todd5854

okay, got cams back in after doing head gasket. put the timing chain back on properly.

engine was at TDC, everything checked out ok. Cams were 100% installed properly. I took pics at TDC before and after. all lobes matched up perfectly.

hand turned engine without spark plugs in, did SEVERAL revolutions. no interference, no valves bumping the cylinders.

Put the spark plugs in, put the distributor back to the mark I made, go to start it with the starter, and it turns over half a turn then abruptly stops.

I go out and put a ratchet on the crank, and if I push hard it turns past that point. I hear hisses and etc in the chambers so I assume no valves were bent.

Is this normal for a car with a new head gasket?

I know I can check for bent valves with a compression tester, (doing that tomorrow) Im just super worried I fucked up...

dallasb53

did is sound like a coffee can with marbles in it being shaken around?

if you did several revolutions, (2 complete revolutions would make it cycle through all the strokes at least once), and didnt hear anything i think you are good.

and the hiss you are hearing is normal it is air being forced out the the exhaust valve, which means you have compression.

being hard to turn at once point is the point where the piston is producing the most compression in said cylinder. as far as abruptly stopping when trying to crank... how does your battery fair? should read 12.xx volts on a multimeter.

dallasb53

also the valves would be hitting the pistons :P

OrangeVirus1

You're not going to hear anything when you bend the valves.. it's gonna happen in less than 1 second. there is no marbles in the engine sound, there is no off noises.. you can crank the car over, it sound perfectly fine, and bend every single valve. I know personally from experience. I did the headgasket on my eclipse, put the exhaust cam 180 degrees out, bent all exhaust valves as soon as it cranked. did not hear a thing, just wouldn't start.. then zero compression.

Do a compression check. if you get a 0. it's a bent valve without a doubt.


in your case, sounds like a dead battery.

if you hear the hissing, most chances are you have no bent valves. compression check to test though. because with bent valves there is no hiss because the air is not getting compressed

todd5854

I cranked it by hand, gently, at least two full revolutions and felt nothing. Pretty sure no valves are bent... I really hope not.

I guess the only true way is to compression check each cylinder..

I charged my battery earlier today, then tried to start the car, and it did this. it's weird. maybe the like-new compression is too much for a tired 20yr old starter?

OrangeVirus1

no.. there is no way the compression will beat the starter. I'd check if the little wire to the starter didn't fall off..


and the valves are not strong enough to beat the starter over either, the starter will gladly bend the shit out of them and keep cranking it.

todd5854

What I'm not understanding is that I hand turned the engine and there was no issue. I engaged the starter and all of the sudden something seemed to change. Maybe my battery doesn't have enough amperage to drive the starter? It was turning slightly lower than usual (this car has not ran for two weeks before the head gasket install, and still wont fucking start)

this car still won't fucking start. its getting fuel and spark.

OrangeVirus1

or possibly your starter is dead.

todd5854

car was sitting for 2 weeks, shitty cold humid weather, definitely a possibility.

When the starter got "stuck" I hand turned it, felt all the compression, and then it went past as normal again. so I guess I didn't bend valves.

if my cams were off a notch or two, i'd still eventually bend every single valve, correct?

OrangeVirus1

probly not from just 1 or 2 teeth no.. 5 teeth yes. 3 teeth.. i dunno.

I might have a KA starter around here I could give you for the cost to ship it if you want

edit** nope sorry looks like I got rid of it already