Mark1127

Hi, Honda techies,

I very recently bought an '87 Civic with 235K miles.
4 cyl, 1.5L engine, manual tranny.
I have no idea what service has ever been done on it.

It was running fine for about a month.
Then, I suddenly smelled rubber, it made just a little bit of a clanky noise, and it stopped.
When I try to start it, it sounds like the starter motor Only is working...
a constant buzz, like maybe the bendix gear is not throwing out to hit the flywheel.
There's no pattern of noise like zz-zz-zz-zz-zz that you'd get with pistons generating compression.
Just a constant zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Still, I Really doubt that the starter is the problem.

I think it's a timing belt.
I don't even know if this thing has a belt or a chain.
A friend who knows quite a bit about mechanics in general says my description indicates that...
the problem is definately Not the timing belt/chain.

Regardless, my best guess is the timing belt/chain.

Question #1: Is this an Interference engine?
You know the question... did the pistons and valves destroy each other?

And question #2: If the problem is the timing belt/chain,
what noise would I hear when trying to start it?

Thanks very much, in advance.

Mark1127

cbstd

These cars have a timing belt.

#1 Yes, it is an interference engine and you have bent some valves.

#2 The sound you will be hearing is silence as the engine will not run.

The very first question one should ask when buying an old Honda is, "When was the timing belt last changed?" If the answer is not "recently" you will want to change the timing belt ASAP.

About the only things that will kill an old Hondas engine is neglecting the oil or the timing belt.

Scott

Castaway2000

yep if the belt broke your engine is screwed you best be doing a swap or scrapping it unless you want to rebuild the engine

cbstd

Oh hell No! A couple of bent valves is no big deal. A junkyard head will swap right up and you can be on the road ASAP.

Mark1127

Well, thanks for the replies, people.
Scott... I understand that it won't run, but it's Not "silence" that I'm getting.
As previously mentioned, there's a constant "zzzzzzzzzzzzz"

I'm asking what I would hear because...
I want to be certain that the broken timing belt is actually the problem.
Does that zzzzzzz sound indicate that the timing belt is kaput?

Thanks very much for your help.

Mark1127

cbstd

Hard to tell what sound you are describing. It could be the fuel pump, it could be the starter motor, it could be... who knows?

It is simple enought to see if your timing belt is broken, open up the top of the timing belt cover and take a look.

Scott

85WagonMan

I used to own a 87' four door and the timing belt broke... It actually made the same sounds as you described. I put it back in time, threw on a new belt and it fired right up with all the valves untouched.

Foowee

^ What he said... Just because it's an interference engine, that doesn't mean the valves are bent if the belt breaks. I say remove the upper timing cover to verify if the belt is broken or not. If it is broken, replace it n see what happens.

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