engine wont start

I have a 1995 ford contour 4 cyl. I was driving down the road and the engine shut off (as if I had turned the ignition off). I tried to start it and it wont start now, it cranks but doesnt start. I checked the fuel pump and its working, I recently changed the gas filter so that cant be it. Any suggestions on some things I can check before taking it to a mechanic?

timing belt?

Ill take a look, any other suggestions are welcome

check the timing belt first. also check all the pulleys on the serpentine belt and see if any are locked.

check the timing belt first. also check all the pulleys on the serpentine belt and see if any are locked.




Im no mechanic, but is the timing belt suppose to turn when i crank the engine? if it is, it's not. And yes all the pulleys are rotating

Im no mechanic, but is the timing belt suppose to turn when i crank the engine? if it is, it's not. And yes all the pulleys are rotatingYes it's suppose to turn.. Pull on it and see if it's snapped or not.

it isnt broken. I took the cover off of the timing belt and it actually did a full turn (slowly)then stopped again while the engine was still being cranked. When I stop cranking the engine, the engine sounds like some rocks in a tin can.

Thats An Interference Engine (if The Timing Belt Brakes Or The Teeth Rip Off The Valves Hit The Pistons)sorry About Your Luck

Thats An Interference Engine (if The Timing Belt Brakes Or The Teeth Rip Off The Valves Hit The Pistons)sorry About Your LuckWrong

All zetecs are non-interference motors.

Dude I've Put Timing Belts On These Cars More Than Once Belive Me They Are.

Dude I've Put Timing Belts On These Cars More Than Once Belive Me They Are.Dude I own two and broke a belt on one of them. I think I know a little about my own car considering I've owned it for over 10 years.:screwy:

IT'S A 16 VALVE DOHC WHATEVER IF YOU DONT LINE THE SHIT UP RIGHT YOU WILL BEND THE VALVES:disappoin

IT'S A 16 VALVE DOHC WHATEVER IF YOU DONT LINE THE SHIT UP RIGHT YOU WILL BEND THE VALVES:disappoin No you won't.

Have you ever seen the internals of a zetec? Theres no possible way for the valves to come in contact with the pistons. Just because you've replaced them doesn't mean its not a non-interference motor.

Do you own a contour? Have you ever had a zetec apart? If both awnsers are no quit arguing. I think I know my OWN car more then you do.

Yes I Have Replaced Heads On Contours Because The Valve Are Bent Does Yur Contour Have Variable Valve Timing?

Yes I Have Replaced Heads On Contours Because The Valve Are Bent Does Yur Contour Have Variable Valve Timing?No.

VCT or not they are non-interference.

The only way to make them interference its to run a HUGE cam..

DUDE I'M DONE READ ALLDATA OR ACTUALLY TRY TO TURN AN ENGINE THAT NOT LINED UP PROPELY AND WHEN YOU SMACK A VALVE THEN YOU'LL SEE.I WORK FOR ,A FORD DEALERSHIP AND I'VE WORKED ON MORE CONTOURES THAN YOU'VE SEEN:iceslolan

DUDE I'M DONE READ ALLDATA OR ACTUALLY TRY TO TURN AN ENGINE THAT NOT LINED UP PROPELY AND WHEN YOU SMACK A VALVE THEN YOU'LL SEE.I WORK FOR ,A FORD DEALERSHIP AND I'VE WORKED ON MORE CONTOURES THAN YOU'VE SEEN:iceslolanSo because you work at a ford dealership means you know everything?

:rolleyes:

I guess Ford just 'said' the Zetec is a non-interference as a joke? Basically what you're saying.

I don't care if you work at a dealership or not, I don't care if you've 'seen' more contour's than I have. The fact that you get paid for working on cars and I don't doesn't mean you know more than I do. I know for a fact that a zetec is non-interference but I guess you work at a dealership so I'm wrong.

You're right. I know nothing about my own car. :2cents:

Oh and to add to that. I have turned over a motor with missalligned cams. The cams were lock and i rotated the crankshaft to find TDC.. But guess what!?! I didn't bend the valves. :yikes:

Alright Dude Tell Me This What Kinda Tool Does It Take To Lock The Cams Into The Correct Place?you Should Know

Ok, so after all that, Whats my problem? again the belt isnt broken and no teeth on the pulleys are broken. When I start the car the timing belt rotates slowly then stops like something within the engine is broken.

Alright Dude Tell Me This What Kinda Tool Does It Take To Lock The Cams Into The Correct Place?you Should Knowyou don't need a tool. A peice of metal the same size as the openings on the end of the cams will do.

ive got the same problem with my car it just shut off while driving lights and all
ive replaced the spark plugs and wires and the air filter
still nothing

Battery

you don't need a tool. A peice of metal the same size as the openings on the end of the cams will do.


What is wrong with my car?

Try what he said..Battery.. Is it a loud repetitive clicking when you're cranking the motor?

The battery will keep the timing belt from turning? it's within the engine I hear this rattling noise.

You said the belt would turn fine then slow down.. or completely stop?

If the battyer was down it would turn then slow down. But not stop. Pull your valve cover off and check to see if the cams are actually moving.

You said the belt would turn fine then slow down.. or completely stop?

If the battyer was down it would turn then slow down. But not stop. Pull your valve cover off and check to see if the cams are actually moving.


No it stops, even when the car is still cranking. I doesn't turn fine, it is still then it moves a little, then stops, then moves a little, then stops, and so on. I think this is serious.

nott trying to thread jack or anything

but my battery is fairly new and has a fresh charge
and it still wont start

craked head maybe??
thrown rod??

my belts turn fine it just makes a scraping noise when trying to start and wont start

No it stops, even when the car is still cranking. I doesn't turn fine, it is still then it moves a little, then stops, then moves a little, then stops, and so on. I think this is serious.It would to that with a REALLY weak battery (very slow to turn over very slow to crank) BUT you said it sounds like metal to metal.. I would drain the oil and check for metal shavings.

It would to that with a REALLY weak battery (very slow to turn over very slow to crank) BUT you said it sounds like metal to metal.. I would drain the oil and check for metal shavings.


Im gonna pull the timing belt cover off, I have nothing to lose.

Im gonna pull the timing belt cover off, I have nothing to lose.wait a minute.


Is your TIMING BELT not turning or your SERPENTINE (serpentine is the belt that runs power steering,a/c, altenator, waterpump..

If that's turning them stoping, You have a locked pulley.

Cut the belt and find out what pulley locked.

wait a minute.


Is your TIMING BELT not turning or your SERPENTINE (serpentine is the belt that runs power steering,a/c, altenator, waterpump..

If that's turning them stoping, You have a locked pulley.

Cut the belt and find out what pulley locked.

The serpentine belt and all the pulleys are turning fine it's the timing belt that turns slowly then stops, turns slowly then stops, ETC. Im thinking the only way to see the problem is to remove the timing belt cover