244GL, carburettor engine, 2.1 litre

Dear bricksters and gurus,

After trying to change the timing belt but failed to even get the bolt from the crankshaft out, the engine now refuses to start.

Here's what I've done:

Removed all accessory belts and timing belt cover. In the process, one of the belt cover screw broke and I had to drill out the broken end. While drilling the broken screw, I release the timing belt tensioner nut. Subsequently I turned the crankshaft (without first tightening the tensioner nut) and notice that the belt may have slipped. I suppose this is the case because while I was turning the crankshaft the camshaft and other timing gears did not move. I don't know whether this could be the cause for the engine not starting. After failing to remove the crankshaft bolt using Chris Herbst's method (inserting a size 22 sprocket into the crankshaft and jam the wrench to the car body and then turn the engine with the ignition key), I went on to change all accessory belts and put eveything back. I did not try the rope trick because I wasn't sure whether I could get the TDC correct after the belt slipping.

Could it be because the belt slipped resulting in out of time engine?
What did I miss?
To be honest I don't even know what and where to check.
How can I get the timing gears to align with the crankshaft timing?

There is cranking of the enging but just refuses to fire up. I could smell petrol also.

Could it be the coil?

Please help!!!

Thanks for all your advice.

Laozong

Check the 700/900 FAQ via the 'features' pull doen menu. Look for timing belt procedures under engines. The 200's and 700's have almost the same engine except for the distributor location. Proper alignment is critical.
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Warren Bain - '86 744Ti M46 >285Kmi, '96 965 >99Kmi Wifemobile near Manassas Va.. I get e-mail replies to my postings.

Thanks Warren for the info.

I've checked but all dealt with timing belt of a good timed engine.
In my case it is an out of time engine. How do I align back all those gears to get TDC?

Thanks

Laozong

You will have to set the crank to TDC, use a small woodel dowel through number 1 spark plug hole, or set the the mark on the crankshaft, set the cam and intermediate shaft to their corresponding marks and make sure the distributor is aligned. Put the timing belt on and set the tensioner. Make sure the marks don't move. Since the car was running before you mistimed it, it will run after being properly timed.
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Warren Bain - '86 744Ti M46 >290Kmi, '96 965 >100Kmi Wifemobile near Manassas Va..

Thank you very much Warren.

I got the car to start following yours and Peter's instructions. Both you guys are just great! Oh, also Tony Hoffman sent me some wonderful picture detailing the process of removing the timing belt.

Please read the message that I posted to Peter below. Here I mentioned the work I've done that brought my car back to life. Let me know if I got the process correct or wrong. I just want to make sure that my car's life is not temporary.

Whatever the case, thank you for responding and for those great and very helpful inputs.

Thank you.

Laozong

I'm glad you got it running and I'm glad I helped you. Remember, if your car stops running, check the basics first.
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Warren Bain - '86 744Ti M46 >290Kmi, '96 965 >100Kmi Wifemobile near Manassas Va..

Hello:

I think your car is not starting because the cam timming is off. The way to check this without being able to take off the crankshaft pulley is to rotate the engine untill the crankshaft pulley mark is alligned with the 0 on the timming belt cover. Next you need to be sure the belt is all the way in the teeth at the bottom, which is tricky when your lower belt cover is still on. But just keep pressure on the belt and try to move the engine a little and if the belt moves with the engine, you've got it.

Make sure it is alligned with the marks again, then line up the intermediate shaft, or the distributor drive gear.

Then align the camshaft gear, tighten the tensioner, and give the engine a one around. If it all still lines up, then you have it made.

If it doesn't start then, go through everythink. Is the coil plugged it? How bout all the spark plug wires. Often, You have lined up the distributor drive correctly and the last person who did the job didn't, so the timming is off, check that.

Good luck, Post back and let us know how it goes.

Peter

Thanks Peter for the advice.

I'll work on this but just for information, after I have tightened the tensioner nut all the timing gear moved when I turn the crankshaft. Is it still possible that the timing belt may still have slipped?

I'll try your get the timing belt into gear and is it possible to assess the lower timing gear from the bottom of the car?

Thanks again for the info.

Laozong

Yes, Your timming belt did probably slip. If its not aligned properly, It will not work. It is not possible to get the lower timing cover off without getting the crankshaft pulley off, at least i have never done it.

Good Luck

peter

Peter, Please bear with me. I'm still confused.

What I've done previously was turned the crankshaft but because the timing belt slipped the cam gear did not turn along.

The objective now is to align the cam gear to synchronize with the crankshaft. Suppossing I have turned the crankshaft anticlock wise 90 degree without the cam gear moving along, I must now turn the cam gear similarly 90 degree anti-clock wise without turning the crankshaft. Is this correct?

From your earlier post, I got the idea that all I need to do is to ensure that the belt bite into the gear and everything will be alright. No, It's not that you did not make yourself clear, it is just that I am not mechanically incline so I do need a clearer explanation from you.

Thank you for being patient with me, and thanks for replying.

Laozong

On the Crankshaft pulley, thier is a notch. It needs to be alligned with the 0 mark on the plastic lower timming belt cover.

Next, the gear on the drivers side of the car about half way inbetween the crankshaft and the cam shaft gear, needs to be aligned with its mark. This mark I think is the trickiest, it is on the drivers side on the side the the inside plastic belt cover. The Mark on the gear is pretty obvious.

Next, you need to line up the cam shaft which isn't all that hard. The mark is at the top of the gear, and on the inside of the plastic timming belt cover.

Good Luck

Peter

Thank you very much Peter.

I got the car to start following yours and Warren's instructions. Both you guys are just great! Oh, also Tony Hoffman sent me some wonderful picture detailing the process of removing the timing belt.

Here is what I've done. Let me know if I've got it right:

Remove all the accesory belts and the black cover. The black cover came off without removing the crankshaft pulley. Then I took off the crankshaft pulley bolt using Chris Herbst's method, this time I held on to the sprocket while jamming the bar to the underside of the car body. The bolt came off after turning the ignition on and off for a couple of times.

I put the black timing belt cover back in place and then turn the crankshaft to synchronize the pulley notch with the 0 mark on the cover. Took off the cover and took note of the markings on all the gears. Camshaft and the distributor gears were slightly out of time but the small gear at the bottom was out quite a bit.

At this point let me know if I got the process right. Removed the belt by pulling it out. Then use a sprocket and wrench to turn the individual gear clockwise separately until the notch meets the marking.

Then I aligned the marking on the belt against these points, put the belt in, and tightened the tension pulley. Put all the covers and accessory belts back and the car fired up.

Have I got it right especially the part on aligning all the gears into place?

Thanks you once again for all your info and detailed guidelines.

Thank you.

Laozong