Desperation... any more ideas (16V problems)?

[rhock99@epix.net (Ryan H)]

Toby, as for the timing marks, it runs fine sometimes, so everything could be lined up right initially (and is)... but your problem that you had interests me, could you elaborate a bit?  My symptoms include occasional "turbo mode", where it starts like it's in 4th gear instead of 1st, then explodes to life at 3000rpm, throwing you back in the seat (too much advance?).  Or there's "dead all the time mode", where down low is just sluggish, and the motor won't rev past 4000 rpm in any gear (too much retard?).  Occasionally the power just dies completely and the car just shuts off when I put the clutch in, did yours ever do that?  How did you figure out your cars problem, anyway?  Seems like it'd be hard to find that... Thanks!



> 
> Sounds like a timing issue more than a fuel or spark issue, but I couldn't
> say for sure. I realize you say that you have timed the motor many times,
> but just for the sake of certainty, have you done all of this?
> 
> 1. the line on the side of the cam sprocket facing the passenger inner
> fender should point to the downward arrow on the valve cover
> 
> 2. line up the crank pulley timing mark on the lip of the pulley with the
> arrow moulded in to the lower plastic cover
> 
> 3. line up the flywheel tdc mark with the arrow in the timing hole
> 
> 4. use a screwdriver down the #1 (passenger side-most) spark plug hole
> while turning the engine back an forth in order to verify that tdc is
> really tdc. It should peak out in height when the other timing marks show
> tdc.
> 
> Your problem sounds quite similar to the one I fought for about 2 years.
> 
> My timing belt was tight and not slipping, but the integral key cast in
> to the crank sprocket was partially broken and the cam (as well as
> ignition timing, since its driven off the exhaust cam) timing was
> changing on its own. Sometimes the car would run great, other times it was
> a complete piece of crap. By the time I found out what was going on, the
> bottom end was a loss. I came within about 3/16" of losing the key
> altogether and getting certain valve damage.
> 
> I swapped in a new 2.0l 16v shortblock and the car is now running
> great. I was very lucky not to have any valve damage considering the car
> was driven that way for 7500 miles.
> 
> I hope this isn't your problem since its a big pain in the ass..
> 
> -Toby
> 
> 
> On Sun, 9 Feb 2003, Ryan H wrote:
> 
> > OK, I'm out of ideas.  Car runs in limp mode 90% of the time (progressively got worse).  If I turn it off then on, or nearly stall the engine, it goes normal for a few minutes.  I've replaced (or swapped) nearly everything I can think of (list below) that would be related.  Still nothing.  Anyone near Scranton PA that would be willing to help me with the car?  Like take it off my hands and try to fix it for however long it takes.  I'd pay $200 + whatever parts need to be replaced to anyone who could figure it out... really.
> >
> > OK, here's the list of things done:
> > New fuel filter (cheap one, though, but still...)
> > New knock sensor
> > Swapped knock boxes & ICM (tried 2 different ones)
> > Swapped distrib/hall sender
> > Swapped coil (part store only had 8V coil, but it still did the same thing... can't find a 16V coil to test with)
> > Timed motor many times
> > New rotor/cap
> > New plugs/wires
> > Swapped coolant sensor
> > New main pump
> > New transfer pump
> > Hardwired FP relay
> > Checked & cleaned as many connections as I could
> >
> > This problem bothers me even more because the car runs sooo strong when it's normal.  When it's not, I can't even get to 4000+ rpm.  Geo Metros pass me like I'm stopped. :o
> >
> >
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> 
>