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2007 Saturn timing system screw up


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photoblues
New User

Jul 23, 2010, 12:34 PM

Post #1 of 5 (1488 views)
2007 Saturn timing system screw up Sign In

Car:

2007 Saturn Vue
2.2l front wheel drive engine
110,000 miles

Hi,

I will make a long story short..
My timing chain needed replacement as you could hear it slapping all around inside of the engine. I have never fixed anything that complex before but armed myself with information from both the internet, and the haynes manual I went to fix it myself. (I did not have the money to have it done professionally) When I pulled the covers, I found that it did indeed need to be replaced, having shredded one of the timing chain guards into pieces.

I THOUGHT that everything was installed properly and that I had set the timing to TDC and that the camshafts were in the right positions...

Upon putting it back together though, the engine turns over but will not fire.
Doing a compression test I have 180-176-0-0

What are the chances that I just did not set the timing properly and all I have to do is re-set the timing, or is it a definite I managed to bend at least two of my valves.
I must have misread the haynes manual wrong in some way.

If I need to reset the timing how do I go about making sure the cam gears are installed in the correct spots when the #1 piston is at TDC, and how do I make sure that the camshafts are in the right position to compress the engine properly. (going on NOT having bent my valves to scrap).

I KNOW that I should have done things differently, and all of that but I need to know how to fix things. I can NOT afford a new engine, or a lot of money in parts. If I had to I could finance the labor cost but do not have a lot of money to upfront it to some big professional garage, hence why i tried to do it myself. It was becoming dangerous to drive and I figured I might as well take a shot at it.

Thank you for any advice.

P.S. It will really suck if I have to go to a professional mechanic and tell them face to face that I screwed up my timing system because I did not know what I was doing.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jul 23, 2010, 12:55 PM

Post #2 of 5 (1482 views)
Re: 2007 Saturn timing system screw up Sign In


Quote
It will really suck if I have to go to a professional mechanic and tell them face to face that I screwed up my timing system because I did not know what I was doing.


Now, wouldn't that be the truth. If you have the manual, then you already have the procedure. The chain has colored links that have to be aligned with marks on the gears. You may find that tackling something you knew nothing about to save money actually cost you a lot more. A lesson learned.........



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



photoblues
New User

Jul 23, 2010, 1:00 PM

Post #3 of 5 (1478 views)
Re: 2007 Saturn timing system screw up Sign In

Yeah...a possible lesson learned...

I installed the chain properly aligning all the colored links according to the manual.

My suspicion is that the cam gears slipped a tooth or three from the chain being so loose. I did not think to compensate for this or to even check to make sure that the timing was 100% before following the directions in the book.

If the timing was already slightly off...following the directions to set TDC might have thrown off my timing even more.
I was stupid and did not check all engine cover tics, only on crank shaft. The camshafts I set according to what the manual told me and that was putting the marks on the gears to certain numbers on a "clock" so to speak. But if the timing was already off at that point those marks would have been in the wrong spots if you get my meaning.

In any event... I need to know how to check all of this. I have read a ton more info on this online, but I am hoping to get a more personal and in depth answer on these forums. The main thing I am having trouble wrapping my head around is how to check the valve positions to make sure that all the valves are where they should be for TDC.


photoblues
New User

Jul 23, 2010, 2:41 PM

Post #4 of 5 (1475 views)
Re: 2007 Saturn timing system screw up Sign In

update:

I took the valve cover off and found that my intake camshaft bolt has come loose, thereby freezing the camshaft in place and spinning the gear. If I am correct,
it is only a matter of timing the camshaft back to the correct timing of the vehicle and everything should be all set.

I am not sure if it would be easier to just figure out the firing order and the valve order and time it that way.. (but that is not precise and would most likely be slightly off) or if I should take the extra time to re-set TDC in the #1 piston and re-time the camshafts.

Any replies would be welcome. Thanks


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jul 23, 2010, 2:49 PM

Post #5 of 5 (1471 views)
Re: 2007 Saturn timing system screw up Sign In

Don't get too excited yet. The cam staying in plays means it was likely holding at least a couple valves open and since the pistons are still going up and down, that's how you bend valves.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







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