NEED HELP... timing belt removal and install

[05hemiregcab]

OK.. so here is the deal.. A buddies grandma has a 97 sohc auto. Going down the interstate the timing belt broke. she said she shut the car right off and what not. My Buddy, who built his motor a few different times with another fellow org.er and experienced bent valves took a look at it.. said that he didnt think any were bent and to throw another belt on it. Ok no problem! OR so I think


Get the car... tear it all down and get it all back together in maybe 4-5 hours... with various delays and setbacks running to the parts store. First time get it all together, turn it over... give it just a little throttle and it would act like it wanted to crank but never crank. So I pulled each spark plug and held my hand over the hole to make sure it had compression.. every hole did (how much, dunno, didnt test it). Talked with a friend.. pulled it all back apart and checked my timing.. it jumped one tooth.. so I got it all back together again.. crank it.. it will run but it runs extremely rough. kindof like having a bad miss.. or timing being off... but both the marks on the cam and crankshaft are lined up. However, the book says compression stroke and exhaust stroke.. i talked that over with a guy i work with and he was sayin that the different strokes were in the cam. Needless to say it will run... has to be givin a little gas in order to fire.. which makes me think that the timing is still off..

But here is my thing... If it did have a bent valve from the whole ordeal.. then how in the hell is it running.. and why do I not here piston/ valve slapping going on in there? I could have sworn that if you bent a valve that a car would never run because of loss of compression? Cause I had it running.. its just like the timing is off a few degrees or something? I dont know.. I am at a loss and tired of it for now.. so any suggestions or help offered would be greatly appreciated! thanks.. RICHARD

[rice_eater]

An engine will still run with a mildly bent valve. That is until the valve finally lets go and the head snaps off completely. Thats when it all hits the fan.

Example:
http://forums.neons.org/viewtopic.php?t=296642&highlight=005+cam+sohc

[dodgeneonACR98]

Im with Rice!

I almost got a neon for parts that had a time belt bust. The owner threw on another belt and had the same problem you got. It would start and run but would not run well.
It spit,sputterd and sounded like it was on it's last leg. It was!

Id replace the valves or just buy a reman head for a few hundred bucks. I don't care how long a person been working on cars, I doubt anyone could eyeball a bent valve. Sure a person can see total valve destruction along with holes in pistons, but a few .001 bend. Nah! No way. Atleast not while they are in the head! I just don't think so.

[05hemiregcab]

Yeah.. appreciate it guys.. I am gonna give it a compression test tomorrow and see where that takes me, talk it over with a good friend and then more than likely pull the head and replace the valves.. makin 300 off it.. much better deal for the people I am doing it for. I am just gettin more experience doing it and enjoy workin on the car and helping a friend in need out. Might as well put my brains and knowledge to somekind of use.

Figured I might be a lucky guy.. have a timing belt snap.. be able to throw another one on and be all set and make a quick 150 for 4-5 hours worth of work.. but never! ha.. oh well let the fun begin! possible write up for the site? ha... not... thanks though..