I will try to make a long story short. I have a "vintage" '88 Accord with 247K on it. In other words, a beater. but a very reliable beater, tho it does leak more oil than I drink water. So one of those cars that when I fill it with gas I have doubled its value. But kids in college, lots of other bills, etc., so am trying to avoid car payments as much as possible.

Yesterday I drove about 6 miles to a meeting. When I came back out, it wouldn't start. I tried several times, and tried to compression start it a few times. A couple of reasonably knowledgable sidewalk mechanics helped me, and I went thru several trouble shooting options with them that didn't work. With each option, tried turning the engine over a couple times. When all was said and done, finally had it towed to my mechanic. He quickly determined it is a timing belt that needs replacement. He popped the distrib cap off and I cranked it quickly. The rotor didn't rotate, but did move a little bit. So what isn't know is if the timing belt is broken, or if teeth are just sheared off.

My mechanic tells me he can't tell if the engine has damage without putting the timing belt on and turning the engine over. He is a good guy who I trust and has done work for me before. Cost for a new belt installed is $265, $310 if he also replaces the water pump.

My question: based on my above description of not driving when the problem occurred, but of trying to turn the engine over probably a dozen times in trying to solve the problem, what is the chance I have done significant engine damage if the T belt WASN'T broken but still intact but non-functional? I am trying to avoid wasting $265 to have him install a new one only to be told the engine suffered damage. If the engine suffered damage, on a car this old with its other problems, I think I will have to raise the white flag of surrender and get a different car. But if there is a reasonable chance that the valves AREN'T damaged if the belt is intact but non-functional, I would probably take that chance and spend the money and drive it another 250K. After all it is just getting broken in.

Mechanic can't work on it until tomorrow so I have a little time to research my options.

Thanks very much in advance.

 

I think the 88 is an interference engine, but I am not sure about that. If it is an interference engine, then you likely have valve damage.

Another option is to put a used engine in there. Places like car-part.com will search local junkyards for your engine and sort by distance, price, etc.

 

Here's a possible method...

Remove the upper timing cover & the valve cover so you can see stuff moving. Get a set of feeler gauges as if you're going to adjust the valve lash.

Turn the crankshaft so it is 90-degrees away from TDC. Now all 4 pistons are at mid-stroke. (When you turn it, presumably you'll see the belt doesn't turn the camshaft.)

Assuming the belt doesn't properly turn the camshaft, cut off the belt. Now you can spin the camshaft any way you want without fear of the valves hitting the pistons.

Without turning the crankshaft, turn the camshaft only, through the 4 positions where you check/adjust the valve clearance. Any bent valves will have excessively large clearance. If all the clearances are kinda OK, then probably worthwhile to put on a new belt.

Set the camshaft to #1 TDC - (arrow upwards & timing marks lined up).

Rotate the crankshaft DIRECTLY to TDC. DO NOT rotate it through BDC, even if that means turning it backwards. If you rotate it through BDC, then the wrong 2 pistons will come up top & hit thier valves.

 

Sometimes using a compression tester gauge in the spark plug hole can tell you something too.

If there are any bent valves,the compression will not be much or if any,above 0.

A friend of mine just went through this with another car with an interference engine.Used the tester and one cylinder would read 0 compression all the time.

He later took the head off and seen it for himself.Bent valves suck.The engine can rotate over easy but wont fire,or barely.

Bent valves allow the compression to bleed back into the engine or head.

 

Jims is without question the most sure fire way to check that post of yours out...

WheelBrokerAng

 

if T- belt is broken you cannot do a compression test ......you can do a leakage test ,,

what Jim suggested is a good way to chk it out
Also i would not chk the rotor , i would chk the rocker arm assembly if they move up and down ,,i have seen broken ( stripped ) rotors that DO NOT turn with the distr shaft ..

 

Mechanic found there was some sort of problem with the ditributor. Went to a salvage yard, got one for $75 and he slapped it in. Works like a charm. And while I was there I picked up a combination switch. Now I just have to get the steering wheel pulled, take a couple other things out, get the connectors figured out, and good to go.

Anyone have experience with this?

thanks fo much for all the help.

 

Hi: Always check out our search engine and also the DIY section..Desert Honda has this in the DIY..click on it: WheelBrokerAng
https://www.hondaaccordforum.com/for...ead.php?t=6533