing belt cover is on the passengers side (US passenger) it starts at the top of the engine head and goes all the way down to the crank.. very hard to get at

[gasloan]

Ok, I will try that...but will I still get spark at the plud wires if the belt is snapped?

Jerry

[DomWoo]

ummm... maybe.. i think the spark runs off the crank sensor not the cam sensor

[gasloan]

Well the good news is the timing belt is intact and appears to be relatively new..what now..

Jerry

[DomWoo]

if it took teath off like the one that im working on now... you wont really know unless you have someone turn the car over while you look at it..

things i would look at.. check fuel pump, make sure you are getting spark

[gasloan]

If you read my original post, I am getting fuel and spark. I will check to make sure that all the teeth are on the timing belt. If they are and I am getting fuel and spark what else could it be. I will be at work all day so you won't hear from me until later tonight.

Jerry

[LanosLvr]

I had the same problem...altho I did have to replace my timing belt, the valves on my car were broken all 16 and had to be replaced and sealed. You might want to take a look at your valves and make sure they are all closed. Its a big project but my car did the same thing that you said your car was doing!

[BosnianLanos]

Check to make sure it isn't your alternator that is shot.

If you have the opportunity to, hook up (jumper cables) the Lanos to a running car that is getting 14 volts. If the Lanos fires up and works on jumper cables then you know it is either alternator, or simply a weak battery that doesn't have enough power to start the car.

[gasloan]

Well I hope all 16 of my valves aren't broken, I just got home and will be looking further into timing belt. We have tried to jump the car...but like I said it turns over just fine and has fuel and spark..



Jerry

[BosnianLanos]

Fuel OK, Spark OK, Alternator OK, Fuses OK, Starter OK. Hmmm...

I'm running out of recommendations. I seriously hope it isn't the timing belt, but most of the stuff that it could be has checked out ok.

Good Luck.

[gasloan]

Well I just pried back the timing belt cover and had someone turn over the engine, nothing moved.... The timing belt it tight but apparently teeth are stripped off down by the crank...arrrrggghhhhhh........ Does this also mean my valves are broken too???????


Jerry