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ok so I finally finish this build after 2 yrs!! do the testing of starting and idling etc etc... finally sees light after being in garage for two yrs do test drive end of street and back.. finally get plates & insurance.. I drive little further to get some gas than Mc d's for lunch... I pull over in parking lot after getting gas... I was trying to adjust idle screw.......and what do I see?....................... The timing belt is split in half!! ..... I was lucky enough to drive and coast home taking back roads since i was only 5 min away with half a timing belt on... I get it home take off drampner & timing cover... looking and looking see nothing fell in, the bottom oil pan bolt was good... Then Im looking at the intake cam gear and notice play in the dowel pin hole... The fruit and banana cam gear came lose I dont know how ! And work play in the dowel hole on the cam gear......and the dowel pin came crooked and narrow at top...



So last night I picked up a gates timing belt, I took out the cam shaft ( 272) & today im taking to machine shop for a new dowel pin...supposably he did some custom work for Jays lenos car so I hear he is pretty good... But anyways this sucks!! All i had to do left was tune & retorque head studs and break in new clutch.... Im just hoping and that I did not bend any valves I really am!!
Have to get this cam shaft done, retorque everything i can again! install timing belt again... ooo I forgot I need a new lower timing belt cover FML!!!!!

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Speed kills!! Drive a Honda & live forever!

Good you caught it. The belts are pretty tough but all it takes is one dropped tool onto a cam gear to create a crack which turns into a split. If you're really worried about it, you could always go to a kevlar belt.

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Had a:
1991 Eagle Summit ES Hatchback - 4g15 12v 5spd
1991 Dodge Colt -4g15 12v 4spd
Have a:
1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass - 468BBO TH350
Round 3:
1990 Dodge Colt-4G63T 5spd

yea, I picked up a gates last night... I feel little better this morning cause the ball is starting to roll, going to this machine place in a bit for new dowel pin in the cam shaft.. I just hoping i didnt bend any valves cause it was off by a tooth or two.... The torque on the bolt holding the cam gear to cam shaft came lose a bit enough for some play to work side to side...

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Speed kills!! Drive a Honda & live forever!

If you drove it home. It didn't bend valves. If belt broke or gear came off while driving. Bent valves are possible

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91 colt beater..

thats good to know, just after getting home before taking off the dampner, i aligned the gears and was off at least 2 teeth... And coming home it would not idle by itself with foot off the gas... But thats some relief, sucks having problems like this right off the bat.... Off to get the camshaft dowel pin replaced...... Sometimes i get in the mood and like why am i keeping this colt? lol but of course ill keep it, kinda grew on me over the couple yrs..

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Speed kills!! Drive a Honda & live forever!

a stock dsm motor can go up to 6 teeth off before making contact with the valves.. with cams like the 272s i think its 4 teeth.. so if you are onl 2 off..and u DID NOT!!!! rev it up high on the drive home you should be fine..

sucks that happened..but like Mech said you got lucky and caught it.. my belt broke right in half 2 weeks ago while I was just getting up to speed. so im sure I have some bent valves.(gonna tear it apart this weekend) sad thing is mine only had 7k miles on the belt..

Steve

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Steve 89 colt 2.3 stroker stock top end. evo3@20 psi 13.489@99.30mph 3/10 2012
On drag radials.auto trans.launching @ 5 psi and no traction thru 2nd.

Ever get fed up? Only every day. I'm an old DSMer and have only the last few years been working on a CSM. My '89 Colt GT is by far the biggest pile of crap car I've ever owned in my 29yrs of driving. Quality, fit, finish, tin can sturdyness, etc etc. But something keeps me coming back for more. Ha.

I just put a new engine with one-off pistons in it, new suspension, new big brakes, new wheel bearings, tie-rod ends, ball joints, urethane bushing, added sound deadening, stereo w/12" sub, custom exhaust, Supra smic w/2.5" ic pipes, etc. And I got rearended 12hrs after getting the last of the mods, the ic pipes installed. Luckily its driveable and didn't hurt the frame. But I do have to replace the rear floorpan now.

CSM, can't win for losing.

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'89 Colt GT w/bigger than stock turbo
'91 Talon AWD w/bigger than stock turbo
'05 Dodge diesel w/bigger than stock turbo

With ANY car, regardless of what make or model, there is the opportunity for mistakes and failure. It's all part of the game. Even the big names and professionals make mistakes. There has to be a reason you jumped into this hobby, be sure to remember that reason and keep on with it.

Yea thats great to know , feeling better now thanks! Yea im sticking with it, just how i felt when it happen yesterday, and yea I got lucky checking it, Just sucks for having to do something all over again you have already done... This timing belt had maybe 6-8 miles if that and the times having the motor idle in garage and outside before the drive.. sucks doing timing belt with motor in colt so tight.. But has to get done..

Good news is I dropped out the camshaft today, said to call back monday so hopefully the dowel pin is replaced, and just need to get another bottom timing belt cover. that belt just worked its way out and just ate that timing belt cover up..

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Speed kills!! Drive a Honda & live forever!

Seeing as I just had all 8 valves replaced on my head that was off by 1 tooth with 272's, that is incredibly incorrect information. And all I did was try to start it. I've heard of people getting away with 1 tooth off and not having damage but you sure as hell aren't going to be off by 6 or 4 and be good to go after.

I've had cars completely together and had to take them back apart for something small. Heck with my GVR4 I've been working on for the past six months the timing covers and timing equipment were on and off at least half a dozen times.

LOL

CSM, can't save money.

I had a GSX that stripped the teath off the belt in several places, especially the crank sproket area, I was wondering why the starter wasn't turning the engine over.. well it was.. just the bottom half lol, just a new belt and the car ran perfect, extremely rare.

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89 Mirage Billet 20g 63t 12.4@120 417whp 400wtq @ English Racing.
89 Colt GT E316g
06 Silverado SS
07 ZX6R

ok, so I just picked up my camshaft with the new dowel pin but as i suspected Im going to need a different cam gear cause since the bolt worked it self loose it had enough play to work side to side to make the dowel pin hole in the cam gear wear and now its oval.... Well tomorrow Ill be putting together the new cam gear back on the camshaft.. Rebleed the lifters and then torque everything triple, quadupal times haa... New timing belt on.. And check everything... all i need then is a new lower timing belt cover.. ( sucks cause mine was mint) and then check, start and check compression and i did not bend any valves...

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Speed kills!! Drive a Honda & live forever!

You can tell if you bent valves with the camshafts out or at least the cam caps off. Remove the spark plugs if you have not already done so, and put in the little air adapter that comes with a pressure tester for cylinders/leak down testers. Apply regulator compressed air into the cylinder and see if the intake or exhaust or both are afflicted with a massive charge of air getting out. One or all cylinders will be afflicted and show this trait, if valves are bent. Pretty sure based the number of teeth the belt slipped, you should do this test before wasting time on getting things back together only to have to tear into it again. Trying to help you out here.

Ok so yesterday I finished the timing belt, New dowel pin in the camshaft,new lower timing cover.. I torqued & retorqued everything like 5 times... Hopefully all good now... On a GoodNote, The colt idles great! But i havent done a compression test yet... Im crossing fingers that I got lucky.. But only the numbers will tell...

Using the tool to tighten the idler pulley helps a bunch! First try on timing got it right.. doing it inside the colt without lowering the motor is possible, but is a PITA!! ha

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Speed kills!! Drive a Honda & live forever!