bent valves?

[tfoti]

its a 90 gsx. the person i want to buy it from says it jumped time while in neutral and rolling down their driveway, but says the vavles are fine. i know its an interference engine, but would that matter if it was off timing just a tooth? also said it needs a tensioner... thanks for any info!! i wanna be a very proud dsm owner soon! i love this forum!

p.s. i hate spoilers and stickers on civics too

[1stGenRocks]

do a compression check that'll tell you if the valves are bent. or so it posracing style and if it will run figure its good

[tfoti]

you are right, but first i have to get the timing right...i haven't worked on a dsm before, would getting the timing back on be a difficult task? i meant to buy a service manual, but i didnt have the money...thanks for any info

[1stGenRocks]

search vfaq.com you should be able to find how to set the timing. definately buy the manual. u might find instructions searching the forums here too

[joemathews]

Timing these cars is not hard, but you do have to take the time to thoroughly read the Vfaq.com timing procedure. Any timing procedure in the Haynes (I can't speak for the Chiltons because I don't have it) is half-assed. The only way to do it right is by following the vfaq. Many thanks to those guys who put that tutorial together. Basically, you get all of the marks to line up where they're supposed to, install the auto-tensioner, and make sure everything still lines up properly after the engine has been hand turned 7-10 rotations. That is, of course, a huge summary. Read the vfaq.com 1g timing procedure to see what you're getting into first.

[tfoti]

ok. i have already been reading up on it. i cant believe how much info they have on that site, its pretty nice. i also have a garage, tools, and another car i drive around so those things aren't an issue. thanks guys!

[EclipseRST]

if timing jumped i can almost gaurantee the valves are bent! i had 4 timing belts jump teeth/break or entangle in something else and each time i had bent valves! one jumped a tooth and bent 4 valves at idle rpms, i was looking at the motor then it started idling like shit so i shut it off at checked timing and it was off one tooth... talk about being pissed off, i ran a compression test and the 2nd and 3rd cylinders were at 0. hopefully you go lucky, before you buy it i would see if you can get him down on price even further, or go set timing and see if the compression is good! good luck

[imtheoneandonlyD]

so if the timing if off it can bend your valves? cause i had my timing belt replaced and 15 minutes later the CEL came on and i took it back and they had to re-adjust it. is it possible it has bent valves?

[EclipseRST]

depends... i'm not saying everytime the belt is off a tooth the valves are bent, its just that 98% of the time that i have seen have bent valves! i dont think i have ever seen the CEL come on when timing was off... so it must have been something else.

[tfoti]

well who knows, maybe it didnt even jump timing and something else is wrong with it. i just have to find time to go back and take a closer look at it. any other specific items i should look at besdes the obvious? i mean that are dsm specific?

[joemathews]

You wouldn't jump timing while driving down a driveway unless there was a significant problem with the belt tension--i.e. the auto tensioner was broken. The autotensioner is a little metal-encased piston that you have to compress every time you do a timing belt job. You de-compress the piston when everything is lined up correctly, and if all goes well, the autotensioner piston will pop up and pull your belt tight.
It sounds like the tensioner caused the original problem. It may or may not have bent valves. If timing slipped only a tooth, I doubt valves were bent, but if it was any more than that, like Jake says, there could be a more serious problem with the valves.

[1stGenRocks]

if the auto tensioner was broken then maybe he got lucky and if/when the valves hit the pistons the belt just slipped and didnt hold enough to turn the cams and bend the valves

[tfoti]

that would be awesome if there is no damage to the head. i just wish there was an EASY way to tell without re-setting the timing. maybe i can convince her that the valves are bent and then i'll get it for real cheap!! i'll keep you guys posted. im not going back to see it unless i have cash in hand...
i appreciate all your help guys!

[tfoti]

if anybody cares...here is the car i am talking about. i stopped by and took a few pics. yes, that is mold on the inside. i know that mold doesnt "go away" but o well... if i buy this car im going to have alot of fun cleaning it up. tell me what you think

http://www2.freepichosting.com/Images/421552962/0.jpg

http://www2.freepichosting.com/Images/421552962/1.jpg

http://www2.freepichosting.com/Images/421552962/2.jpg

http://www2.freepichosting.com/Images/421552962/3.jpg

http://www2.freepichosting.com/Images/421552962/4.jpg