help me start my car and get $20

[marshmallow15]

deleted old post and started new one to have everything organized.

symptoms before car died:
- would sputter for about 3 minutes of driving, then after that it would go to normal.
- at night, car would produce LOTS of smoke when left idling for a few minutes.
- sometimes the engine cranks VERYY slowly, and sometimes it'll crank normally.
- when cranking, the motor will make a 'thump' sound.
- the night before the car died, i took it out for a drive. i accelerated to about 4,000 rpms when everything shutoff and wouldn't start up til my friend opened the throttlebody for me, then it started up fine. the next day was when it wouldn't start again.

here's what ive checked so far:
- fuel coming out of regulator when cranking.
- car doesn't start with starter spray, so it can't be injectors.
- spark coming out of coil
- new plugs and wires
- battery is fine
- new cap and rotor

btw the car still cranks. still cranks sometimes slowly or normally, but no turning over.

there's a chance it could be the timing or timing belt, which a lot of people are saying. here's one other thing. when i tried to put in my distributor, it wuldn't go in so i used some 'force', and accidentally busted a hole through the part that hooks to the cam and the spinning metal piece. it still spins fine, but has a bit of resistance. could it be that? i know its dumb, i just figured if it still spun it would still work somehow.

well if anyone can suggest something that works, i will paypal you $20.

<small>[ December 17, 2003, 12:53 AM: Message edited by: marshmallow15 ]</small>

[torpedan]

Originally posted by marshmallow15:
deleted old post and started new one to have everything organized.

symptoms before car died:
- would sputter for about 3 minutes of driving, then after that it would go to normal.
- at night, car would produce LOTS of smoke when left idling for a few minutes.
- sometimes the engine cranks VERYY slowly, and sometimes it'll crank normally.
- when cranking, the motor will make a 'thump' sound.
- the night before the car died, i took it out for a drive. i accelerated to about 4,000 rpms when everything shutoff and wouldn't start up til my friend opened the throttlebody for me, then it started up fine. the next day was when it wouldn't start again.

here's what ive checked so far:
- fuel coming out of regulator when cranking.
- car doesn't start with starter spray, so it can't be injectors.
- spark coming out of coil
- new plugs and wires
- battery is fine
- new cap and rotor

btw the car still cranks. still cranks sometimes slowly or normally, but no turning over.

there's a chance it could be the timing or timing belt, which a lot of people are saying. here's one other thing. when i tried to put in my distributor, it wuldn't go in so i used some 'force', and accidentally busted a hole through the part that hooks to the cam and the spinning metal piece. it still spins fine, but has a bit of resistance. could it be that? i know its dumb, i just figured if it still spun it would still work somehow.

well if anyone can suggest something that works, i will paypal you $20.

UGh where to start.. How about at the top.

- would sputter for about 3 minutes of driving, then after that it would go to normal.

Was the engine cold, It sounds like you were having some troubles with the way the ecu is enrichening the mixture is this a sohc or a dohc btw.

- at night, car would produce LOTS of smoke when left idling for a few minutes.

I bet it does it in the day just is harder to see. Your vaulve stems are not sealing well and leak oil into the combustion chamer

- sometimes the engine cranks VERYY slowly, and sometimes it'll crank normally.

This could be a lot of things but most likly is a problem with the electircal system. Either there is a leak and the battery gets drained when it sits for a while and has trouble starting (or the battery is weak) and then can start up easily after the car has not sat for so long or One of the various ground wires is bad and pending how its been flexed from the troqing of the motor inhibits the flow of electicity.

- when cranking, the motor will make a 'thump' sound.

Odvioulsy chewbacca has inhabited your motor. I am not really sure what your refering to how loud is it. is it high pitched give a sound that is common day that it would compare to.

Things you need to do.
- Be sure your getting spark at the PLUGS not at the disty.

- Do a compression check this will let you konw if your motor is basically in need of a serious diagnostic. You can get what you need form any autoparts store post the results of each cylander and i will be more than happy to interprit the results.

Yeah the disty thing is bad cause if the peace of metal is a lubricated area that is debries that can cause serious damage tot he engine let alone the ditsy might be stabbed very wrong it should slip in and out very littel force needed.

[mitmaks]

distributor cap or faulty fuel injector

[marshmallow15]

the thumping sound is like hitting a hollow desk with the palm of your hand. almost same exact sound and volume.

torpedan, is it possible to do a compression test if the car can't turn over?

[torpedan]

Nope gotta be able to get it to crank over.

[OsoSlo z28]

dan, it can be the valve stem seals, but i don't see enough info here that plainly points to that. it could be a number of things. (stem seals, head gasket, rings, bad pcv valve)

you said it cranks but doesn't turn over. this makes no sense. if it cranks, it's turning over. does it crank but not fire? if you can get the motor to "move", it's turning over. you don't need it to fire to do a comp check. turning over is all it needs to do.

standard compression: 185psi @300rpm
minimum compression : 142psi @300rpm
maximum allowable difference between cylinders: 28psi

yeah, you need a new disty. do you have a sohc or dohc?

did you hear this "thumping" when it was running, or just when you tried to start it after it died?

<small>[ December 17, 2003, 08:39 AM: Message edited by: cre8v mx3 ]</small>

[tommygunzit]

have ya tried pulling the plugs to see if you have a coolant leak. maybe there are a few problems and this could be one of them. just a thought

[marshmallow15]

ashley, the thumping sound comes from the motor trying to turn over. its a sohc and yes the car won't fire, but its turning over/cranking (sorry for the wrong term). i recently replaced the pvc valve, but it doesn't wanna go in snugly. maybe the thump is coming from there?

there was nothing wrong with the plugs when i pulled them out except for a few burns and them being old, i recently put new plugs in.

[rancid420potheadpunk]

did you check all the sensors? you may have oil leaking into the piston housings, check to see if it is.

[OsoSlo z28]

if the knocking didn't happen before, but it's doing it now when you try to start it, it's possible it's rod knock. you might want to get a pro to take a look at it man, doesn't sound good.

[torpedan]

Yeah really i think something is most likley majorly wrong might be time to look into a motor swap =]

You will wanna try to remove the oil cap and get someno to try to start the car. shine a light in there to see if you can see the cam turning or not. Other than that a compression test i would have to second the take it to a pro.

[rancid420potheadpunk]

you may have bent a valve, or bent/broke the cam shaft.