My timing belt on my galant broke while I was going about 70 mph on the freeway. My engine valves may be bent. I bought a new timing belt and need help aligning the crank shaft and two cams.

The books and diagrams I see show a sprocket with a dimple in one of the teeth but it seems like my pulley wheel + crankshaft sprocket are in one piece, or I can't get them apart. Do I separate the pulley wheel and sprocket? There is a mark at the end of the crankshaft and there is also a groove in the pulley wheel. I can see the mark on the engine clearly. What do I line up to the engine mark?

 

Yes, you must separate the two. Use a rubber mallet and some muscle should do the trick.

The marks should be obvious when you yank it off.

Did you pull your valve cover and check for bent valves? You may want to do that before you bother spending any money on the engine.

EDIT: Props for being a girl and getting greasy

 

Thank You for your reply!
I think I need to go buy a rubber mallet. I've been spraying the crank
sprocket and crank pulley daily. I tried hitting the sprocket against
gently the end of a 2x4, but no joy.

I realize it is almost definite that some valve damage has occurred. My
intent was to align the crank and camshafts put on a new timing belt and
test the compression (I have a guage). That would
let me know which cylinders have bent valves. I've never worked on valves
before. The work I've done has been external to the engine
(replacing alternators, starters, compressors, A arms, CV joints, brakes,
water pump, and various random components). To my understanding I'm going
to need to take the head off the side or sides with
bent valves and replace the valves, seats, seals, guides of any cylinder
that has poor compression. I'm also going to need to inspect the top of
the pistons to make sure they did not take
significant damage. Do you believe this is the best course of action? I
believe I should wait until after I've assessed the damage to determine
what the next course of action should be.
The choices being to work on the head myself, take it to a shop, find a
used engine, or scrap the car. If the repair looks like it may cost more
than $1000 scrapping the car may be the best option.
The engine was the best part of the car. The car has 110k on it.

Anyway, my question at this point is the order I should align the crank and
camshafts. I realize I could damage the valves even worse if I just start
spinning the crank and the valves are not retracted.
Is there a way to identify when the valves are all closed without taking
off the valve covers. The front cover seems easy enough does the back
require removing the intake manifold? I'm not at
home looking at the engine right now. Should I just try to move the crank
1/2 inch clockwise and the cams 1 inch clockwise until I get the crank back
to TDC?

 

I do not believe that's the best course of action, especially with a bottom end with 110k on it. You're going to be spending money unnecessarily.

You seem very mechanically inclined, you're spot on. The valve covers aren't that difficult to remove, neither is the intake manifold. That'll tell you if valves are bent pretty obviously.

I would not spin the crank at all for risk of more damage, but based on just what you type I would recommend finding a junkyard engine and swapping it in. You may want to change the timing belt first though :P I would assume you have the ability, just judging by your words your mechanical ability surpasses most of the men on this site.

Good luck!

 

hey!
Life is pretty hard when the laté holder/sat nav/LED lights stop working /'the dealer said mean words to me'/'i cant connect my ipod'/ 'theres a scratch on my 2013, will the warranty cover it'
...

 

Lol married? Must be.