HELP!!! Timing belt installation.

[hoiskii]

Hi!

I am changing my TB on 99 I4 right now. It's raining down here, btw.
I've got the big bolt off the pulley with the starter trick finally.
I've changed the TB, WP, tensioner and idler pulleys.
I've tightened the pulley bolt by holding the pulley with a key set (the pics will come if everything works at the end).
The timing is checked for 10-20 times, all marks on cam- and crankshaft are correct.
Last night, before rain ruined my fun, I have installed the steering pump belt.

Ok, NOW:
This morning I have tried to turn the crankshaft and it gets stuck always at one same point. And with every turn I could feal it takes more and more force to turn it, finally that force exceeded 100 ft. lbs., I guess.

I have opened the top cover, turned (with very high torque, unfortunately) the crankshaft one more time to find that the mark on the camshaft is perfectly in place for TDC.

My question: WHAT THE HELL is holding the crankshaft from turning????
Because of rain I continue this work since Friday and my sparkplug holes are opened, could the pistons get rusty? Steereing pump stucks, parking brake in AT? WHAT???

Or should I simply close everything and start the car? Or call the workshop towing?

[Stillrunning]

Your 99 showed as non-interference on Gates web site, so I doubt it is the valve hitting the piston. Did you put the crankshaft at TDC COMPRESSION? Plugs out? Car out of gear? I would not start engine until you figure this out. Did it do this before you put timing covers on and connect PS belt?

[hoiskii]

While installing the TB I put the crankshaft in TDC so the camshaft hole and mark matched, then I put marks on the old belt, took it off, put marks at the SAME positions on the NEW belt, installed the new belt so the marks on the belt and on cam- and crank-shafts matched, with the tensioner untightened turned the crankshaft 2 turns, checked the timing TDC marks still there, then turned the crankshaft 1-7/8 turns to the 45 degrees point and tightened the tensioner. Then I've checked for 5-10 times that TDC on crankshaft and marks matching on the camshaft come at the same time every 2 turns of the crankshaft. That's basically it.

I've just checked, it is not the PS belt, I took it off and the crankshaft is still getting stuck.

I've even looked inside the cylinders, looks clean (as it can be clean down there), though I
could only see the central part of pistons. Is there a way to see what's in there better?

.. and yeh, plugs out, AT in park, and before it turning turning smooth and nice.

[Qslim]

You have all the spark plugs out, right?
When you put the engine back to TDC where the marks aligned, can you verify that cylinder # 1 is at the top of its stroke?

[hoiskii]

Originally Posted by Qslim

You have all the spark plugs out, right?
When you put the engine back to TDC where the marks aligned, can you verify that cylinder # 1 is at the top of its stroke?

Well, the spark plugs were out all the time.
I don't want to turn the crankshaft anymore, but, I am pretty sure about timing. When the timing belt was off I definetely didn't turn the camshaft at all and the crankshaft no more than +- 30 degrees or so. As it is mentioned earlier, since it is non-interference engine, the problem can't be a "friendly meeting of pistons and valves", so I should not get the crankshaft stuck even if it one turn off of the valve timing.

[hoiskii]

How to check if there is any obstacle in a cylinder? And then how to get it out?

Frankly, I don't see any other problem but something somehow felt into a cylinder.

[dc_98_cam]

Try putting a few drops of engine oil inside each spark plug hole. ... Maybe use a straw or something. The idea is that maybe a little rust .... from humidity or something, is causing excessive friction between the piston rings and the cylinder wall. The crankshaft should only be turned clockwise, while looking at the pulley end. ...

[hoiskii]

Thank you...

UPDATE:

The crankshaft gets stuck at the position between TDCs, so two middle pistons are at the top positions (checked). Then, when I "wobble" the crankshaft back (~10 degrees or so counterclockwise) and back forward (clockwise), after 5 to 10 tries the pistons simply go through that point of "stuck" absolutely easy! And then on the next turn I have to repeat this back-forth trick again.

I could not yet get reasonably large quantity of oil into cylinders. Working on this.

