ibri

So I replaced the cracked head on my 98 SL1. I put everything back together with a new head, went to start the car and what I hear when trying to start is *CLICK* and then the power gets cut somehow. I have to disconnect the battery and let it sit for a minute or two, then I can reconnect it and do the whole thing all over again.

Could this have anything to do with trying to do the breaker-bar-on-the-crank-bolt-then-try-to-crank-the-engine-and-hope-it-busts-loose trick? Could the starter be jammed or something and if so would that cause the car to freak out like it does when I try to start it? How would I unstick the starter?

impulse93

what's the voltage on the battery?

try tapping the starter with a screwdriver or a rubber mallet.

Is your timing correct?

ibri

Heh, this is one of those times I should have shot first and asked questions later. I went out to the car and put the passenger wheel on and turned it back and forth a couple times, went back to start the car and she started up just as soon as she could get some gas through her lines. I'm so happy now, this means I can go home for thanksgiving

I'm hearing this chunk chunk chunk noise when it's running though, but I think it's the #1 plug wire because when I took it off initially the metal contact stayed on the plug, so now it's probably just not contacting the wire.

I'm so stoked right now.

ibri

One more thing, how do I check the timing? I flipped through my Haynes but couldn't find anything on it. I thought DIS didn't have adjustable timing.

impulse93

can't necessarily do it. You just have to verify that the crank is at 90degrees past tdc and the crankshaft key way and sprocket is aligned with the cylinder block main bearing cap split line otherwise you're gonna have your pistons kissing the valves.

There's alot more you gotta do, but if it's running and not making a tapping noise, you're probably okay.

as for the sparkplug thing, yeah, change that out as you're only running on 3 cylinder causin a misfire, and causing the cat to die quickly. also the fuel economy will go down, and uneven cylinder wall wear. and o2 will fail if you continue to do so...so change it out. Probablyin need of it anywyas. use dielectric grease on both ends.

ibri

I replaced the plug wires and I'm getting what sounds like valve ticking that won't go away. Does that mean it's misaligned? The car runs fine, accelerates fine and all that, it's just that ticking. The service engine soon light is also on. Is the only way to check the alignment of the sprokets to take off the damn timing cover again? I hate that thing

EDIT:

I took off the valve cover and poured some oil 3 of the front lifters that were more or less very dry. The ticking pretty much went away. I still have a the check engine light on though, and for some reason the fan turns on when I start the car and won't turn off until I stop the car.

PurdueGuy

if the timing chain were off, the car would run like crap (or quit running if it were off enough to wreck valves). Get the code checked for the check engine light & go from there. As for the fan, do you have the AC on? The fan will always run with the AC is on... just a thought.

ibri

Another situation where I should have shot first, asked questions later. I went out and started topping off the coolant resevoir and all of a sudden coolant started pouring out of the right side of the engine. I started freaking out because it looked like it was coming out from where the head mates with the block. I double checked my old head and notice the tiniest little temp sender screwed into the old block, checked the one on the car and there was no such sensor. I biked back to NAPA, picked up a new sensor, plugged it in, started it up, and the fan didn't turn on like it did, and eventually the check engine light went away. Hooray for that. Now I have a little oil leak around where the timing cover mates with the oil pan :/ I'll fix that sometime next week though.