Quit running while driving, sounds different when cranked?

[nwTercel]

I am currently on the side of the road waiting for help. Not even a mile from my house it just stopped running, now when I try to start it it sounds higher pitched and seems to spin faster? It's currently hard to tell because I don't have anyone currently to turn the key while I watch what's happening, but from what I can see through the crack while my hood is open the starter is engaging and spinning the motor...but almost sounds like it would if you had the spark plugs out and turned it over. Over the past week I have been doing some light off roading up on a friends property, the last time I was up there a couple days ago it acted kind of like it was running out of gas or it had a bad accelerator pump. It would bog down and try to die when under load, but when I would bring the rpm's up enough and ease in the clutch slowly it would start to move under its own power...I let it sit for an hour or so after that and it was fine. Before I left the house today it would crank over (sounded normal) but not start, I figured maybe I was really low on fuel and topped it off with a gas can and poured a bit of gas in the carb to help it, and it started just fine. Now I'm here haha, I'll have to wait until I get it home and go through it...any suggestions?

[Petros]

hard to say, perhaps cam timing belt broken or skipped some teeth. The engine spins because some of the valves are open so no compression. pull the timing belt cover off and see if the belt is good, and check timing marks. quick check is to pull spark plugs adn see if you can get any compression, also pull distrituor cap and see if the rotor turns when you crank it.

[irowiki]

You can slightly bend the timing belt cover off while it is being cranked and see if the big sprocket spins!

[Gottolovem]

Sounds like a timing belt

[marlinh]

Agreed

[nwTercel]

Timing belt was my first guess because of the seeming lack of compression, just about to tow it back to the house here shortly, thanks for the quick input. These aren't interference motors right?

[Gottolovem]

Correct the motor is non interferance

[nwTercel]

Yep, tensioner seized and caused the belt to snap!



Its been a few days since I pulled it apart, and was planning on picking up everything I needed this weekend. Probably am going to a local import parts place to get it all, but I have been looking on rock auto and autohausaz, a lot of the timing belts they have listed on there say "interference engine" and some do not specify... aren't all 3A's supposed to be non interference? ...and are timing belts on 3A, 4A etc the same and I don't need to worry whether its specified as a belt for an interference or not?

[dlb]

yes, all 3a engines are non-interference. not sure if 4ac timing belts are the same as 3a's though.

[larry mcgrath]

You havent said how many miles are on this engine ? While your at it I'd replace the water pump,front crankshaft oil seal and camshaft oil seal. Larry

[nwTercel]

Thanks for the info..I've got 318k haha, I definitely plan on replacing the h2o pump, crank seal, and everything else in that region. Come next month I'll be rebuilding all of the front suspension and more

[irowiki]

Curious, that the tensioner went before the belt. When was the last time the tensioner and or belt were changed?

[nwTercel]

There is a sticker on the core support that says the last timing belt change was at 241k, so it was well over due for a change, my guess is that they didn't change the tensioner. If the tensioner was also replaced at that time I find it quite surprising that the timing belt lasted longer (haha well not much longer), it was pretty cracked and dried out as you can see. I really have no history on the car besides the guy who owned it before me had it for a couple months, and before that apparently a pastor/preacher owned it and didn't take it on the highway very often.

[Petros]

I have never had a factory tensioner seize, no matter the miles. It is possible that when the belt was replaced last an aftermarket tensioner was installed, and you see the results. better order your parts, or verify they are available locally, not many auto parts stores keep in stock parts for cars this old, but they can usually get them within a day or so. Just check with you local store first so they can have them for you when to go to get them.

[nwTercel]

Got all my oem quality parts on their way, was going to pick them up locally but had some money in my paypal account so I decided to use it to get the stuff from Autohausaz, and they have free shipping. Should be here monday or tuesday, I've never been fond of using NAPA, O'Reillys, etc for sourcing parts on anything but an old american car, and they never seem to get it right the first time. There is a local place called Halsey Imports that is good, but prices are usually a bit higher if its not something european. Now I'm on the search for the elusive front swaybar to control arm bushings!