My GSR will crank, but won't start. I just went to start it in the driveway the other day, and it started for like 3 seconds, then just puttered out. Fuel pump is fine, plenty of gas in it. I checked the connections, and voltage is getting all the way to the ignitor. I pull a couple spark plugs to check them and there's no spark. I then take off the cap to remove the rotor and leak cover, but I can't get to the retainer screw that holds the rotor in place. I got someone to crank the engine, but the rotor wouldn't turn.

I ended up just removing the entire distributor to get the rotor button off. I think the ignitor went bad, but my friend thinks the timing belt may have broken. I haven't pulled my valve cover off yet....I'm too scared. Has this happened to anyone?


Modified by ebelp at 1:01 PM 4/30/2003

 

I'd probably go ahead and check the timing belt. It is responsible for turning the cams, which in turn would rotate the shaft inside the distributor. (The intake cam does the turning)

If the shaft was not moving when you turned the key, something is wrong with the cam or timing belt.

 

A bad ignitor wouldn't cause this?

 

A bad igniter will cause your engine to not start, however it really sounds like your timing belt is the culprit.

Try this: Take off your oil cap. Have someone crank the engine over. Do you see "motion"?

 

Scared to take your valvecover off?!? I'd be more scared to keep cranking the engine over if the timing belt is broken! Just pull the cover and look at the damn belt! It doesn't take that long!

 

If the timing belt broke, it happened when my car was sitting still in the driveway, in the 3 second time period the car was actually running. It didn't make any funny noises, it just puttered out like it ran out of gas. Would it do the same amount of damage (bent valves) if I had been driving the car?

 

a friend of mine had this happen, and it was his cam that broke.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by smokin rubber &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">a friend of mine had this happen, and it was his cam that broke. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Where did it break? Did it cause any other damage?

 

If your rotor thingy aint turning its probably your timing belt thingy.

And dont turn it over anymore. check the timing belt...

 

sounds like a timing belt. If your rpm was still pretty low, there a chance you didn't do any damage. Check that belt... thingy

 

honda's are known for distributor probs.. check that and the belt ....

 

Yeah, the bearings in the distributors go out all the time. It could have seized up and wrecked the gears inside.

 

I pulled my valve cover off last night and my fears are true....the timing belt broke. Actually, it doesn't look like it broke, there's just some slack at the top that's preventing it from touching the cam gears. Is it possible that the belt just slipped, and my engine isn't damaged?

 

Yes. But you'll need to pull all the covers off and have a look! on catching the problem earlier... Rather than wasting time being scared to do stuff, just do it and get it out of the way

There's several things that could have happened here. Timing belt broke (probably not, it usually frays on breaking), water pump sprocket broke off the pump (highly possible), timing belt tensioner broke (possible)... I could go on but you have to pull the lower timing belt cover to find out!

 

Saturday it's on! A friend and I are going to pull everything apart. Pics coming!

 

Here's a pic of the belt. Hopefully I didn't do any real damage to the engine.

 

theres the problem... its broke


Modified by boywonda at 1:28 AM 5/3/2003

 

OOOOOOOOhhhh hope u dont got any bent valves....luck cause your gonna need it!

 

Yeah...pretty sure Honda has zero-tolerance motors. However a friend of mine just had one go (installed improperly) and everythings o.k.

But just barely you could "in his words" see a slight mark on a couple pistons where the valves touched.

Heres two rules of thumb.

1. Always replace timing belt during scheduled maintenance or right after purchasing a used car / motor.

2. If your vehicle dies unexpectently assume its the timing belt before cranking it over and over again. Unless you have a vehicle that isn't zero tolerant.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">if the belt broke when you were starting it and not while you were driving ,most likly the engine is ok.............replace honda timing belts every 90k </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, it happened when I was trying to start it not when I was driving. But of course I didn't know that was the problem, so I tried cranking it several times afterwards....

 

Did you get the other belt on? Everything ok?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RangerDan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Did you get the other belt on? Everything ok?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Attempts to remove the crank pulley bolt with a breaker bar w/ a pipe extension, and using an electric impact wrench both failed. I'm going to have to get my car towed to a shop and pay to have it done.

 

I know that it's a different motor, but i survived a timing belt failure last year in a crx. The water pump seized and stripped 11 teeth off of the timing belt, the guy at the shop that i took it to said that they had initially thought that i had bent my first and forth valves (i guess by the way the cam and pistons were oriented when the car came in) but they did a pressure check on the head and everything turned out allright. (but what might not be such a consolation is that the car always ran like crap and i couldn't really tell a difference either way after this happened)
but, there is hope... good luck

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ebelp &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Attempts to remove the crank pulley bolt with a breaker bar w/ a pipe extension, and using an electric impact wrench both failed. I'm going to have to get my car towed to a shop and pay to have it done. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Don't give up already, wuss. Get this. It works awesome.

http://store.summitracing.com/...61805

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sackdz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Don't give up already, wuss. Get this. It works awesome.

http://store.summitracing.com/...61805</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thats youre tool. Go down to your local AutoZone and rent that tool or just buy it.
Any mechanic will have it, Proper tool for the job.