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97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start


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andrewvnhr
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Jul 15, 2012, 1:23 PM

Post #1 of 19 (1880 views)
97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

Any help, especially troubleshooting, would be great. I have a 1997 Hyundai elantra wagon with a 1.8l 4 cylinder dohc 168k miles, and it overheated on me before I noticed the gauge was high. Saw steam, but very little coolant actually leaked. Pulled off and allowed it to cool, added coolant (less than a quart) and now it won't start. I checked to see if there was a spark from the wire to the plug, as I was told if there wasnt it is probably the timing belt, but I did see a spark as I tried to turn it over. It cranks but doesn't fire. I don't really know where to start troubleshooting, because I can't get the engine to turn over to get a better idea of the symptoms. Any info or insight will help! Thanks!
Andy


Hammer Time
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Jul 15, 2012, 1:36 PM

Post #2 of 19 (1855 views)
Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

You have probably done some serious engine damage. First step is to remove all the spark plugs and do a compression test.



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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.



Discretesignals
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Jul 15, 2012, 1:42 PM

Post #3 of 19 (1850 views)
Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

You should do a compression test to see if the rings are shot or you have some type of mechanical problem as a result of the overheating.





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.


andrewvnhr
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Jul 15, 2012, 2:18 PM

Post #4 of 19 (1836 views)
Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

Can you do a compression test on a car that won't run?


Hammer Time
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Jul 15, 2012, 2:20 PM

Post #5 of 19 (1830 views)
Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

Of course. Part of the test is to disable the engine to prevent it from starting during the test.



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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.



Discretesignals
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Jul 15, 2012, 2:21 PM

Post #6 of 19 (1827 views)
Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

Yes you can.

Watch this vid:

http://www.youtube.com/...4&feature=fvwrel





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.


andrewvnhr
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Jul 15, 2012, 2:32 PM

Post #7 of 19 (1820 views)
Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

Awesome. I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks guys!


andrewvnhr
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Jul 15, 2012, 4:26 PM

Post #8 of 19 (1808 views)
post icon Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

Hey, so I was removing the spark plug wires, and the end of the wire that connects to the plug broke off, still attached to the plug, which is in its original position above the cylinder. Any thoughts?
To be more specific, it is the plug cap that broke, above the nut of the spark plug. The ceramic head of the spark plug cap broke, and I can't get it out. Any suggestions?


(This post was edited by andrewvnhr on Jul 15, 2012, 5:21 PM)


andrewvnhr
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Jul 15, 2012, 7:46 PM

Post #9 of 19 (1792 views)
Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

Ran the compression checks on the 2 cylinders I could get at, they are nos. 1 and 4, and got 30 on the dry check for both and 40 and 45 on the wet. Headgasket? Any other possibilities?


Hammer Time
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Jul 16, 2012, 3:27 AM

Post #10 of 19 (1778 views)
Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

Definitely a problem of some type. It doesn't do any good to take half a compression test though.



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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.



andrewvnhr
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Jul 16, 2012, 7:22 PM

Post #11 of 19 (1748 views)
Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

Ok, so I got the broken plug caps out, ran the test on the all 4 cylinders, with no. 1 at 30 dry and 40 wet, nos. 2 and 3 coming up under 10 both wet and dry, and no. 1 at 35 dry and 45 wet. Is there any other possibility than a headgasket? I have yet to check the thermostat to see if that was the original problem, could this also be related to a timing belt? Any other possibilities?
Thanks for all the help!


Hammer Time
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Jul 16, 2012, 7:26 PM

Post #12 of 19 (1741 views)
Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

Wow, every cylinder is gone? Unless that engine broke a timing belt that nobody is aware of, it's just wasted. If that happened from temperature, there is some real damage.



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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.



andrewvnhr
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Jul 16, 2012, 8:54 PM

Post #13 of 19 (1735 views)
Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

I don't think overheating did all that, it was only overheating for maybe 30 seconds before I pulled off and the engine shut down. I'm thinking the person who eliminated the timing belt may have been mistaken. Out of curiosity, what should the compression pressure be? I tried looking it up and couldn't find anything definitive. I've heard people say anything from 50 to 200 psi, but I really have no idea what is accurate for my vehicle. Second question, at this point, should I just replace the engine? I mean, if I have to do a headgasket and a timing belt, wouldn't it be just as easy (time and $) to just replace it? Thanks again!


Hammer Time
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Jul 17, 2012, 3:07 AM

Post #14 of 19 (1724 views)
Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

It requires a minimum of about 100 PSI to even run so that means you have 4 dead cylinders. Head gaskets usually take out one or two but not all at once. A timing belt would do that but it would also bend all the valves in the process so that is not good news either. Even a head gasket can ruin the head and block also so that would likely be terminal to that car also.



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

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.



andrewvnhr
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Jul 17, 2012, 10:30 AM

Post #15 of 19 (1705 views)
Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

good to know on the psi. Ok, so basically regardless of which problem it is, I basically have the options of replacing the engine or scrapping it, right? and with how damaged this one seems to be, repairing this one is probably a waste of time?


(This post was edited by andrewvnhr on Jul 17, 2012, 10:36 AM)


Hammer Time
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Jul 17, 2012, 11:22 AM

Post #16 of 19 (1694 views)
Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

We are assuming a lot of facts, not verified yet but that is likely correct.



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

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.



andrewvnhr
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Jul 17, 2012, 1:02 PM

Post #17 of 19 (1683 views)
Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

Ok, so with engines being a little beyond my experience, what else can I do as far as verification before I bite the bullet?


Hammer Time
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Jul 17, 2012, 1:08 PM

Post #18 of 19 (1678 views)
Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

Take it to a reputable shop and have it diagnosed.



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

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.



andrewvnhr
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Jul 17, 2012, 4:52 PM

Post #19 of 19 (1656 views)
Re: 97 rlantra wagon overheated, now wont start Sign In

Ok, sounds good. I had a feeling I had reached the end of my abilities, so that just confirms it for me. I appreciate all the help!






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