My friend has a 91 lx auto. A year ago or so, he's driving to work, and at a redlight, the car stalls. he gets it started and drives the rest of the way to work. That's the last time the car started. So anyways, his uncle comes over and looks at it, says he thinks it's the timing belt. fast forward a year, he pretty much gives me the car. tonight i rip off the head cover and timing belt cover, this is after i juiced the battery and tried to turn it over just for the hell of it. it makes a somewhat clanking noise while tryin to start. anyways, in my non-expertise opinion i think the belts ok. so now what? any ideas? dizzy? starter? how am i able to tell if it's the belt? any tell tale signs to check for.

I know i rambled, but any shove or push in the right direction is appreciated.
ps. 140k, never abused.

 

Well, the sure sign the belt wasnt broken (atleast not that night at the light), is it started back up... If it dies, and then never starts again, yea it could be the belt... But it wont start back up... Unless it jumped a tooth, but thats doubtfull... And it would still run, just rough...

But we'd need a little more info... What does 'wont start' mean, does it crank, just wont turn over? Does it do nothing (like a dead battery?), does it start and then die? Ect...

Clanking noise dosnt sound good tho...

 

it cranks, but it won't turn over. it will not start

 

if it does crank check for spark and fuel if no spark probably the coil in the distributor if no fuel then fuel pump

1st thing does it crank?

 

it's hard to explain, it's like it half-way starts to crank

 

"Crank" means the starter motor runs. If the starter motor runs as I think you indicate, then remove one of the spark plug wires from a spark plug. Using an insulated spark plug boot holding device ( to prevent getting zapped ) hold the boot almost on the spark plug and have someone try to start the car. The goal is to listen for the electrons jumping from the spark plug wire to the spark plug. If there is "spark" you will hear it as a semi loud clicking.

If no spark, get in the car. Turn the key into the "on" position and wait for the check engine light to go out. At the very moment the light goes out listen for a single "click" from under the steering wheel area. You are listening for the sound of the main relay clicking. If you don't hear that click at the very moment the check engine light goes out, the main relay is probably bad.

If you hear the click, the cause of the no spark is probably a bad coil. Usually a bad coil will short through the coil case and either to the cap or to the distributor metal casing. This usually will leave burn marks if it has been happening long enough.

If the belt had stripped teeth it wouldn't have restarted after dying at the light. You can remove the valve cover/timing cover and rotate the crankshaft. If the cam shafts rotate with the crank shaft then the belt is probably ok.

If you have spark, listen for the fuel injectors "clicking" as someone tries to start the car. If you hear them clicking and you don't have a fuel pressure guage you can at least remove one or more spark plugs and look for fuel on them. They will be wet if the cylinders are getting fuel.

probably a main relay.

 

Thats what Im thinking... But wouldnt it still spark with a main relay problem? It just wont get any fuel?

 

I think you're right. Still, listen for the click from it. It is a common part to fail.

 

i heard the click from the relay. so what's left, dizzy coil and fuel pump?

 

ttt