01 S40t 1.9l
My oxygen sensors were bad, I knew they were and before I could change them my car suddenly wouldnt start. It turns over but won't start. OBD reading was something like cylinders 2 & 3 weren't hitting. I replaced oxygen sensors, spark plugs, and it still won't start. I had cleared the codes and now there's no reading. What would you suggest? This car has allot of miles, 140k or so.. Any help would be greatly appreciated..

 

First check your under hood fuses. A blown fuel pump fuse would cause a no start.

Also, when is the last time you put gas in it? A bad gauge with empty fuel tank has caused many headaches trying to run down other problems.

If it has fuel then check if the timing belt is still there and the marks line up.

If the timing belt is good then remove a spark plug and wire (not the ones under the coils) and check if you have spark. Mount the plug in the holder and have someone crank the engine while you hold the plug against the head. Look for a blue spark, not white or yellow.

 

Did you try to open the throttle while starting.Was it catching then?When you say the 2/3 cylinder not hitting do you mean that the code said they were misfiring?My first move after checked the fuel is to replace the coils preferably both and go from there.What kinda plugs did you put in?

 

Thank you for the advice. I have replaced the coils, put gas in car, checked fuses, new plugs, O2 sensors, timing belt looks fine, I can hear the fuel pump kicking in when I turn key, & car cranks but still will not start! I'm at a loss?

 

Check fuel pressure at the shrader valve on the fuel rail.

Check for spark at one spark plug.

Check timing gear alignment.

An engine needs fuel, spark, air, and proper timing to run. It's a matter of checking for each to find what is missing.

 

Ok, found out the timing belt broke and valves are bent. Please tell me what you would do? Is there any reasonable way to fix it my self? Should I just find another car and piece it out? The body, interior, etc is all good. Car has around 140K miles. What do you think?

 

I fixed mine. 8 bent exhaust valves. Bought new exhaust valves, cam seals, upper gasket kit, CVVT gear (due to oil leak), timing belt kit (belt, idler, tensioner, water pump), new head bolts, and valve stem seals. Cost around $500 but is probably higher now. You will need the proper tools like a big torque wrench, dial gauge, and valve lapping tool with lapping compound.

What caused the timing belt to break? Was it changed before 105k miles? Is the CVVT gear leaking at the little plunger?

 

No, timing belt was never changed. Car was handed down to me, my wife drove it and we came out one day and it wouldn't start. After realizing the timing belt had broken, I noticed that while cranking the drive belt jumps off the crank shaft about a half inch or so. What does this mean? Do I need to replace the valves or can I just replace the timing belt and possibly be okay? I'm uncertain about the leak, although I do know it has a bad oil leak. I will look at that. Thank you so much for the help! What would you suggest I do next?

 

What to do next depends on you. Do you do your own work? Then spend a few dollars on a cheap timing belt and put it back together then check compression to make sure. If damaged then buy the parts and fix it.

If you have to pay someone else to replace your timing belt then this will be expensive and maybe unnecessary if it is actually damaged. It will be very expensive for someone else to replace bent valves. If the valves are bent then either replace the whole engine with a junkyard one (with new timing belt) or sell the car for parts and buy a newer one.

You say this was a hand-me-down. Does the car have any sentimental value?

 

If the timing belt was broken, and the car was turned over, there is internal damage, there is NO luck here. The cost of doing the job yourself will cost around $1,000, if some shop does it, $2,300+. There is a chance that you can find a motor in a junk yard and have someone swap it in for between $1,000 to $1,500 but that's a deal that you're going to have to search out and really hope works out for you.

 

Yes; I do my own work and no, there's not really any sentimental value. I am simply looking for the cheapest route and also the most financially responsible route. I'm trying to decide if I should fix this car or part it out. I'll only get $450 AT A SCRAP YARD and i just put $500 in oxygen sensors, spark plugs, coils, etc. If I can replace timing belt, valves, etc. I might just do it. Is this what needs to be done, or is there more to it?

 

That's pretty much it. Head comes off, old valves out, new valves in, replace head with new gaskets/bolts/seals, then add the timing belt. There is one big gotcha to this scenario and that is the CVVT gear. You do not want to remove that gear from the exhaust cam because it can be installed in any position relative to the cam. I found this the hard way. If the plunger on the CVVT is leaking then you can remove the outer teeth to fix it but leave the inner (oil filled) hub alone. Replace the seal by slipping it off the other end of the cam.

For a $1000 doing your own work you can have a reliable motor that you personally know inside and out. If you can find a junkyard motor you will still need to change the timing belt and tensioner just to be sure.

My 2001 is driven by my 17 year old daughter now. Been a couple years since I replaced the valves. Still leaks a bit of oil and coolant but it's a good car for her.