Help..car died (mechanic says timing belt snapped)
So I was driving on the interstate in the middle of nowhere, then all of a sudden the engine decides to shut off while I had cruise control on. It didn't wanna start again after that.
My battery is new, oil is fine..at first the starter was cranking but the car just wouldn't start. It seemed to be getting weaker though after trying it a few times. I finally got a friend out there to give me a jump just in case it was the battery/alternator, but nothing. Eventually it wouldn't even crank anymore, it would just sound weaker. After a while I would just hear some fast clicking noises when I tried to start it up, no longer cranking.
Any idea what else I can check? My car is a 95 Si, Auto. That same day, before my car shut off, I had accidentally rolled the windows down with my alarm remote during heavy rain, so some water got inside the car (i quickly ran outside though when this happened to roll them up). But unfortunately by that time water seemed to have gotten into the door panel and messed up my module to where the windows decided to go haywire and roll up/down when they wanted to, even when the car was off! So when I finally got them to stay up I pulled the window motor fuse.
Might it be that something shorted out? I have a Black Widow 7150 alarm, could this somehow be causing the problem. When my friend was towing me, it got to the point where the dashboard lights were flickering when the hazard light would flash on, and the red light on the gauge needles turned off, but everything else was on. Then the right blinkers out of nowhere decided to not wanna flash anymore. So even though my hazards were on, only the left side was flashing. WTF is wrong?
Well, using the advice of many wise people before me, there are only three things that an engine needs to run; fuel, fire and air. It sounds to me like your battery is very dead right now, so you should charge that first. Next check for spark. If you're getting that, then check for fuel, and finally check for air. I agree with ancient, it is very likely a problem with your distributor. I also wouldn't rule out fuel delivery. I've had a similar situation occur that was related to my fuel pump. I've also had the same symptoms when it was my distributor as well.
I just had the car towed to the mechanic. They tried jumping it and only got it to crank. Engine wont start up/run.
The mechanics got their little manual and determined that it's my timing belt. So I'm going to need a new one. They said there's also a 50% chance that my valves were bent because my timing belt died while I was driving.
I told them about the possibility of it being my ignition switch, or some other electrical problem since it rained and my windows were down for a minute or so, so it got pretty wet inside the car.
But they seem convinced it's a problem with the timing belt being that they determined there is no current being sent to the battery
or something to that effect. They checked the alternator also.
Wouldn't you hear your engine making "sad" noises if the timing belt broke? I've never had it happen on me but I'd imagine you'd hear some type of odd noises coming from the engine with everything being un-timed. But yeah, I would definitely question your mechanics' synopsis.
you would definatly know if your timing belt went... that isn't some sort of thing you can miss
another thing is about the battery and connections... clean off all the terminals with a wire brush and baking soda...
also.. when you say the battery is "new" what do you mean by that.. sometimes even off the shelf batteries can be drained by sittin there...
even if the dead battery was the case... the jump should have bypassed that so i don't really know where to start..
but i would check all the ground connections and the power connections and all the fuses under teh hood and in the cabin
if you've been cranking the car a lot.. the engine may be flooded and the oil contaminated... i've done this... change the oil first.. then run a clear out crank if you can..
hold the gas pedal all the way down while cranking.. this will tell the ecu that the engine is flooded and will prevent more fuel from getting sprayed in... after a couple times of this.. try to start the car as you normally would
Originally posted by alvin yeah ur battery could have been drained pretty bad esp since u said the windows were goin crazy even with the car off....
This was before I was able to drive for about 50 miles on IH35 before the car died though. I was blaming the windows going crazy due to the fact that water got inside the door panel, and probably into the DEI 530T window module also.
You would of had an awful noise when you're timing belt went. You should be able to hear the piston slapping the valve if its bent. *ticking noise* But that might be what you heard when it refused to crank.
for 1k.. make him do the water pump, tensioner, tentioner belt, and when it's all said and done.. make sure he does a valve adj.
also.. if you can.. ask him to use honda oem with the head gasket .. the belt is just a bando brand belt so that sould be fine.. water pump can be over the counter
but man.. what you described... didn't sound like a timing belt
you should ask for the bent valves just to have and make sure they not just getting you for 1k
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