geo wont start

[papajay38]

I have a 1990 metro 5spd., yesterday morning got in started it up and as i was backing out driveway, the check battery lite came on, car was running fine, and as i was late i drove on, well... got on I-70, put it on 65 and went on my way for about 5 miles, dash lites came on for just a second and i got a smell of burning that only lasted a second.

Had her towed home, pulled battery took it to O' reillys auto parts, had it checked, it was fine, only 1 year old, pulled alternator had it checked and it was bad, as i thought it was anyway, i replaced it...

I know this is a long thread but hang in there as this is a new one on me... well.. car still wont start, turns over good, lites all work, horn works, i have no spark coming from coil, i cant see or smell any gas as work throttle from under hood, its got me...

Thanks for any and all help. Papajay

[Masta]

aight, i dont' have a geo, but i have a CRX and the same crap happened to me. What i did, was change the distributor cap, and the thing that the cap connects to *i forgot what's it called*

[chungne]

any chance that the timing belt broke? had that happen on another car. really stumped me for a while.

[Masta]

yea, one of my friends came by when my car broke down n' when he was looking at my car, he said the timing is off. (which it wasn't) Then another one of my friend came by and he said it was the distributor. We opened it up and it was burnt up like a mofo.

[papajay38]

hey guys.. yes it was the timing belt. i put on a new alt. first as i didnt have a manual, the battery light lite was on, see my first post,

anyway it went on from there, no start, i bought a manual at o'reillys
went to salvage yard i use, they had some geos 3 '90s, pulled coil,
ecm, distrib. now i did most of this stuff because my friends said never
heard of this, its gotta be distrib, or coil, the battery was charged & good at this time, still no start, most of my friends drive older pick ups
no ecms, no pick up coils, ec

when i got the timing cover off i found belt all frayed & broke, car has 150,00 miles, the chiltons manual i bought, says, do not turn cam or crank independetly of each other after taking off belt..

well i read that a couple times thinking, huh!, how could motor stay in
alignment when belt brakes goin 70 miles an hour? so i did more research and found different things in different manuals, things even some mecanics told me " valvles probley broke, pistons craked, your engine is an interference engine". well needless to say i was hesitant
to go any further, but i had to get this car on the road! so i aligned the 4 timing marks, i.e. the crank punch mark with the mark on oil pump
the cam marks with the inside timing belt cover mark at the top ,
put on the belt along with a new water pump.

held my breath and turned key, motor started at once, smooth as silk, never sounded better, no leaks, drove for about 1 hr. on interstate at up to 70, pulled in to mcdonalds checked everything, was just fine could hardly here motor idleing, anyway if y'all have a problem with you '90 meto, its not! interference engine.

thanks guys for the replys & help.
papajay