Right I'm moving on from my previous thread of "LOSS OF POWER" I have now removed the Crank Angle sensor and doing the test. When I turn the senor by hand I can only hear, what seems to be two clicks! Can anyone tell me how many I should be hearing? I have also freed the PTU unit for inspection, is there any tell tale signs that its a series 1 or series 2 unit? I see a few numbers on the casing but no dates as such.

They look quite different :-

 

http://www.aus300zx.com/tech/moveptu/movingptu.htm

Cheers Andy good link. Mine is the old one then!!

I have now pulled back the timing belt cover slightly on the left side of the engine and I can see that the belt is still there, its tight and looks in healthy condition from what I can see. So what I done was put a mark on the timing belt, I then turned the ignition on for a second, then checked the belt again. The belt position never moved??? Can anyone shine a light on this?

Sud did you crank the car over?? if you did, and the belt has'nt moved, the belt could be stripped of teeth at the bottom pulley. Ive seen this, but only when a cam bearing has seized. The belt Could still be broken in around this area and would still appear to feel tight though, BUT its defo a bad sign if the starter is engaging and turning the engine, and the cam pulleys dont turn :-(

I cranked the car over! The marker didnt move and I have now freed up the right side timing cover and the belt is visible there too! I'll have a look at the teeth now.

I have checked the teeth on the timing belt on the top left and right and they are in great shape!

yeah but if the engine is turning over Sud, and the cams aint moving then then the belt is either broken or slipping on the crank. if it has stripped teeth at the bottom or broken then you cont be able to tell until you have all the covers of.

Maybe a woodruff key on the crank pulley has sheared.

I dont actually think the engine is turning over as such? The noise I'm hearing when I turn the key is more like the starter motor and there doesnt seem to be any effort in the engine starting. Whats the best way to check this? Forgive the question but I'm not really an engine wizard!!

So maybe the starter motor is not engaging with the flywheel. It's kinda difficult to diagnose this remotely without being able to hear/see anything.

I'm sure it is!! Its difficult for me and I CAN see and hear it!! I was looking at the starter and the belts are all there. Is there anything in particular I should look for? The only way I can explain it is, when I turn the ignition, it just sounds like a WEIGHTLESS start. Doesnt feel like the engine is trying to turn over. Do you think I should try the PTU option next before anything major??

Weightless start - well that could be the starter not engaing the Flywheel and just spinning. Is there good power in the battery? one way to check is to try and start the car in gear by just clicking the ignition on, the car should jerk slightly forward.

Has been known for the bolt to be ripped out that holds the starter in, lets hope it is that as itslikely to be a lot cheaper than a cambelt problem

The car does move forward no problem when started in gear!

The car does move forward no problem when started in gear!

If you can bump start the car and it drives forward ok then I would look at the starter as the fault, its on the right hand side of engine, if you Jack that side up at the front you can see it from under the car, its held on by a bolt and a nut, make sure both are tight then try and turn it over again.

The car does not actually START. To explain a bit better, when I say the car moves forward, it only moves forward when I put it in gear and turn the ignition fully round to strat. It still does not actually start just pushes forward slightly.

If she moves forward the starter is engaging Sud. im 100% sure she has stripped the teeth at the crank or spun the woodruff, thats why she turns over freely as there is no compression, as she prolly bent a few valves. If you want to get it down to Crumlin we'll have a look at it for you.

 

Marty

Thanks Marty! I have kinda gone through all the other checks: Fuel Pump, ECU check, Crank Angle sensor, Top of the timing belts and altenator. Only thing I have not changed is the PTU, but maybe there is no point now as the belt does not even go round.

Yeah man, if shes turning over (be it a little fast) and the cam belt aint moving then is the belt im afraid. best get the covers off and check if she stripped or spun the woodruff. She may have seized on a cam as ive seen this a few times - usually the belt snapps though, but can strip teeth.

Well thats the bad news!! Might not be worth stripping it down now?

Well nothings final until you do :-)

 

Strip it down, if she has snapped or stripped the belt, check the cams (see if they move) to see if they have seized.

That's probably a bigger job and not for me though?? and I'm not sure if going to that expense is worth it on this car. I think this could now, turn out to be a breaker, or to sell complete and let someone else do the work.

Break it, il stock up on me parts then lol

I'm just thinking along those lines now, and will look into the costing and figures on breaking it. Its a real shame to be honest. I dont like seeing UK Manual Twin Turbos going down this route.

strip it all the covers off, and check the belt, you may be lucky and its just stripped the woodruff key, and is spinning on that. Could have been a bodged timing belt job and the crank pulley bolt wasnt tightened properly.