Hi everyone,

I have some serious problem with my CRX 89 Si. When I crank it, the cam is not turning, and the pulley that is near the crank shaft (at the other end of the timing belt) is not turning either. The timing belt is not broken and the alternator pulley is turning. What I think is that a valve jammed the whole thing and something is broken somewhere by the crank shaft. I'm just not sure what. Is there any flenches (sp) on the crank shaft that make the bottom cam pulley turn, and those flenches are gone? Or there is a second pulley involved down by the crank shaft that would be broken in pieces? Or there is a half-moon (french traduction so not sure) that is locking the bottom pulley and this locking pin is gone? I need some help to figure out what could be the possibilities...

And what is the cheapest fix, should I change the whole engine or try to fix it?

I'm kinda depressed atm

Not so Speedy,

SpeedyPat

PS. I'm looking for a diagram of the cam pulley and the crank shaft, to see how it works, if anyone got one I would appreciate it.


[Modified by SpeedyPat, 8:29 PM 3/17/2002]


[Modified by SpeedyPat, 8:31 PM 3/17/2002]

 

Sorry if it's confusing but I`m french and it's hard for me to discribe what's going on...

 

This doesn't really make sense as the pulley on the cranshaft turns the alternator pulley. So if the alternator pulley is turning, so must be the cranshaft pulley. I'm understanding that you're saying that the cranshaft pulley in not turning.

If I misunderstood you and the crankshaft pulley is in fact turning, then if the cam isn't turning I can only see that the timing belt is busted.

 

I knew I was not clear

No look, there is a big pulley at the end of the cranshaft that makes the altenator turns, that one is turning fine. But I'm guessing that there is flenches on the crankshaft that makes the bottom cam pulley turns, or that pulley is locked on the cranshaft by some locking pin. cause the bottom cam pulley is NOT turning, the timing belt is fine, I can see that pulley not turning with a flashlight.

I need a diagram of this part of the engine I guess

 

Yeah, I'm not understanding.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

 

http://24.95.142.82:6080/manual/2gsm/images/91-6-25.jpg


There is your pic, the crankshaft timing belt pulley is locked on the crankshaft with a key (that is the half-moon I was talking about) and that key is most likely broken.

 

I see. So the timing belt pulley is not turning. Well, I never heard of that key breaking. If in fact it is broken, then I think you got some serious damage to your engine.

Um....I imagine your engine doesn't run, correct? It just turns over with the starter. Yeah, I never heard of this, but if what you say is true then I'm going to say that your valves are gone due to the pistons smacking into them. That's what happens when your cam isn't in sync with your crankshaft....

What the hell happened? Did you wake up one morning and it was just broken? Or did you over-rev it or something?
Damn....

Yeah, well I guess you figured it out on your own more or less. My advice to you would be to get another engine, if you can put it in yourself. I replaced an engine once for $150 American. Key is to do it yourself. If that's not an option, it's possible that just your head needs fixing or replacing (valves and everything). I'm not sure if the pistons suffered any damage. You might want to get some quotes, but if I were you, I'd just get another enigne.

I guess I'm not sure about giving you this advice as the problem you described seems like it's much more of a serious and catastrophic failure than what was conveyed through your posts. I guess there's communication losses when describing these things over the internet. It just doesn't seem like something that would happen randomly. Were you driving along and all of a sudden your engine stopped? Did it make noises? Did it go *boom*? Or did it just happen one morning when you went to start the car?

Well, good luck man.

 

I actually don't know about any noises cause my friend was driving it and I was not there, he said the car just stopped when he was driving on the bridge... he sais he didn't rev it or anything. I guess maybe the belt is worn out I don't know. Someone suggested something to me I got to check, he said maybe I was not looking the right pulley (that I was looking at the water pump pulley) and that the belt is missing some teeth at the spot where the crankshaft pulley is so the pulley could be turning freely on the belt. I need to take the belt off I guess to find out, however I have no clue how hehehe.

I'm kinda new to car mecanics, motocross is so damn easier .

But yeah I will prolly have to get a new engine since valves must be all bent like you said, and might as well get a V-tech while I'm at it... I'll see.

thanks for the input


[Modified by SpeedyPat, 5:12 PM 3/18/2002]

 

I guarantee you he got a few bent valves. SO he's into some money any way around. THere is no way that engine is going to crank over with the cam not turning and NOT do a lot of damage. Actually its possible that the belt lost a few teeth and it is spinning on the crank gear and the belt just isn't grabbing as a result. I had that happen to me one on a Chevy Sprint TURBO at 90 MPH. $65 incuding the pow bill and parts car was back on the road. But then again that wasn't an interfearance type motor, the honda is.


[Modified by virginia_dude, 12:42 PM 3/18/2002]

 

If the key sheared, maybe the distrubutor is seized? It would be interresting to find out the cause.

 

I will find out someday what is the real cause, I will get a new engine to get my car fixed and will make my old engine my school so I'll learn how thing works and how to fix things... will find out what's the problem then