Sisters TR (240ish K's but with recently re-co'd engine) died this morning...... Pretty sure timing chain commited suicide...

She had just got into the car, drove it like 30 meters (if that) to our gate, was just about to get out of the car when it died. (Think she may have already put it in park...) Would not start after that...
What sort of damage do you think would be done? Do the pistons have a party with the valves like they do for the 3rd gens? If so, do you think much damage would have been done just idling?? Apparently there was no noise, it just died.
What you guys think??


Pretty sure she has already decided its not worth fixing, but we will see...
I may even keep it for funsies if I can get a cheap fix...

If the timing chain has let go then it's good bye pistons or valves.

A cheap fix would be to buy another running car for as cheap as possible. You would never get your moneys worth on a rebuild unless the car was kept for ever.

sure its timing chain? how exactly did it die?

Did its still crank and just not fire? or did it just not turn at all? Could be plenty of things dude, dont just assume the worst!

As Paul said, until you are able to state exactly what happened it is not even remotely poss to say what has happened

You say poss chain break, only issue is that it is rare for the actual timing chain to break, it is usually the balance chain that lets go, this will cause no oil pressure but engine will start (all be it with no oil pressure)

Easy way to tell, take off the oil filler cap, crank engine and see if cam turns

Thanks guys, Will check to see if the cam turns today!
She said something bout an RAC guy, and I know for a fact she would have no idea what a timing chain is, so im guessing the guy told her the timing chain had gone...

Cant really explain in much more detail either, sorry guys, she says it just died a few seconds after she stuck it in park to get out of the car to open our gate..She tried to start it again but it just made a high pitched noise (Cranking im guessing), but wouldnt actually start.

I did actually think it had been making a weird noise for the last couple of weeks (Which I told her about when I first heard it), sounded like a hole in the exhaust though, might have been unrelated...

Recently reconditioned? Still have the receipt? Warranty? Find out what is wrong and ring the engine fitter or supplier and complain! Timing (or balance chains) don't do a poopie that easily (unlike babies) unless the oil jet is blocked. (Located just above the bottom cog, points down, when the engine is running a lovely jet of oil lubes both chains) Easy to identify too, take the rocker cover off and see if there are signs of oil on the cam chain. Shine a torch down there - chains running dry wear out the guides quickly and you should be able to spot this without further dismantling.

or, get under the car and hit the fuel tank while someone else cranks it, my guess is fuel pump

Recently reconditioned? Still have the receipt? Warranty? Find out what is wrong and ring the engine fitter or supplier and complain! Timing (or balance chains) don't do a poopie that easily (unlike babies) unless the oil jet is blocked. (Located just above the bottom cog, points down, when the engine is running a lovely jet of oil lubes both chains) Easy to identify too, take the rocker cover off and see if there are signs of oil on the cam chain. Shine a torch down there - chains running dry wear out the guides quickly and you should be able to spot this without further dismantling.

Well, when I say recently, just under a year ago.... So not thatt recent, but still. She got the bloody thing serviced around 1 month ago though! Cost $700 for the service! Now dead.... Surely the mechanic would have noticed a worn chain?? Its not like chain suddenly decides to snap, there must have been some symptoms it was weak? (If it was indeed the chain that broke and not some other problem..)
Will check the chains out tommorrow! thanks :)


or, get under the car and hit the fuel tank while someone else cranks it, my guess is fuel pump

Hit the fuel tank? What would that do?

Couldnt test the car today as my sister took her keys to uni or work or wherever she was lol Will tommorrow though!

PS: Should the plugs still spark if the timing chain is broken?

Well, when I say recently, just under a year ago.... So not thatt recent, but still. She got the bloody thing serviced around 1 month ago though! Cost $700 for the service! Now dead.... Surely the mechanic would have noticed a worn chain?? Its not like chain suddenly decides to snap, there must have been some symptoms it was weak? (If it was indeed the chain that broke and not some other problem..)
Will check the chains out tommorrow! thanks :)



Hit the fuel tank? What would that do?

Couldnt test the car today as my sister took her keys to uni or work or wherever she was lol Will tommorrow though!

PS: Should the plugs still spark if the timing chain is broken?

No as the cam wont spin the dizzy.

It could be a million things.
Like I'm no mechanic (I send all the hard stuff to Madmagna, or my screw ups:P) but yeah check the cam is spinning, if so, check for spark at one of the leads, and if that fails, see if there is fuel pressure.

Hopefully this doesnt turn out to be something that does your head in mate, but I gaurantee you'll have to think a bit to fix this doozy.

if the fuel pump is on its way out, giving it a good jarring can get it working again.

So I just had a chat with my sis, apparently she actually had the RAC guy around and he was the one that looked over the car and told her the timing belt has gone.... (She said that he said something else had made the timing belt go or something, she couldnt remember what he actually said, *sighhh* females.... lol)

I'll probably give it a look over tommorrow just incase, If I can find the keys. Keys have disappeared; Sister did not have them.... hmmmmmmm

If its a 4 cyl it doesnt have a timing belt

If its a 6 it does

Turn the engine slowly using a socket on the harmonic balancer (the big bottom pulley)

If it does a 360 without jamming, give the starter a try.

If it turns over but doesnt start, either look through the oil filler or pop the distributer cap to see if they are turning as you crank it.

If they turn, check to see if its got any fuel, if so, remove one of the pipes going to the fuel rail and see if fuel comes out.

If its got fuel check for spark.

if you have compression, fuel and corectly timed spark it will run so its gotta be missing one of em.

If its a 4 cyl it doesnt have a timing belt

If its a 6 it does

Turn the engine slowly using a socket on the harmonic balancer (the big bottom pulley)

If it does a 360 without jamming, give the starter a try.

If it turns over but doesnt start, either look through the oil filler or pop the distributer cap to see if they are turning as you crank it.

If they turn, check to see if its got any fuel, if so, remove one of the pipes going to the fuel rail and see if fuel comes out.

If its got fuel check for spark.

if you have compression, fuel and corectly timed spark it will run so its gotta be missing one of em.

Ahh my bad, I meant timing chain.. The 4cyl still have a timing chain right??


So where exactly is the harmonic balancer? (If im looking at the engine straight on; standing infront of the car)?

look on the right hand side(passenger side of car) where your belts are. and should be the big pulley under the alternator with 2 belts running off it(one belt on the alt/powersteer and one for air-con.)