smokecdxx

the motor is a 97 gsr

my problem is everytime i do the timing everything lines up just fine and everything is tight..but as soon as the motor starts the timing belt loosens itself somhow...i have already replaced the belt tensioner and the spring for the tensioner....it doesnt make any sense...i just took it in to a shop to have them recalibrate the tps and check out the noise.he said he thought the noise the car is producing was a rod knock.but theis motor is super fresh just got a rebuild like 4 months ago but havnt had anytime to mess with it and there wasnt any chuncks of metal in the oil so im stumped. so if you guys have any suggestions or would like more info to help me figure this out that would be awesome.


thanks smokecdxx

nub

your either not putting the belt on the pullies in the proper sequence or your not tensioning the belt properly

smokecdxx

that could be possible but i had the shop redo the timing just in case but its still doing the same thing...do you have any other suggestions?

coneheadsracing

What did you replace to get to this point, i.e. what broke?

The best way i found to tension the belt is to make sure it's nice and tight from the cam gear down to the crank pulley. Then take a coat hanger or something similair, and bend it up so there is a small hook at the one end. Use that to grab a hold of the tensioner and pull up. Tighten bolt up, and you should be good to go.

The noise, could be a lot of things. Need more info there. You won't find chunks in your oil if you have rod knock. Not until it seizes up anyways

nub

are positive the tensioner is tight? even if so, are you sure the tensioner isnt slipping when the engine starts

smokecdxx

i dont think the tensioner is slipping but i suppose its possible..and as far as what broke...nothing broke i got the motor rebuilt but then after i droppped it in and started it it was making this noise and it sounds like the belt is maybe slapping somthing due to it loosening itself...so i looked and looked i replaced the obvious belt tensioner but it keeps making the noise...so i then thought that my car was running half *** cause it was throwing an engine code(t.p.s.) so i took it in finally and they did the timing and t.p.s. but he said its still making the noise and i dont wanna pull apart my motor to figure it out....i know i have just repeated myself alot but im just trying to give as much info as possible ya know.

nub

so is your issue engine noise or the mechanical timming not staying set? or both

smokecdxx

both..but i think they are related issues..i think the noise is happening because of the belt...and the belt by the way isnt like getting so loose its jumping teeth left and right but its waaaaay looser than it should be

nub

if you put the crank tdc do your timming marks on the cams line up? how loose is the belt? about a 1/4 in. of deflection either side of center on the long side of the belt is normal. when it was rebuilt was the head or block decked?

coneheadsracing

There really is nothing for the belt to slap, unless it was so loose, but then i'd think it'd be jumping time. Describe the noise more. Who rebuilt the motor, did you put the dowels back in for the head to the block?

smokecdxx

yes the block was decked the dowel pins are all there it had a proper rebuild and i trust the guy that did it....and as far as the belt slapping somthing when i get down close to the engine bay it sounds like the belt is almost slapping the plastic that covers it....but like i said i could be very wrong im just hoping that it is something simple and stupid to fix...and as far as the noise goes i have thrown a rod before and spun a rod bearing and it doesnt really sound like either of them but i suppose its not entirely out of the realm of possiblity but like i said im just hoping its not...i guess ill let you guys know what it sounds like after i go pick it up...which will be right now....but yeah askme whatever you want to know if it will help you guys help me


again thank you guys very much

smokecdxx

ok so i just went and got my car and its still making the sounds like i thought.....and its almost sounds like a rod knock but not quite if that makes anysense at all

its alot lighter of a sounds than anything i have heard before(i.e. rod knock)....and im stumped on it

and i know you guys cant really do much with out hearing it or seeing it and i dont have a way to get a video on here right now so yeah i dont know what to do next as far as trying to diagnose the problem cause i really dont feel like paying an arm and a leg to get it torn down to see wtf the deal is


but anyways like i said before i thank you guys for any input you can give....or if you are in the lancaster palmdale area and think you can help i have a li lbit of cash left to spend on it so i can throw down a lil cash if anyone is willing

thanks

oh and i forgot to mention now that my car is reading everything right(t.p.s. re calibrated) my oil light is coming on when my car gets into the idle rpm range after its warmed up...anythoughts?

coneheadsracing

take off the top plastic cover so you can see your timing cover. Start it up and watch it. The fact that your oil light is coming on, means you are under 5 psi i believe. Could be you or whoever rebuilt the motor forgot the gasket that attaches the pickup tube to the pump. Also, it could be a failing oil pump, and i'm not sure about a spun bearing, which seems to be where you are heading.

smokecdxx

Do u have any suggestions on how to diagnose it? Is there any way to see if its the gasket or if the pump is bad how would I go about checking that?

nub

have you ever heard of the ghetto stethoscope? take a piece of scrap hose, like a heater hose or garden hose about 2 1/2-3 foot long. put your ear to one end and use the other like a probe, moving it around and lislening for the noise where you suspect its comming from. this can help you narrow down the area (cause of) the noise your hearing. im starting to suspect your rebuild. over honed or over bored cylinders with stock bore pistons == piston slap. listen to that bottom end

smokecdxx

Well the pistons are over sized they are 82mm jdm itr's. So they would have had to done something horribly wrong for that one

nub

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nub &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">. over honed or over bored cylinders with stock bore pistons == piston slap. listen to that bottom end</TD></TR></TABLE> the same goes for oversized pistons. you need to figure out were the noise is coming from. is it the top end or the bottom, and if you knew wich one it was , would you be able to fix it yourself?<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by smokecdxx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the motor is a 97 gsr
...i just took it in to a shop to have them recalibrate the tps and check out the noise.he said he thought the noise the car is producing was a rod knock.but theis motor is super fresh just got a rebuild like 4 months ago

thanks smokecdxx</TD></TR></TABLE> your gunna have to figure it out or take it to who ever rebiult the engine.

smokecdxx

Well I decided to replace the oil pump and rod bearings(just to be safe) and whatever gaskets needed just cause I don't have the time to pull the motor and take it to the guy that built it due to lack of rides to work and and my builder lives quite a ways away from me......but anyways do do you guys have any suggestions as to what I should look for after the oil pan is dropped or any other parts I might need or should check to see if there is any damage to.


If you have any questions that might help you guys help me figure this out please ask.....thanks a lot guys

-smokecdxx-

hott95ej2

i bet oil pump gear is outta spec or cracked/broken

smokecdxx

Yeah it has to be something with the oil pump because when I start my car it makes the horrid noise the oil light is on but as soon as the oil light turns off the noise stops....and it only started getting worse after I got it back from the shop so I think now that my car isn't running in limp mode its starting to tear itself apart so hopefully there want any damage to anything besides the bearings


but that's where id like you guys to help..... has this happend to any of you?

Was anything else damaged?

Thanks guys


-smokecdxx-

hott95ej2

sounds like a definite rod knock,if your saying you have no oil pressure at start up, but that when the oil pressure builds the noise goes away, sounds like the oil pick up gasket, or a clogged pick-up bc it doesnt make sense why the oil pump would be broken but eventually build pressure

smokecdxx

Ok well I will definitely have that looked at.....I forgot to say that the noise continues just very lightly untill it reaches operating temperature then it gets a bit louderwhen driving and when the car is at idle its much louder......and when at a stop after driving the oil light comes on and the rpm's drop to almost zero.......I'm obviously not driving the car anymore but I am trying to get as much info as possible to go about fixing it and when i take it in i know what to talk to the mechanic about this way i dont get d*cked around and simply just so i can have the knowledge.

Thanks Guys

-smokecdxx-


Modified by smokecdxx at 7:20 PM 2/26/2008