Non-start '83 CGT follow-up

[Scott Fisher <sefisher@cisco.com>]

And the prize goes to... Phil, Jim, Steve, and a couple others who
suggested the timing belt.  Or at least half the prize.

It didn't break, it just slipped timing so badly that the car wouldn't
start.  Apparently there are some missing or misaligned pieces under the
timing cover which contributed to this; Mr. Reitmeir has arranged for
their delivery and will be installing them on Friday, along with a new
belt, properly tensioned.  

Interestingly enough, if I'd done the recommended checks (pull
distributor cover and see if rotor is turning, or pull oil filler cap
and see if cam is turning), I would have been fooled -- apparently the
cam (and therefore distributor) *were* turning, just many teeth out of
phase.  Which is why it spun so easily -- the valves were probably open
on the compression strokes.  Thank goodness for non-interference
engines...

I'll post a conclusive thumbs-up or -down on the shop when we pick up
the car on Friday; the price he's quoted for the repairs (which includes
replacing a fair amount of the sheet metal on the front of the engine,
and I've seen it, I *know* it's bad, in fact I'm afraid I even damaged
some of it myself... oh, the shame) is about US$300, which for all the
work he's quoting seems very good.  And if any Bay Area listers have
ever seen Jeff Reitmeir's autocross cars, you know the shop is certainly
*capable* of doing first-class work.

The bad news for Q-list members: the CGT's functional doorhandles and
window switches are NOT going to come up for sale soon. :-)

I'm just anxious to see if the car is noticeably more powerful than it
was with the old cam timing...

Once again, thanks to the list!  

--Scott Fisher
  Sunnyvale, CA