3geez technical story/riddle

I was driving with my girlfriend to get some food tonight and saw a 88-89 DX sedan in the left turn lane with its hazards flashing with the hood up. I always joked with her that if I ever saw a third generation accord on the side of the road I might actually stop and help since I would actually know enough to do something. After a taxi bumped the car out of the street we pushed it to a well-lit gas station. Ok, here's the riddle:

car was driving and died
car had been making noise all day that varied with the car's speed
the oil light turned on when the engine died
the engine will turn over but not start

need more?














further inspection revealed:

I checked the oil level, it was about half a quart overfilled
it sounds weird when cranking












ok, I say timing belt. Any other ideas? A bad fuel pump would explain everything but the oil light and the weird starting noises. I'm probably going to look at it tomorrow for the owner. The noise was from worn brake pads (if you were wondering where that came in).

take the cover off the upper timing section and pull... if it moves .. thats the problem... also take the fuel line off the carb and turn the key on... gas should squirt out...

Travis

did you wait for the car too cool before you checked the oil level?

Check the plugs as well... not that they are the problem... but they give you a sense of whats going on inside the cylinders.

check the radiator fluid as well... see if oil has mixed with the coolant at all.



other things

- Check the PCV hose and valve
- Check the distributor, stator plates may have moved out of allignment.

I was right, it was the timing belt. The belt was a little loose and the cam no longer turns when trying to start it (tried for only a second). Now that I've seen the car in the light there's also what looks like a power steering leak on the return line from the rack. I replaced the pads today. Since I don't have a place to work (not even just in the shade) she'll have to get someone else to do the timing belt replaced.