Need Some Help

[emmick]

I drove my car home about a month ago and ran inside to get ready for work. I came back out about 10 minutes later and went to leave. My car sputterd, kind of back firing when I tried to start it. I tried to start again and had to crank it for a while to get it running. When it started it sounded like crap (lots of engine noise, exhaust note sounded off, dieseled when I shut it off). I changed the timing belt, finding that the intake cam pulley had advanced about 3 to 4 teeth. I retimed it and ran it for a while. It ticked really bad at first but then went away. The car ran ok but felt really sluggish. I drove it around for about 20 minutes when I blew the coolant hose off the reservoir. It also started missing badly right before this. I put the hose back on and filled it up with water and called my dad. He told me to take it to a mechanic. On the drive there I blew an oil breather tube off once and blew the coolant hose off again. Does anyone have any ideas on what could be going on?

Sorry for the triple post. My computer was freezing up.

[pfeener]

There's lots of clues in your post as to what happened. My guess is, when you started the car you jumped a few teeth on the intake pulley which made it run like crap and may have bent a few valves. Then you said you "re-timed" the cams, which hints that the belt may have been loose because the tensioner failed. You then drove the car and my guess is the belt started to jump teeth once again. I would do a couple of things. First assess and fix your timing belt issue and then do a compression check to see if you have bent any valves.

[Guest Guest_troyhyde_*]

Sounds like a blown head gasket to me. Exhaust gasses could be entering the coolant system passages causing the excessive pressure and the hose to blow off. (happened to me) As for the original issue of jumping timing, it could have been a result of the engine trying to compress water in the cylinder - also suspect valvetrain problems.

Sometimes these head gaskets just let go, mine did around the 120k mark with no forewarning.

[RussB]

Not saying it isn't so, but it seems improbable for the T-belt to "jump timing". Anyhow, 4 teeth would be enough to have the valves hit the pistons, I suppose.

When you re-installed the T-belt, how was the tensioner?

Do you have coolant in your oil and vice-versa?

[smokin' T5M]

Think of it this way 1 tooth is 8 degrees out of timing. You have probably bent and munched every valve on the intake side. There are few chances in this motor to not do serious damage when the belt jumps or breaks. Which explains the reason for overpressure in the intake side of the vehicle (breather). Rip off the head and make sure you haven't punctured the top of the piston.