Engine help - it was running so well...

[steviebsf]

Hello forum friends,
This will most likely be obvious to those who know more than I, which is many, i just can't quite get my head around it:

Background: 82 FI 2000 (engine, trans, drivetrain) in a 78 body which has been running smooth and solid over a year until...

I had noticed a new noise under the hood and was standing with a friend, hood up, car idling, trying to pin down a rhythmic thwackity sound that sounded like a piece of belt came loose, but both belts were intact. it was coming from the front of the engine. shut it down, inspected, found nothing, started back up.

thwackity sound still there matching the rpms and after a couple minutes it just died. attempted restart & it cranked but no spark, more importantly it sounded way different turning over, like it wasn't turning over the entire engine. Hmmm.

Final clue: was pushing it in 4th gear and while the crankshaft turned the belt with alternator and water pump, the timing belt did not move which seems very not right since thats how i would normally bump the timing gears into place when doing timing.

obviously somethings not connected or engaging. i have repaired or replaced everything on this car except I have not been inside the engine, so this is unknown territory, although it seems that may change very soon.

Your experiences and wisdom are welcomed by this humble student.

Incidentally, or coincidentally? my coil seems to have also fried. 0.00 resistance between the primary leads. I don't know if one caused the other or if its unrelated?

Many thanks in advance

[131]

First thought is stripped teeth of the timing belt, crank timing gear turning but no teeth to engage to move the belt. Next is the key sheared allowing timing gear to spin on end of crankshaft, a possibility, but I've never seen it.

[dmwhiteoak]

The klanking you were hearing was probely the gear on the crank rocking back and forth on the key. How do I know you ask? Because mine did the same a Couple years ago. I did not let mine get to the point of total wash out of the key way but it was close. I replaced crank gear along with new key and I was good to go. Maybe you will have the same luck with no internal damage.

[majicwrench]

As you probably know, you have a timing belt issue. Pull covers and repair.
Coil?? Quit measuring. Fix belt.

[Kevin1]

+1 on replacing the timing belt.
If the cams are not turning, the distributor is not turning either, which explains the "no spark" observation.

[paintdudeluke]

My only thought is this: If you were turning the engine but the belt was failed, what are the chances that your valves weren't tweaked by coming into contact with the pistons in one cylinder or other?

[steviebsf]

just to wrap this up. it was indeed the timing belt.

thanks all.

[So Cal Mark]

thanks for closing this