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Timing Belt Help??; Bad Running engine
Topic Started: Sep 17 2011, 09:42 PM (3,844 Views)
jbbcd
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Hello,
I have a 1995 Geo Sedan with a 1997 engine (4 banger) 5 speed.
Here's what happened as I remember...... age is getting to me... lol
Drove out of Walmart parking lot about 1/2 mile
Car starts to run bad like its starving for gas or somthing.
So I step on it to try & get it going. Can't seem to get it going for about 1/8 mile.
After about 1\8 mile the car engine is getting worse.... almost like its running out of gas or only running on 2 or 3 cyl's.
So I luckily, drive in to a near by parking lot & and turn off the engine.
Try to restart but will not run, again seems like no gas or 2-3 cyl.
Don't have time to fool with it...... so I have it towed to a near by Garage.
The Garage takes off the Timing belt cover and finds the timing belt on but a bit chewed up w/ a piece tore & hanging off.
Tension er spring, a cotter key falls out as he took off the cover.
So the mechanic tells me something is bent in the engine from the timing belt issue resulting "the engine is junk"
I don't believe him........
He knows I'm cheap..... lol & not willing to pay much for his services because I only paid $450 for the car.

So my question is:
1) Should I take it to another garage for an estimate.
2) Buy a new timing belt & put it on my self & hope that's all it needed.
3) Haul it to the scrap yard.

Any other suggestions or Ideas would be GREAT!
I know the car is not worth anything really.... but its worth a lot to me for how inexpensive these little things are to run.

I love my metro........ plz help me snap my fingers and fix'er :)

p.s I'm just a little "fresh fish" :cheers

Edited by jbbcd, Sep 17 2011, 09:44 PM.
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Spock
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Live Long and Prosper.

I think you're fine. It sounds like your timing belt just gave it's last mile. Hopefully, others will chime in but I think the 8 valve 4 banger is a non-interference engine. I think its only the 16 valve DOHC engine that is an interference engine, meaning that your engine will be toast if you blow the timing belt.

I am 95% sure all you need to do is fix your timing belt. Let's see if everyone agrees with me, cause I'm just talking out my ass on this one.

Good luck!

Rob
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jbbcd
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:) ur ass is smelling pretty good to me right now.....lol
Thanks
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JellyBeanDriver


What MetroRob said is what I've read too - only the DOHC 4cyl is an interference engine.

Price of parts is cheap, and the labor is easy too. Might as well do it and see where you're at.
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jbbcd
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bump
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Woodie
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MetroRob's ass is right on target this time. Not an interference engine, there should be no damage. Just putting on a new belt should take you right back to where you were. the only thing that has me questioning, is your use of the word cotter key. There is a key (properly called a woodruff key) that locates the crankshaft pulley on the crankshaft, and they are known to shear off. Not really known to fall out though, you usually have to take off the pulley to find the key turned into an oblong step kinda thing, or sheared completely in half, with half of it in the crank and the other half in the pulley. If you're talking about a mangled up piece of wire, then that is just the tensioner spring and is inconsequential, wasn't very necessary to start with.
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bogs
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Duct tape heals all wounds

:gp
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Bad Bent
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Facetious Educated Donkey

I to agree that MetroRob has a smart ass. ;)

We have a thread somewhere with lots of stories of engines dying and being quickly resurrected with a new timing belt and tensioner. Pictures art at http://geometroforum.com/topic/2232748/1/?x=0#post166330
It my be possible to simply reach down and grab the crank pulley and see if it moves at all when you twist it. And it even easier to test if the Alternator belt is a little loose.
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jbbcd
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Thanks much!
I will purchase a timing belt and give it a go! :)
The key I saw was approx 1/4 inch long 1/8 inch wide and is a solid half circle
Who knows...... may be the mech just showed it to me to make me believe it fell out??
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Old Man


jbbcd
Sep 18 2011, 01:17 PM
The key I saw was approx 1/4 inch long 1/8 inch wide and is a solid half circle
That was a woodruff key, not a cotter key. There is no way the woodruff key came out in one piece. That shop is just jerking you around. I would NEVER go back to them for ANYTHING.
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95metr0
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Sorry for the late reply, but I just did the exact same thing in my 95 metro. They are correct in telling you these are non-interference motors. You could spin the crank and cam separate and they will never contact each other. Throw a timing belt on, make sure the water pump is ok, and keep driving.
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starscream5000
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Got 70 MPG?

The woodruf key is supposed to look like a half moon. If it doesn't then you need a new one and you need to inspect the crankshaft snout for damage.

Put it all back together and time it correctly and you should be good to go. :thumb
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jbbcd
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How does one find out what engine is in?
My Geo's engine has been replaced with a 1997 engine according to the writing on the duct tape under the hood.
it is a 4 cyl now.
I did find this, but how do I know what I have?

1.0 SOHC G10= non interference
1.3 SOHC G13A, G13BA, G13BB= non interference

1.3 DOHC G13B=bye bye valves

Thanks
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Memphis metro


You definately do not have the 1.0 because that is the 3 cylinder. Of the other two engines, one has one camshaft and the other has two. Snap a picture and post it here. If in fact your engine is a 97 engine then you have the sohc 1.3L



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/REBUILT-1-3-GEO-METRO-SOHC-CYLINDER-HEAD-1995-1997-/360382831264?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item53e87d9aa0
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starscream5000
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Got 70 MPG?

A 1997 4 cylinder would be the G13BA engine.

The G13B came from a suzuki swift, no Geos came with this engine from the factory.
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