How to know if valves were bent.

[tmk169]

1999 civic SI. The wife was driving home from work when the car started to miss and then died. After many tries to start, we towed it home. I have removed the valve cover and the belt looks good but is not moving. She did not here any thing bad like the pistons hitting any thing.

 

[RonJ]

I have removed the valve cover and the belt looks good but is not moving.

I don't understand what you are saying here^. If you turn the crank pulley counterclockwise with a breaker bar, does the cam turn?

 

[tmk169]

?

O.K. At first, the cam pulleys did not turn when moving the crank pulley. After moving the cam pulleys, now both move. A see that both pulleys have an up make on them. When the one on the exhaust is at the top, the intake is at about 4 o’clock. Shouldn’t that both be at the top?

 

[RonJ]

Shouldn’t that both be at the top?

Yes

Remove the timing belt and install a new one with the cam and crank set at TDC1. Then compression test the cylinders. Good luck.

 

[tmk169]

What could cause them to get out of time and not turn with the crank pulley? At first, it was very hard to turn the cam pulleys. Then after turning them about a quarter turn the crank started to turn with them.

 

[motozachl]

Leakdown test > compression test

 

[LucasAHawkins]

Leakdown, compression, fuel pressure tests.

 

[chromal]

What could cause them to get out of time and not turn with the crank pulley? At first, it was very hard to turn the cam pulleys.

Timing belt could have hopped, especially if it was worn or had stretched with age. The cams might resist motion if the valves interfere with the pistons at the top of their stroke. If they're bent, they likely won't seat well enough to seal, which a compression test will detect, once everything's realigned to TDC. Good luck.

 

[00siboy]

Like Ron said, get a new timing belt (I like to get new timing pulley kit and water pump while I'm in there) and compression test. Its the only way to know for sure if there is internal damage.

 

[tmk169]

O.K. Was out of town for some time. Replaced belt. Did not due compression or leak down test. It runs but some ticking noise from the top end. So have the head repaired or replace with used head?

 

[chromal]

Even if it's foregone that you have cylinder head or valve damage, it's hard to be sure how big of a job repairing it might be without some sense of whether it's a problem in one or more cylinders.

Time for a compression test. Depending on the sound, it might be valve lashing / tappet noise, or, a sign of damage (and more damage being done). I wouldn't run that engine until you know which, or you could just make things worse, for example, you may be generating metal fragments that are scouring grooves in the cylinder sleeves and will require an a cylinder sleeve overbore and new pistons (on top of the cylinder head replacement or repair).

Good luck