ok, so heres what happened, i was on the interstate, doing 75, when all of a sudden i had a loss of power to the wheels, the car stayed running and everything sounded fine. i pulled over to take a look at what happened and noticed my tensioner had broken and frayed my timing belt. however, the belt stayed together and like i said, she saounded fine up to the very moment i turned it off. i towed it home and ordered my parts upon receiving them i replaced the necessary parts and re installed the new timing belt. no start. upon looking closer my timing was slightly off. if my timing was off and i turned it, did that most likely cause collision thus making my engine into a very large paper weight? if there was collision would my engine still turn? guess these are just the first 2 most direct questions i have that will determine if i need to even bother asking anymore... any help would be greatly appreciated..

 

Its bad that it happened at 75. Did you notice if the timing was skipped when you took the old belt off? There has to be some amount of damage but you wont know how much until you pull the head. Also, you should of checked the head before slapping a timing belt on, turning it over with the timing not lined up is not good. It could be worse, pull the head and it will tell you your future.

 

If a collision just bent valves, you'd still turn over fine. If it snapped one off (which happens often enough) you'd hear a lot of noise, and it's unlikely it would turn over.

If you bent valves, it would show very clearly on a leak down compression check without pulliing the heads.

Before you panic, there is also a chance you left a plug hanging when you did the timing belt job. That could be the cause of your non-start. Happens all the time.

If it's a US 96, it has the 2.8 12 valve. Please tell me you timed it with the tools, not by making marks?

 

ok, when i put the new belt one, with incorrect timing, it turned perfectly fine. nothing that indicated an obvious problem. the only noise it made that i couldnt pin down, sounded as though it was in line with the timing (could hear it, at perfectly timed intervals) but after listening closely and placing my hand on the oil pan it really felt like something along those lines. does that sound likely? and it was more like a chugging not so much a knocking.... however after i set the timing correct and reinstalled the new belt, that nooise has since vanished. and now when i crank it i get an occassional back fire.... and no i did not use the proper timing tools..... and also how do i check the "leak down compression check" i am very far from a mechanic but if you can explain something to me i understand very well and learn quickly, and can do anything you can explain. got my service manual in the mail should be here in a few days after that ill have much better understanding. just trying to figure out what i can in the mean time to see where to begin.

 

well first you need a leakdown tester to do a leakdown test. You say chugging and misfires, it sounds like the timing is off.

 

Google it. There are only 8 million web sites that explain it. If you can't get a leak down tester, go to an auto parts store and borrow a compression tester. If your valves are bent badly enough that it won't start, it would show in a simple compression check.

But I'm like Jones, the way you describe it I'm not sure you're timmed right.

 

Ok, well, not exactly sure what to say then, cuz the timing is set to my mark and they are level (individually and together) and still won't fire. Could my tensioner not have the belt tight enough. Going to the parts store tomorrow to borrow a compression tester. Assume that the timing is right and I have compression (by the back fire), what else should I be looking for??

 

you say "your marks" not the marks on the actual engine. The crank has to be timed also not just the heads. Borrow a leak down whilw your at it, it will give you a better idea on the heads condition

 

Jonesy you just beat me to it. There are no marks on that motor, except on the crank pulley. If you see timing marks, someone else put them on there. One of the reasons you need the tool is because your tension is not the same as the last tension.

When you say the cams are level, do you mean when the big holes are both on the inside and the small ones toward the outside? If not, you're off badly. But your timing is never dead on unless you loosen the cam sprockets and use the tool.

 

And also, may be a dumb question, but the timing mark for the crankshaft where do you line that up with?