Rep Power: 0

Hi! I have a question on troubleshooting my daughters 94 civic. I'm not real familiar with these so I hope this doesn't sound to stupid. She is sitting at a stoplight and engine just stops. We have it towed home and I start looking at it. Cranks normal but no start. I pull the distributor cap and watch the rotor while she cranks it. It doesn't move at all. Timing belt broke? Thanks
Tom

 
Rep Power: 512

Pull the timing belt cover and inspect that way. Rotate the crank by hand (well, a.. 19mm? socket and a breaker bar). If the timing belt is broken, I'd expect valves would be bent.

 
Rep Power: 518

Probably. Remove timing covers and inspect.

Hope it did not bend valves.
Plan for the worst, hope for the best.

 
Rep Power: 0

Just pulled timing cover and valve cover. Timing belt is excellent. Cam gear or maybe the key broke? Where the cam gear bolt goes thru the gear looks a little rough. Would that sound plausible?

 
Rep Power: 518

You could not turn the dist rotor by hand could you?
If the bolt holding the cam gear came loose, that would allow it to shear off the key or pin and let the cam quit turning. Is the bolt not tight?



Put a socket on the crank pulley and rotate it.
Does the cam gear spin?
Can you see the camshaft from there? (probably not)

Remove oil cap, look in the valve cover (assuming you can see valvetrain parts inside) with a flashlight....and rotate the crank at least 2 full revolutions, see if rocker arms move.


If the camshaft broke in half though......think about it.
Front section would turn with the timing belt but the rear half would be dead still, so would the distributor.
I've heard it can happen, but I haven't seen one do it myself.

 
Rep Power: 0

Distributor would not turn by hand. Cam gear spins, cam does not. Bolt was finger tight. I'm guessing if it sheared off the key I would still have to tear it apart as if replacing the belt in order to time it right, correct? Thanks

 
Rep Power: 518

You might be able to sneak it out and in without tearing out the bottom half of the covers.....


In the timing cover, there is probably an access hole with a plastic cap in it, that covers the hole for loosening the tensioner bolt.

Remove cap, loosen the bolt, push the belt so tensioner pulley will move, then tighten the bolt just enough to hold the pulley in place. (keeps some slack in the timing belt)

Do whatever you need to do.
Be careful about moving crank, you need to keep pistons away from valves while turning the cam.
Reinstall belt over cam pulley in correct position, perform belt tensioning procedure as per shop manual.


See if it will run on all 4 cylinders.
If it runs on all 4 cylinders, go buy lottery tickets.
If not, it probably bent a few valves.

 
Rep Power: 0

ezone you're plan worked perfect. Got a cam gear at the wrecking yard and got it together using the access hole. Started right up and ran fine. Thank you very much for your help! Outstanding. On my way to pick up Lottery tickets

 
Rep Power: 518

Glad it runs ok!

Did you use a torque wrench on the bolt this time? Loctite?

 
Rep Power: 0

Didn't put a torque wrench on it but put red loctite on it and cranked it up tight. What is the torque recommendation on that bolt?

 
Rep Power: 518

I don't know without digging out service info.

Now that it has loctite on it with time to set up, I don't think you'll ever get it accurate.