1997 Turns but doesn't start

kenc195 · #1 08-29-2006, 05:40 PM

Drove to work this morning with no problems. Went out mid day and the engine turns but doesn't even attempt to start. I tested the fuel supply at the needle valve and gas came out but not at the presure I expected. It has 167,000 miles and runs (ran) great.

When it turns, it sounds kind of wierd. Very staedy with little or no rsistance.

surferfletch · #2 08-29-2006, 06:26 PM

Do you have a multimeter to troubleshoot the charging system?

Was the timing belt ever changed? Better pull the timing belt cover and take a peak if you say there is little resistance.

kenc195 · #3 08-30-2006, 01:01 PM

ok, I have spark and fuel is in the fuel rail. I pulled a plug and did a compression test.... Nothing.

Timing belt here I come. Any tips before delving in?

trooperbc · #4 08-30-2006, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenc195

... I pulled a plug and did a compression test.... Nothing.

Timing belt here I come. Any tips before delving in?

wow...this'll be the first actual broken tb i've ever heard of, if that's what it is. did you test more than the one cylinder?

tips? well, usually it's the timing belt tensioner that goes (and causes an awful thrown-rod type racket).
usually you do all these at the same time because of labor and wear factors
*timing belt
*timing belt tensioner
*some say tb pulley (i don't)
*water pump -- it's behind the timing belt; almost the same labor whether diy or paying
*'ouside' belt(s) serpentine or three separate (a/c,power steering,alternator)

and a good manual
the best and most expensive by far is the factory manuals available at
www.helminc.com
or the online subscription service which essentially duplicates the factory pages, but it's only $25 for the first year
www.alldata.com
last (and least but probably good to have anyway) the haynes manual, followed by chilton...

hth

redbug · #5 08-30-2006, 02:30 PM

Did the list ever come to a position on whether the pre 98 engines were zero tolerance? If you spun the belt, like I did, and you have a zero tolerance engine you probably heard a crunching of the valves... Unless you have been extremely luck and not of the valves were down fully on all of the cylinders.. Take one of the cam belt covers off and see if the belt is still on and tight... Good luck...

redbug · #6 08-30-2006, 02:33 PM

Did the list ever come to a position on whether the pre 98 engines were zero tolerance? If you spun the belt, like I did, and you have a zero tolerance engine you probably heard a crunching of the valves... Unless you have been extremely luck and none of the valves were down fully on all of the cylinders.. Take one of the cam belt covers off and see if the belt is still on and tight... Good luck...

Canucklehead · #7 08-30-2006, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redbug

Did the list ever come to a position on whether the pre 98 engines were zero tolerance? If you spun the belt, like I did, and you have a zero tolerance engine you probably heard a crunching of the valves... Unless you have been extremely luck and none of the valves were down fully on all of the cylinders.. Take one of the cam belt covers off and see if the belt is still on and tight... Good luck...

IIRC, Jerry Lemond (JLEMOND on 4x4Wire.com) says that ALL Isuzu 3.2L and 3.5L engines are non-interference... that's good enough for me.

Gizmo42 · #8 08-30-2006, 07:30 PM

The DOHC 3.2's have a bit more clearance then the SOHC ones do. I have heard of a couple SOHC ones that bent valves when theirs broke on these boards. I guess it depends on what you are doing at the time it breaks as to whether the valves were hit. I've seen probably 4 or 5 posts of the SOHC ones breaking from some really old posts.

trooperbc · #9 08-30-2006, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gizmo42

.... I have heard of a couple SOHC ones that bent valves when theirs broke on these boards. I guess it depends on what you are doing at the time it breaks as to whether the valves were hit. I've seen probably 4 or 5 posts of the SOHC ones breaking from some really old posts.

really. . .
never heard of that. as i understand the concept of the non-interference configuration, it's non-interference, not mostly-non-interference.

the engine, pistons and valves, afterall, move the same no matter what you're doing at the time.

i'd like to read how that happened on the 3.2 sohc isuzu engines. can you point us to those posts please gizmo?

thanks,

/bc

trooperbc · #10 08-30-2006, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redbug

Did the list ever come to a position on whether the pre 98 engines were zero tolerance?. . ..

what list?

repeat:

what list?

thanks

/bc

kenc195 · #11 08-30-2006, 11:44 PM

Tore it down today and the belt was bad. The teeth were sheared right off the belt for 12-14 inches. Pretty nasty looking actually. I have only had the truck for 30,000 of the 178,000 miles and I have no records of prior maint, so it could be the origional one.

I will post a picture of it in the next few days along with a final cost, tools needed and hours for a so so wrench turner.

Reassmble is in the morning and I have my fingers crossed that the motor is a non-interference. At this point I believe it is because I have heard no crunching. Any tips on aligning the system would be greatly appreciated.

Canucklehead · #12 08-31-2006, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenc195

Tore it down today and the belt was bad. The teeth were sheared right off the belt for 12-14 inches. Pretty nasty looking actually. I have only had the truck for 30,000 of the 178,000 miles and I have no records of prior maint, so it could be the original one.

I will post a picture of it in the next few days along with a final cost, tools needed and hours for a so so wrench turner.

Reassmble is in the morning and I have my fingers crossed that the motor is a non-interference. At this point I believe it is because I have heard no crunching. Any tips on aligning the system would be greatly appreciated.

Aside from Jerry's expertise as a former Isuzu "something-or-other" the Gates Timing Belt Replacement Guide also states that these engines are non-interference. Any engine listed that has an asterix beside it is an interference engine, the 3.2L and 3.5L V6s don't have the asterix.

Gizmo42 · #13 08-31-2006, 11:54 AM

I'm trying to find past posts but search functions dont like me today. I distinctly remember one within the last 6 months (I beleive on the planet) where everyone was telling the poster not to believe their mechaninc that the valves are bent from a broken or slipped belt because the engine is non interference. The head was pulled and walla, bent valves and smacked piston.

surferfletch · #14 08-31-2006, 12:32 PM

I have heard of several supposedly non-interference engine designs damage internals with a breakage of the timing belt. Fact. Don't care what the manuals say. It happens.

Ramblin Fever · #15 08-31-2006, 01:32 PM

I very recently on one of these boards, too, read that someone had recently replaced the belt, then a few days later had to replace the tensioner as the belt started slipping, in which, IIRC, he'd opened it back up and found damage to his valves.

When my Waterpump gave out in February, it caused the timing belt tensioner to weaken, thus the belt slipped a tooth - all of this occured while simply idling trying to figure out where the antifreeze was coming from.

The whole timing belt package was replaced, engine sustained 0 damage - but I don't want to imagine what "could" have happened had I actually been driving it.

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