89 Cutlass Cierra 2.4L won't start

[Tripyre]

I was driving down the interstate, when I lost engine power. Had to coast to the shoulder where I could not get the engine to start. Hauled the car back home and started checking it out. Plugs have spark, fuel shoots out of the line to fuel injector, can hear the fuel pump running, replaced the computer with another that is known to work and still the car will not start. I have even put gas down into the injector without the car starting. If anyone knows anything else I could check, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Tripyre

[GTP Dad]

Welcome to AF!

Check the timing chain. If you have fuel and spark then something is interferring with the timing of the engine. It is possible that the chain broke or may have jumped timing to the point where the engine will not run.

[Tripyre]

It is worse than that. I took off the gear cover and found that it had timing gears instead of a chain or belt. The gear was sheared and would you know it, it is pressed on the cam shaft, so the only way to get it replaced is to pull the engine and replace the entire cam shaft with the gear on it. The gear is made out of a fiber composite and not metal...I would have thought that that gear would have been metal...oh well, looks like I will be buying a "new" used car. This car is 17years old and has 200,262 miles on it. I guess it has done its' job. I just wish it hadn't of done it so soon, as our other car was totaled a couple of weeks ago by a lady who ran a red light.

Thanks for your reply and help.

Tripyre

[Scootzilla]

Originally Posted by Tripyre

It is worse than that. I took off the gear cover and found that it had timing gears instead of a chain or belt. The gear was sheared and would you know it, it is pressed on the cam shaft, so the only way to get it replaced is to pull the engine and replace the entire cam shaft with the gear on it. The gear is made out of a fiber composite and not metal...I would have thought that that gear would have been metal...oh well, looks like I will be buying a "new" used car. This car is 17years old and has 200,262 miles on it. I guess it has done its' job. I just wish it hadn't of done it so soon, as our other car was totaled a couple of weeks ago by a lady who ran a red light.

Thanks for your reply and help.

Tripyre

Man sorry to hear that.My cutlass has 170k on the car but my engine only as about 48k i went out and got a motor that was used and it runs great no hard miles that i can tell i just love my car.You can get a cheap engine from the junkyard you know.

[Tripyre]

I think I am going to sell it to the junkyard. I hope to get $50-$100 for it since the junkyards are really full in my area due to the Katrina/Rita hurricanes. Guess I will have to wait and see. My wife's aunt has a 94 Cheverolet S-10 that she says I can buy for $1000. It only has 73K miles on it and seems to run fine. She says that there is an emissions problem, the A/C does not work and a few other minor issues with wiper hose, and a fuel float that is not working...stays on full for a long time and then when it hits half tank it is near empty, and a missing radio antenna. I believe I can fix all of these things for under $500. I did some looking around and this truck with the mileage sells for around $1500. So I think this is a good buy. The truck is clean and runs well with no oil leaks. Needs 2 new front tires but besides that a good deal.