Won't Start
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Won't Start
OK, I'm a bit embarassed. I have worked on a lot of older cars and this one I don't understand. Have a 2001 Laganza that just started sputering and died at the post office. Couldn't get it started again. Would turn over but wouldn't start. Thought maybe a clogged fuel filter or a vapor lock since I live way down south where it's always hot. Was close to 90 that day. Just towed it home and started working on it. Tried starting once got it home and it wouldn't even turn over. OK hooked up the jumper cables and still wouldn't turn over. Lights would dim, voltage on the battery would drop to about 9 volts, my truck even gave a little groan. Still wouldn't crank. I thought Oh great starter burned up. Now after figuring out all the little hiden things to get the starter out. (WOW do you need small hands to work on these things). I just hooked up the battery to the starter to check it out and away it spun. OK now I really groan and figure so the starter is good. I just went into deep depresion and said, OK next take a peek at the spark plugs, could of locked something up and usually a quick check of the plugs can tell you something. Now is where I get real confused. Went to pull the spark plugs and of course they are under the cover in the middle of the heads, that I knew but when I pulled the plug wires the entire plug hole is full of oil. Now stupid question that shows my age perhapes. Is it supposed to be that way? I'm not used to oil filled plug holes.
Thanks for any input you could give me.
Thanks for any input you could give me.
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- moron
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- Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
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uh... oil in the plug holes is a bad thing... it's probably a cam cover gasket that is leaking into them. now... as to why it would prevent you from cranking, i can think of two things and both aren't good.
with the plugs OUT... bump teh starter and see if it blows oil out of the holes. if the motor turns over... you may just have oil in the cylinders (leaking around the sparkplugs).
if it's not that, it also seems so share some symptoms with a broken timing belt
with the plugs OUT... bump teh starter and see if it blows oil out of the holes. if the motor turns over... you may just have oil in the cylinders (leaking around the sparkplugs).
if it's not that, it also seems so share some symptoms with a broken timing belt
the oil is the last thing you need to worry about at this point... it is a standard issue faulty cam cover gasket.
as Auda suggested, i am afraid this might be a brocken timing belt, try to take the plastic cover of the cam gears and inspect the belt.
MMamdouh
as Auda suggested, i am afraid this might be a brocken timing belt, try to take the plastic cover of the cam gears and inspect the belt.
MMamdouh
Driving is the utmost fun you can have with your pants on!
Check out my ride: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/567267
Check out my ride: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/567267
Thank's MMamdouh, the timing cover was my next step. Luckily this car is the third car so my wife and I are not stranded. Also means I work on it when I get the chance and that means well you get the point. Going to put the starter back on first and then pull the cam cover and then the timing belt cover. Just hope my hands don't get to beat up. Like I said before I like to work on older cars where they used to give you enough room to pull up a chair inside the engine compartment and have at it. Not to many hoses and junk in your way either.
Yeah, space owns you on little cars. You've got to get real creative to access some stuff.69Boss302 wrote:Thank's MMamdouh, the timing cover was my next step. Luckily this car is the third car so my wife and I are not stranded. Also means I work on it when I get the chance and that means well you get the point. Going to put the starter back on first and then pull the cam cover and then the timing belt cover. Just hope my hands don't get to beat up. Like I said before I like to work on older cars where they used to give you enough room to pull up a chair inside the engine compartment and have at it. Not to many hoses and junk in your way either.
You'll learn to love it one day!
--Tim
a real quick easy test to see if the timing belt broke is to have someone turn it over while you look into the oil spout it you see the lifters moving up and down you should be ok because in my opinion it sounds like the coil is shot
if it is the coil wait till the car is cool (like the next morning) and see if it starts up if it does let it idle for awhile and when the coil heats up if its bad it will stall out
if it is the coil wait till the car is cool (like the next morning) and see if it starts up if it does let it idle for awhile and when the coil heats up if its bad it will stall out
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- moron
- Posts: 4493
- Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2004 5:18 am
- Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
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well... theoritically that is correct but on the practical side of things i don't think the accumilated oil in the spark plug hole is that suffecent to cause a hydro lock in a 550cc combustion chamber.
