Still won't start...

mvisible · Post by **mvisible** » 01 Jul 2019, 15:58

1986 240 Wagon.
My son and his friend replaced the timing belt and seals. However, he didn't replace the spring on the tensioner and didn't realize there was a leak from the water pump. After driving for about 30 miles the timing belt slipped off. We've replaced the water pump, tensioner spring and replaced timing belt. Put a brand new battery in, alternator tested fine. Car would turn but not start. We replaced the fuel pump (in take had already been replaced a few months earlier, this time we did the main inline pump), fuel filter, fuel pump relay. Tested for spark- check. Tried unplugging the MAS. Still no starting. Since we're told it's an interference engine we were worried about piston or valve damage. I've pulled off the head and to my knowledge everything looks fine (with exception of the 'crumb's I need to vacuum out of the cylinders after cleaning of guck after removing the head.) Can anybody see anything wrong in the pictures? What else could be the problem? I'm worried that just putting it back together will not have solved the problem of not starting.

tardcart · Post by **tardcart** » 01 Jul 2019, 17:25

you are like my dentist. drill baby drill. its a lot of hard unnecessary work. the problem was maby as simple the distributer was 180 degrees off and firing on the exhaust stroke. there is usually a correlation between work done and problem. so changing the timing belt would be loss of distributer timing or cam timing marks lining up or wire knocked loose. that sort of thing.

lummert · Post by **lummert** » 01 Jul 2019, 17:37

More than likely not an interference engine. More than likely timing belt install issue.

dj_v70 · Post by **dj_v70** » 01 Jul 2019, 19:54

Are you sure it is an interference engine? 240 engines aren’t normally interference engines. I think it is only B234 engines and they weren’t stock 240 engines.

mvisible · Post by **mvisible** » 02 Jul 2019, 09:18

tardcart wrote: ↑01 Jul 2019, 17:25 you are like my dentist. drill baby drill. its a lot of hard unnecessary work. the problem was maby as simple the distributer was 180 degrees off and firing on the exhaust stroke. there is usually a correlation between work done and problem. so changing the timing belt would be loss of distributer timing or cam timing marks lining up or wire knocked loose. that sort of thing.

Yeah, I was maybe worried about too much extra work, but there were serious oil leakage issues anyway, head gasket was essentially non-existent. Just moved that project up on the list. I'll be sure to double check all timing aspects when I put it back together. Thanks.

mvisible · Post by **mvisible** » 16 Jul 2019, 10:25

Ok, update: put back together, had to deal with timing a couple of times (tooth off) and it started to work as good as before. Drove to work and it died on the way home. Won't restart- won't even crank. So I'm thinking electrical issue. Alternator tested fine but maybe connection between alternator and battery? Battery is brand new. Couple of people I've talked to asked if the battery was clamped/held down, which it isn't. Is it maybe bouncing around causing a short?

93Regina · Post by **93Regina** » 16 Jul 2019, 21:51

dj_v70 wrote: ↑01 Jul 2019, 19:54Are you sure it is an interference engine?

Maybe if head is shaved too much...