xchikon

I bought another del sol about two weeks ago and ever since I've had it I heard a rattling noise. It became more frequent the more I drove it. I would only hear it rarely and then recently every time I hit 1800rpm or above.
A few days ago I went to drive to a friends and the car was shifting terribly, like it was releasing the clutch extremely delayed. It was sluggishly getting into gear. Then about a block away it died completely. I tried to start it but nothing. I got my jump pack out of the trunk and it made a noise when I tried to start it and the motor moved vigorously.

I pushed the car back home and that was it.

From what I've been reading the sound seems to have been a throwout bearing or ISB. The noise however was constant with or without the clutch depressed. When I would turn on the car at a cold start I would hear the rattle only initially because of the high idle. Then while driving I would hear it as well.
I would also slow down and rev the car with the clutch depressed to try and pin point where the hell the noise was coming from. There was much less of a rattle but I could hear something.

My question is am I right in assuming its one of those two bearings? Would complete failure of those not allow the car to start? And could I have fucked up the transmission by trying to start it multiple times?

Either way if it's a problem with the bearings, and my motor is fine, I'm just going to buy another transmission because I can't afford the downtime trying to rip apart the transmission and figure out what's going on. A swap is much easier for me right now.

Btw. 93 Del Sol, D16

Thanks for any help!

xchikon

Bump , please help

holmesnmanny

Compression test first to check the condition of the engine.

xchikon

Engine isn't cranking. When I try to start the car the dash lights dim until there's nothing and when i release the key they come back on

holmesnmanny

Check your alternator belt for breakage.

If intact, have your battery and alternator tested at a parts store.

Pull the valve cover and see if your timing belt is still intact.

xchikon

I'll check that later today or tomorrow. Battery was tested recently and is good. I'll test alternator next. I pulled the tranny because someone said a clutch spring might have sprung out. Clutch is good.

Could a bad starter cause this? Possibly by not allowing the flywheel to turn? I don't know to much about starters but I read they retract themselves from the grooves of the flywheel after starting. Is that true or complete bullshit?

Anyway thanks for the help

holmesnmanny

You said specifically its not cranking. Is it not cranking/turning over or is it turning over but not actually starting ?

xchikon

The car isn't cranking at all

Sheela96

If the lights just dim when you go to start it then you either have a low charge on your battery or a bad starter.
If you have a low charge on your battery but the battery is good, your alternator is bad. Check for belt damage as suggested. If belts are good, pull the alt and take it in to a parts store and have them test it.

Checking the starter is pretty easy. Just make sure the battery is connected and bridge the diodes ON THE STARTER(using a quarter held in a pair of needle-nose pliers or something like that). If they spark with the battery hooked up, the starter is good.
Do not DO NOT bridge the diodes on the battery. You will more than likely get hurt.

If that doesn't work, check the condition of your ground wires. A loose or corroded ground wire can keep your starter, fuel pump, or both from working. If a wire came loose while your were driving and your fuel pump cut out, that could be your problem.
If the starter, alternator, and ground wires are all good. you've got bigger problems and they are almost guaranteed to not be mechanical. Start checking wiring for shorts, fuses for proper voltage/damage, that kind of stuff.

xchikon

Okay I will get to checking all this. But the car wouldn't crank after it had already died while I was driving. And when it died it was shifting horribly, and then died.

m4xwellmurd3r

Clutch is probably destroyed and is mechanically siezing the engine between the pressureplate and bell housing.

I had my clutch fork bolt sheer, made a loud rattling, then the engine sized 100%. Instant I pulled the tras off the bolt fell out.

Im guessing something happened to your clutch or throwout bearing and now the engine is locked.

xchikon

Previous owner said clutch was just replaced. Got trans off and so far the clutch looks pretty damn new but I haven't had time to take the pressure plate off yet

Sheela96

Just because it's new doesn't mean it was installed properly. I'd say m4x is onto something

xchikon

thats initially what I was thinking and thats why I started pulling the trans. Will I be able to visibly see anything wrong with the clutch when I remove the pressure plate?

m4xwellmurd3r

If it was the clutch, then you bet you will. Also look for any gouging in the bellhousing. Since the trans is off, go ahead and try rotating the engine manually.