MMamdouh
MMamdouh
Driving is the utmost fun you can have with your pants on!
Check out my ride: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/567267
Check out my ride: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/567267
Timing belt pulley
OK I got the starter back on, and the timing belt cover pulled. Belt is intact but it looks loose just on the bottom. One of what looks to be just a timing belt pulley is, well doesn't look good There was a piece that looks like a ball bearing cage (I'm an electric motor head), but I know there are know ball bearings in there, anyway, it was kind of hanging out of the roller. I will take some pictures later if I can and post them if I can figure out how to do that.
Well the roller is not sitting centered on the nut and it doesn't spin, where the one on the other side will spin, because the belt is loose to it. Now, is this a matter of simply replacing the roller and probably the belt since I'm in there, 75,000 miles on the car. Or since the engine seems locked up, did I jumb a tooth on the belt somewhere and really mess something up.
Well just wanted to update you and see if there were any other idea's. I still need to pull the cam cover and replace the gasket. I'm just wondering if there is any way to make sure everything is lined back up correctly without tearing the engine apart.
I was trying to post a drawing put I guess I'm to computer illiterate. If you have the service manual, the pulley is piece #9, it's the left one and it's part 1333 timing cover (2.0DOHC)
Well the roller is not sitting centered on the nut and it doesn't spin, where the one on the other side will spin, because the belt is loose to it. Now, is this a matter of simply replacing the roller and probably the belt since I'm in there, 75,000 miles on the car. Or since the engine seems locked up, did I jumb a tooth on the belt somewhere and really mess something up.
Well just wanted to update you and see if there were any other idea's. I still need to pull the cam cover and replace the gasket. I'm just wondering if there is any way to make sure everything is lined back up correctly without tearing the engine apart.
I was trying to post a drawing put I guess I'm to computer illiterate. If you have the service manual, the pulley is piece #9, it's the left one and it's part 1333 timing cover (2.0DOHC)
Re: Timing belt pulley
check the how to section for detailed steps on doing that69Boss302 wrote: I will take some pictures later if I can and post them if I can figure out how to do that.
MMamdouh
Driving is the utmost fun you can have with your pants on!
Check out my ride: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/567267
Check out my ride: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/567267
Re: Timing belt pulley
Did the engine turn over after you reinstalled the starter motor?69Boss302 wrote:OK I got the starter back on, and the timing belt cover pulled. Belt is intact but it looks loose just on the bottom. One of what looks to be just a timing belt pulley is, well doesn't look good There was a piece that looks like a ball bearing cage (I'm an electric motor head), but I know there are know ball bearings in there, anyway, it was kind of hanging out of the roller. I will take some pictures later if I can and post them if I can figure out how to do that.
Well the roller is not sitting centered on the nut and it doesn't spin, where the one on the other side will spin, because the belt is loose to it. Now, is this a matter of simply replacing the roller and probably the belt since I'm in there, 75,000 miles on the car. Or since the engine seems locked up, did I jumb a tooth on the belt somewhere and really mess something up.
Well just wanted to update you and see if there were any other idea's. I still need to pull the cam cover and replace the gasket. I'm just wondering if there is any way to make sure everything is lined back up correctly without tearing the engine apart.
I was trying to post a drawing put I guess I'm to computer illiterate. If you have the service manual, the pulley is piece #9, it's the left one and it's part 1333 timing cover (2.0DOHC)
How's the oil level?
Starter motor can be tested good with no load but failed when tested with load (i.e. on an engine)69Boss302 wrote:Nope, still did the same, solinoid picked up but no crank and Battery Voltage Droped. Oil level is OK.
(Edited) Is there a spell checker for this forum?
Make sure the starters terminals are intact.
I've experienced a bad battery may cause an engine not to turn over.
Some suggestions:
Try removing the terminals from the battery and then boost it.
Also try to turn the crank pulley by hand with ratchet, extension, and socket to make sure engine is not seized up. But I doubt that because you said oil level was OK. If possible, while turning the crank pulley, also open the oil cap and see if the cam is turning, as suggested by slammed.