Hey guys. I just picked up a 1G AWD four days ago and it's already broke. The engine had 15k on it. Was cruising at 65 mph, just added a quart of oil (the dipstick was broken, so I think I had about 5.5 quarts of oil in the engine. Didn't know that the dipstick was broken till after the car had the oil in it) So, I was just putting along at 65 mph, when the car surged, like a misfire, and then I heard a knocking type noise and the car died. Pull over, start the car, it idles alright, engine was kinda shakey, but it's knocking like crazy. Got it flatbeaded back to my apartment. Took the plugs out, the 2nd cylinder from the timing belt had oil above the threads. All of the spart plugs looked good. Any ideas? Spun rod bearing because of too much oil?? Maybe the timing belt skipped a tooth? I'm going to try and do a comp. test but my thing sucks. Thanks guys. Noah

I would check the timing belt, but maybe if your lucky you just killed some plugs and wires and it's running on 2 or 3 cylinders. Usually the first thing to go from too much oil is the turbo though. If the oil level in the pan is too high, then the turbo can't drain properly so the oil starts backing up and blows the seals in the turbo.

Was this Dane's old car?

Thanks ecoli. I'm going to drop the oil pan and take off the valve cover to get some more info on what the problem is. Yes, this is Dane's old car. Thanks, Noah

that explains why my t25 is in such shitty shape. Before I bought the car, the oil was 4 inches up on the dipstick. I got the car for cheap though.

Oh ya, any idea on why the dipstick wouldn't work?

If you want to have some less invasive diagnostics done, we could drive out there with the boroscope and compression tester and see what it looks like. PM me if you want us to check it out.

Well, all I can think of are quite obvious answers. Broken off too short, not enough oil in the car to register, or the dipstich being stuck in the tube. How doesn't it work? I cannot think of anything very obvious. If you have no idea what you are doing, I would deffinitly suggest having Mike (Raptor) checking it out for you. As far as the timing belt, get out your 10mm wrench and unbolt the top cover. It doesn't take more than 10 minutes. It will be quite obvious if the belt has snapped. Also check to make sure it didn't skip a few teeth.

Why were you putting oil in the car before checking the dipstick? 5.5 quarts is a lot of oil in a 1g. From what I remember, they take about 4 quarts.

If the car stared but ran rough the belt didnt break... Im sure it skipped some teeth. Dont try and start it again just have mike (Raptor) look at it.

That's a nice offer, Mike. When you guys have come to a conclusion, let me know... I'm curious to hear. I can't believe that happened only a couple days after selling it to you. I never had any problems with it beforehand...

Dane

You aren't alone. My engine blew the day after I got my 91 GSX. Connecting rod got mad at the starter so it poked a hole through the engine and bitchslapped the fuck out of it.

Haha, ya, well lets hope that it's just the timing belt. Raptor, where do you live? Also, I have like no money at all, so I couldn't really pay you that much. Call me at 612-290-1040 or PM me please. Thanks a ton guys. Noah

i think he charges like $25 for using the boroscope.... which is very very reasonable considering you will spend 5 hours taking things off and puting them back on and plus other things that you will use in order to diagnose this problem yourself.

You have no money and you bought a DSM? Well that wasnt a wise choice ;)

If you havent ever done a Timing belt change before its a pain in the butt if you dont have all the right tools. The tensioner is the worst part, so if you are looking to get it fixed it will cost you a couple hundred.... the Timing belt alone is 70-90 bucks.

Well, I am hoping it's the timing belt. It's going to a shop to get diagnosed. I could do a head swap if it comes down to it. If it's something on the bottom end....God help me. Noah

So you said in your other post that you drove the car to the shop halfway? I wouldnt drive it if I were you. You could ruin a heck of a lot more than what you did the first time.

Unless you flat bedded it there but then you wouldnt have gone 1/4 of the way...

Ya, I'm taking a risk. I just need to get it done.

Well, just talked to the shop. The shop thinks it's something on the bottom end, like a chunk (or skirt) of a piston fell off. What do you guys think?

eh no. I dont know but they ussually dont fall apart unless maybe the psitons hit the valves so much taht it crakced or something... Im not sure.

I doubt its going to be that good.

What shop is this? How can a piston "fall off"? :bs:

I am having it towed back to the cities so that Elite can take care of it. This shop won't even open up the engine. The whole diagnosis was from them listening to the enigne. They are doing a compression test on it tommorow because I wasn't happy with the way that they did it. He said specifically that the "skirt" of the piston could have fallen off. I for one have never heard of that, espeacially under 0 boost conditions. I am still thinking it's probobly rod knock, but it's almost too random for that. It's not constant, like lifter tick. It will hit twice, and then go away for a second, then hit again, then stop, then hit like 10 times in a row, and then hit like every other half second. This is all at idle too. Thanks. Noah

Have you checked timing? If its off and youve skipped a bunch of teeth and your still driving it and running it you might want to add new valves to your WTB post.

From my past experiences intermittent knocking sounds like that have always pointed to spun bearings.

It's deffinately something on the bottom end. If it were the valves, it would sound like lifter tick I'm assuming.

UPDATE: Just got the compression test results back. This is weird.....

1 - 85

2 - 75

3 - 55

4 - 55

#1 starting at the timing belt. Now what do you guys think. If the compression was this low, wouldn't the car feel extremely sluggish? Thanks. Noah

Does it actually run with compression that low? Was the timing belt checked? Sounds like its off a few teeth or you bent a shit load of valves or blew out the headgasket in multiple spots.

that could deffinately be a slipped timing belt and some dinged up valves.

Yup, it still runs. I am thinking that you might be right Shane. I don't have away of checking this really though. What should I do?

Also, this car was very quick, like quicker than my bolt on z28 when I bought it. So there was no way the compression was this low then. This would lead me to believe that it would also be the timing belt/head gasket.

EDIT: The timing belt wasn't checked by them. Keep in mind, this guy still thinks a part of the piston fell off, and that my compression should be around 100....

"Well, it's one of them turbo engines, so the compression should be around 100 or so"

I'm going to go eat, I'll be back in about an hour (1:45-2)

Thanks guys

Sounds to me like your timing belt skipped a few teeth....don't let hicks touch 4-cylinder, its just to simplistic for them to comprehend. Where's the 4-barrel?!? <BOOM> Hick brains everywhere :)

Now now, I am far from hick and I love to get my hands on v8's and 4barrels. Most of the guys I know think carbs are too complicated and couldn't tune anything without the aid of a computer. :slap:

But, I do think if you hear music from the deliverance soundtrack playing in the shop, you should probably run.

Hah, I also have a heads/cam 350 in my monte carlo, so I am a little familiar with the tuning of a carb.