Spiffious

Hi folks! I have a '93 dx 5spd hatch. I am pretty mechanically inclined, but like to be well researched. While I was doing some maintainance on the car in the driveway, the engine idled smooth, but then I started to hear a rattley sound in the engined, followed soon by a brief clunking as the engine stalled. I later found a chunk of timing belt on the driveway. D'oh! Should have replaced it sooner!

Anyway, The car is a beater, but I love its hatchback utility and great gas mileage, and don't want to let the car go. Problem is lack of fundage as a poor college student. What needs to be done to fix the car cheaply? (used/junkyard stuff [other than belts/gaskets] is ok with me. How can I determine what problems there are. Obviously, the valves/cams are not in time with the pistons/crankshaft. Possibly bent valves. How economic/difficult is it to repair a head? IS a junkyard head a better option? What steps do I need here.
Thanks for any input, it is appreciated!
-alex

Rock Meathammer

If the belt broke you are looking at some bent valves. A junkyard head will do fine if you're only looking to get by. You could also remove the head, inspect it as much as you can, and send it to a machine shop for them to deck it and replace the bent valves. You may not have to deck it though. Let the machine shop decide. You're going to need a timing belt kit (water pump is optional but is highly recommended), You'll also need a head gasket kit. The HG kit will come with all the other gaskets you will be removing. If you don't get the kit, try to be gentle taking the intake manifold off. The gaskets tend to stick halfway on the head and halfway on the manifold.

hatchi

i would pull off the head and make sure the block is still good. i'd just get another motor to drop in there

EJAYATE

Your probably looking at a new head for sure. Hope theres no damage to the pistons though, but it's not like you were revving the **** out of it so you could be fine. Pull off the head an check it out. Your probably looking at like $50 bucks tops for a used head.

Minglor

Well the D15B7 is a cheap engine
Buy one complete for a hundred bucks

I would say Just do the belt first and then a compression check there is a chance you didn't kill things because you were at idle.

.Kevin.

I love how everyone says you need a new motor. It just shows how much they truely know. People can bend valves when a timing belt brakes sure. They also can do no damage what so ever. A timing belt is not a very difficult job on a sohc motor if you are mechanicaly inclined ( two hours or so). I would reccomend changing the belt and then seeing if the car does not run properly. If you are inclined enough to take the cyl. head off then go for it and check the valves. I would do the timing belt and then do a compression test. That will tell you if the valves are bent.

Spiffious

thanks for the great replies. I picked up the timing belt, and next time I get a chance I am gonna try it out. Now because the old one blew, then it is certain that the cylinders and the head are *NOT* in sync. How does one get the cams and also the crankshaft aligned in order to put on the new belt without damaging anything?