But if this is the "rust vs. pirston's ring" problem, can I just start the engine?


And if it is not this problem, what else could it possibly be? Anything that can total the engine?

[dc_98_cam]

You don't need a lot of oil. ... A lot is not good. Maybe just spray some sort of lubricant into cylinders using spray tube. Only turn crankshaft clockwise ... according to manual ... not sure why but any counter-clockwise rotation is not recommended. .... Also not good to leave engine apertures exposed to the elements .... moisture, humidity, insects ... Not sure if it is a good idea to start engine. Crankshaft should first rotate freely (clockwise).

When I did my TB and WP, I recall that one point in the rotation was stiffer than others .... not sure exactly where, but I think that some resistance is normal. However, it sounds like you have 'excessive' resistance at the point in question.
I would definitely try some sort of heavier spray lubricant .... maybe PB Blaster, .... just a few sprays into each sparkplug hole. Then check to see if resistance torque is still there.

[hoiskii]

Originally Posted by dc_98_cam

You don't need a lot of oil. ... A lot is not good. Maybe just spray some sort of lubricant into cylinders using spray tube. Only turn crankshaft clockwise ... according to manual ... not sure why but any counter-clockwise rotation is not recommended. .... Also not good to leave engine apertures exposed to the elements .... moisture, humidity, insects ... Not sure if it is a good idea to start engine. Crankshaft should first rotate freely (clockwise).

When I did my TB and WP, I recall that one point in the rotation was stiffer than others .... not sure exactly where, but I think that some resistance is normal. However, it sounds like you have 'excessive' resistance at the point in question.
I would definitely try some sort of heavier spray lubricant .... maybe PB Blaster, .... just a few sprays into each sparkplug hole. Then check to see if resistance torque is still there.

Thanks. After turning back and forth I could once even pass that "dead point", but I'm starting to feal it is getting tougher to turn the crankshaft between those "dead" points...

Scared ...

The cylinders were exposed to extra moist air for ~ 3 days...
So I am heading to a store to get some sort of cylinder cleaner. (?) Maybe some gasoline will help too?

I promise you, God, I will never ever leave the spark plugs out for longer than 2-3 hours!!! Will be stupid if I end up calling a repair shop to find out that my cylinder block needs to be repaired!

[dc_98_cam]

No gas .... gas will wash away the lubricant from the cylinder wall.
What you need is some sort of oily lubrication.
... Also at this point, you don't want the power steering and alternator belts to be tensioned. Just let them be loose until you are confident that the crank shaft is turning without any problem.

[hoiskii]

Originally Posted by dc_98_cam

No gas .... gas will wash away the lubricant from the cylinder wall.
What you need is some sort of oily lubrication.
... Also at this point, you don't want the power steering and alternator belts to be tensioned. Just let them be loose until you are confident that the crank shaft is turning without any problem.

Well, I have belts tensioned already and I have checked they make no problem at all (by tensioning and making them loose). So right now I have everything (including spark plugs) in place and ready to start the engine. BUT, I'll wait till tomorrow to get some right stuff from NAPA, CHECKER_AUTO, etc. If it will not help then, ... well I will call a workshop. ...

[Stillrunning]

I'm trying to understand this;

I've tightened the pulley bolt by holding the pulley with a key set...

and your problems???

I also don't know what you could have dropped into the spark plug hole doing a TB. But it is good practice to at least replace the spark plug wires to plug the tubes. Why don't you see about putting a small pickup magnet into the cylinder and see what it picks up. Everything down there is aluminum so you should have no problem getting it in and out.

Three days with an open engine is not enough to form enough rust to give you these problems. And anyway, some penetrating spray into the cylinder will clear it up immediately. I once freed a 3 year rust seized 8hp generator with penetrating fluid in about 5 minutes. It is still working.

[keba]

if you can remove the exhaust,that gives additional inspection points...

[hoiskii]

Thanks all!!!

I put some ATF into cylinders and after a few hard turns the crankshaft rotation was healed.
ATF was said to burn faster than motor oil. Seems to be true.

The car started, the timing belt installation is done....