[s-cars] RE: Catastrophic Engine Stoppage

[Mtgadbois at aol.com]

Serge,
 
I may be the first for pistons but I hope not!  I tore the front end  out and 
found that the crank gear had self-destructed!?!  Apparently,  something must 
have caused the gear to explode?  So far no piece is greater  than one inch.  
Also, the belt tensioner was not loose nor was there any  damage/wear on the 
serpentine belt.  The last belt service was done 3 years  and 40K miles ago 
and both the timing and serp belt showed no  wear.   Of course, the crank bolt 
is tight.  Could the  damper to crank gear bolts have come loose and caused 
this?  I'll have to  get a tool to get the damper off and then assess the damage 
to the end of the  crankshaft, etc.  
 
Anybody in Chicago have one for borrowing this weekend?  Ribs on the  Fourth.
 
I'll probably also yank off the head to see what damage there  is.   
Interestingly, the head had stopped in a position where turning  over the enginge did 
not hit pistons.  Moving it's cam position a bit  caused it to then be in 
interference.  Or maybe whatever would interfere is  already bent over.  Oh well!
 
Mark
 
 
In a message dated 7/3/2004 12:23:49 AM Central Daylight Time,  
s6serge at verizon.net writes:

Mark,
There is no easy way to say this, but these are interference  fit motors. If
timing between cam and crank is compromised, valves will  come into contact
with the pistons almost always resulting in at least a  rebuild for the head.
I have not heard of a case where enough damage was  done to the piston to
warrant its replacement.

I really hope I am  wrong somehow in your case.


Serge Filanovsky

95.5 S6  Avant
95 S6 Avant SOLD







You mean how loose is  loose?  Just prying the cam belt cover away I can see
that cam belt  can go around the gear without even touching it.  Over the
weekend  I'll disassemble the front to get the cover off and hopefully
nothing will  be binding but who knows?  When this happened I noticed no
noises or  anything binding.

Mark


In a message dated 7/2/2004 9:56:12  PM Central Daylight Time,
s6serge at verizon.net writes:
Exactly how loose  is totally loose? Like does the timing belt move/skip
teeth?

Valves  and pistons sitting in a tree...?

Serge Filanovsky

95.5 S6  Avant
95 S6 Avant SOLD




> More info:
> 
>  Tonight when I was poking around my engine I noticed that my timing belt  
is
> totally loose.  Tensioner gave out?  Firetruck!   Belt was changed for the 
PO 3
> years ago by a "fine" Denver repair  shop.
> 
> For those that have been there and done that how much  is this fun going to
> cost me?  I know how to twist a wrench but I  do not have a lot of free 
time.
> Luckily I have three cars.
>  
> Mark