I can't win... what's wrong now?

[DavidT]

I reassembled evrything last night (after reinstalling the timing belt- did not touch the CPS) It statrted right up. I go to start it this morning and IT WON"T START shoot
It would TRY to turn over ONE time, then I would lose power for about a minute.(interior lights will go out, then come back on by themselves) Try it again... the same thing happens.
I tried to jump it off and it still won't start. It will turn over one SLOW time about every 2 seconds if I hold the key in the start pos. ALL the lights on the gauge panel will dim at the end of each "lazy turnover". Also the tach will pick up to about 400rpms at each cycle.
help

<small>[ October 12, 2002, 04:59 AM: Message edited by: dkautumna ]</small>

 

[shojuan]

Sounds like you need to charge your battery or check your battery connections.

Rick

 

[DavidT]

could the alternator pulley be tensioned too tight? Could I have done anything with the acc. belts to have screwed this up?
The only thing I did diff. was... the alt. tensioner pulley did NOT have a nut holding it to the bracket. I got one, put serviceable lock tite on it, and tightened it down. (does that pulley have a front side and a back side to it?)

 

[DavidT]

Sounds like you need to charge your battery or check your battery connections.

That couldn't be the case, seeing how I was jumping it from my wifes car, to no avail. Right? If the battery was weak, not connected good, etc., then I should have gotten good juice from the jump. No?

 

[DavidT]

you were right, Rick. sorry to doubt you!
Thanks! thumbs_u

 

[shojuan]

Glad that was it! Make sure to charge up your battery nice and good. I have a feeling that if your alternator craps out because of an undercharged battery you will be very sad eek!

You're probably getting pretty good at changing those belts out, eh? thumbs_u

Rick

 

[DavidT]

no joke! Even though my retardred car is still lame, I was able to dig in and basically do the entire front end work of a sho thumbs_u
Of course, I do NOT guarantee my work... yet wink
I'm still looking forward to rechecking the timing AGAIN, I am curious to see if it is out of time again...

 

[RI-SHO]

What would cause the timing to just jump off spec? Timing belt tensioner? Because as of now it defitnaly sounds like I have timing problems with a belt that only has about 11,000 miles on it.

 

[projectSHO89]

What would cause the timing to just jump off spec?

Improper tension on the timing belt.

Possibiliites (in no particular order) include a stretched or damaged timing belt or a tensioner that is not keeping adequate and constant tenstion on the belt.

Steve

 

[rangerj]

DK,
Before you take the front end apart, again, you may want to have your starter tested. If the engine is cranking very slowly, while connected to a fresh battery (your wifes car), it sounds like a starter problem.

A local parts store can test it for amp draw, etc. It is also a good idea, as suggested by others, to make sure all your electrical connctios are clean and tight.

You have gotten this far along, don't give up now!rangerj

 

[pjtoledo]

dkautumna:

Sounds like you need to charge your battery or check your battery connections.

That couldn't be the case, seeing how I was jumping it from my wifes car, to no avail. Right? If the battery was weak, not connected good, etc., then I should have gotten good juice from the jump. No?

Battery cables have 2 ends, have you checked the ground attachment to the block and hot at the starter? Look for corrosion inside the crimped area. As Homer would say,,,Doh!!

Perry Toledo,Ohio