Just replaced head gaskets and timing belt

[Bigdaddy000]

I just replaced the HG and TB less than 1000 miles ago. Well driving home last night my car died about 10 miles from home. It's a 94 Cutty vert with the 3.4 DOHC engine. I mean it just ..boom..died. I have plenty of spark and fuel so i'm thinking let me look and see if the belt jumped. OMG..look at this shit.

[Heartbeat1991]

I hope that's non-interference.

[94 olds vert]

Woah

[Imp558]

I love my timing chain

[Padgett]

After the Vixen I swore I'd not have another with a timing belt (that was an interference diesel). Mine has about 30k on a replacement and I have a spare. At least the '93 is supposed to be non-interference though wonder how something with 9.5:1 compression can avoid it. Must have to do with 4 small valves.

[Psych0matt]

[Nas Escobar]

You'll be ok. 94 was non interference. I had the same thing happen to me.

 

Make sure to change all the timing pulleys when you change that belt.

[Bigdaddy000]

Im just wondering, what would cause the belt to meander towards the block? All the idler and tension pulleys were new and still have no play in them. Also the idlers, are they side specific?

[Imp558]

 I had the same thing happen to me.

 

Make sure to change all the timing pulleys when you change that belt.

 

 

Im just wondering, what would cause the belt to meander towards the block? All the idler and tension pulleys were new and still have no play in them. Also the idlers, are they side specific?

 

I've never done one, but I'm guessing that's why Nas said to change the pulleys

[Galaxie500XL]

My first timing belt failure was caused by one of the idler pulley bearings failing, heating up, and melting the plastic pulley.

 

The previous owner apparently decided to replace only the belt.

 

As a result, both belt replacements I did, EVERYTHING was replaced.

 

I suspect what has caused what I see in the picture is a hydraulic actuator failure.

[rich_e777]

Which years were interference and non-interference? Wasn't it the first couple of years?

Edited April 25, 2016 by rich_e777

[55trucker]

96-97 are interference engines

[worb4me]

My sympathies. Had a timing belt failure on a 92 Lumina DOHC 3.4, presumably the same exact eengine. It was August or July, maybe nothing to do with it, but had a lot of dead weight in tbe car,was smelling rubber by the Western side of PA. Died on the highway in Cleveland a few days later. I absolutely loved my Luminas, but that car was a gas guzzling pain int he wozoo. What you had to do to change the alternator!

 

A lesson for us all though it seems. Change everything.

[Schurkey]

Thousands of years ago, when I was having the Stealership do my Lumina work, they called me over and explained that the edge of the timing belt was frayed similar to the photo above--but not as bad.  Mine was only torn-up about 3/8".

 

The Stealership blamed this on faulty pulleys, since they weren't replaced at the previous timing-belt change.  I had to pay for replacing a < 20K timing belt.

 

About a week later, I found my previous receipt from this same dealership, showing that I was charged for a timing belt "kit" that included the pulleys.  By then, I had already paid, and they weren't inclined to provide a refund.

 

Since I didn't see the defective pulleys that caused the edge of the belt to fray, I can't say for sure that the pulleys were bad, or if there was some other cause.  It's still a mystery to me.

 

That dealership doesn't work on my vehicles, and hasn't for a decade or more.

[Galaxie500XL]

Even replacing everything isn't always a guarantee that things stay fixed.  My second belt replacement came only 30,000 miles after my first replacement, when the brand new hydraulic actuator ($130.00) failed, causing tension to be lost to the belts.

 

Even more surprising, the actuator failed while cruising at around 35 mph...I wasn't even driving it hard when it died.

[Imp558]

was smelling rubber by the Western side of PA. Died on the highway in Cleveland a few days later.

 

If it took that car a few days to go 300 miles you could have guessed there were more difficulties ahead .... lol

[Padgett]

Just pulled the front cover and to me looks pretty good for 40k miles. They do not make the cover easy to pull but fortunately I have some 10mm magnetic sockets. Did pull the coolant reservoir (one bolt, one nut, & lift - much easier than pulling the wiper reservoir to check the battery).

 

 

FSM is vague about when to change but apparently is not "old" until 60k. What is the consensus about how often to change ?

 

 

 

 

[Imp558]

fortunately I have some 10mm magnetic sockets.

 

Wow, when I read that I realized I have a bunch of very small magnets from when I made my scope probes that I extracted from the clamps. Maybe I'll epoxy one to the tip of a 3/8' extension so it holds whatever is in the socket it's attached to.

[Psych0matt]

I think 80k is the change interval, but it seems on average they go around 100k

[55trucker]

FSM is vague about when to change but apparently is not "old" until 60k. What is the consensus about how often to change ?

The service manual doesn't state the replacement interval, that information is in the owner's manual for the vehicle.

 

*Camshaft Timing Belt Inspection*

 

Inspect the belt at 60,000 miles (100,000kms) and then every 15,000 miles (25,000kms) Inspect for cracks, wear or oiliness. Check tensioner for proper operation (see the service manual). Replace parts as needed.

[Bigdaddy000]

Galaxy500, you hit it on the head. The actuator was not in the cup and that's my fault. I don't remember doing the procedure I did yesterday. Anyways, all new pulleys and belt so life is good again. Thank goodness it's a non interference engine because that would've SUCKED.