car won't start

[tommyboy6]

car has good spark and good fuel and it does turn over but it won't start, what is the problem.

[don24mac]

what kind of car are you looking for information on. It looks like you've asked this in the Accord, Legacy and Camry forums. I'd like to offer suggestions, but we need more information, such as what led to your car not starting. Was it running fine before? Has it been sitting for a while, etc?

[tommyboy6]

well it is actually a legacy, i was just having trouble with anyone ever answering my posts. but, i overheated it like a month ago and it quit running as i was driving and the antifreeze steamed everywhere. after further inspection, my timing belt was broke as well as my water pump. i replaced them both and now it won't start. everything seems fine now, it is not seized so i don't know what is going on. i hope that this is enough info. also, sometimes while i am turning it over, it will crank and crank, not start, and then it will stop and then continue cranking. i hope that that helps. thanks.

[ProMan]

Hmm, did you replace the timing belt yourself? that could do the trick. If the timing is off a tooth, your engine won't start. Does it ever start after the timing belt change?

[tommyboy6]

yes i did do it my self, so if it is off a tooth it won't start huh, well that is no good. i will check it. someone told me that it would start but run bad.

[don24mac]

Also be sure the #1 piston is at Top Dead Center of the compression stroke, and the cam is in the proper position with intake and exhaust valves closed. It's possible to line up the marks but have the position of one of the shafts, (cam or crank) out of position by a full revolution.

The car won't start if this has happened, either.

[don24mac]

Wait a minute. Did your timing belt break while you were driving? I'm not that up on Subaru's, but some of their cars have an interference engine. If it does, and your timing belt broke while you were driving, it could have caused serious damage to the internal parts of the engine. (valves and pistons) Unfortunately, I think the Legacy and Outback are some of the models that do have this kind of engine. Don't know what year you have, so can't be sure.

http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/...p?threadid=903

By the way, I've found the above linked forum to be a good site for info on suby maintenance. You might find more information there.

[tommyboy6]

well, thanks for all of the info but the timing was off a couple teeth due to a misleading mark on the crank sprocket, it was a damn arrow that meant jack, anyway, so after i found the real mark that was supposed to line up it started up perfectly and so far the water pump and all that has held up so everything is great.

[don24mac]

Good news. Thanks for the update.

[300+]

Don't feel bad, Camrys have misleading marks as well.