92 Sho starter drags and starts hard

[d2freak82]

I bought a sho yesterday, first one... I've wanted one for a long time. I have to replace the clutch and rack and pinion but other than that it's in good shape.
When you start it the starter seems to turn a little hard (drag) and sometimes when you first start it takes a long time to turn over before it starts.
I plan to change the plugs, wires, and air filter because the plugs and wires look as though they're original. But I was wondering if this might be a sign of timing chain getting loose?

 

[AREA 91]

Check your battery cables and starter connections.
These are the two most common places to look for your problem.

 

[shoon]

...I was wondering if this might be a sign of timing chain getting loose?

The chains are fairly short and tensioned with a hydraulic tensioner. If they were to stretch a little bit, the tensioners would pick up the slack. Due to the short length of the the chains; they would likely snap before being able to be stretched to the point of causing the car to run poorly.

So, I would rule out timing chains as the cause for poor driveability problems. I pulled a set of original chains with 140k miles on them and the only stretching they exhibited were from the pins stretching, giving them more lateral movement / slapping into the guides creating noise.

Old on the left, new on the right.

Search the forums on how to pull codes using the paperclip method if you do not have a scan tool, and let us know what codes come back. There are a lot of worn parts that can be linked to the problems your having; but the best place to start is checking for codes even if the check engine light isn't on.

 

[d2freak82]

the lovely local autozone said it's a belt, sorry if I said chain... I honestly don't know because I haven't torn into it.

Also I didn't think they added the hydraulic tensioner until closer to 95?

 

[itwonder]

It could be a weak battery, bad/ loose cables, or a starter on the way out. The starters do fail. NAPA sells a new manufactured knock-off that has a life time warranty.