hey guys, i was going to work on the highway, and all of a sudden of engine bogged down. 2 lights came up on my instrument panal, the oil and the battery. So i pulled over, shut it down and waited for about 5 mins. Then I tryed to crack it, won't crank, sounded like a gridding noise in the block. So even if it was the engine, i said, well, i will try to recharge the battery, that didn't work. So now, i am without a car for work and school. I don't know what to do. This weekend i am going to get it checked out and see what is the cause. But when i was driving, i didn't push hard on the gas or anything, i was just coasting at the time. Does anybody have a clue what happened. I could use such help. Thanks guys.


97 Chevy Cavalier
2.2L 3 spd
Automatic

Sounds like you might have snapped the timing chain by some miracle.

Mileage on the engine?

Did the car die and the lights come on or did they come on while driving, I want to make sure I understand fully so I dont lead you down th wrong path.

If your oil light came on while driving, it means oil pressure was lost. And that generally means it is to late anyways once it comes on.




- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new

it looks like the timing chain either broke or one of the pulleys were stripped. Now the lights came on once the engine started to bog down. Now, how much work would it be to replace either the timing chain or pulley and how much am i looking at spending? Thanks guys.


97 Chevy Cavalier
2.2L 3 spd
Automatic

If depends on these engines. Are they interference or non-interference.

If they are non-interference you can reset the #1 cylinder at TDC and put on a new chain. If they are interference you most likely need a new engine.




- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new

how can u tell if it is interference or not. The valves i am afraid of could be bent or not, i am not sure. But this monday, i will let the shop take a look, if they our bent, i will have to replace them, simple as that.


97 Chevy Cavalier
2.2L 3 spd
Automatic

dragoncrester wrote:how can u tell if it is interference or not. The valves i am afraid of could be bent or not, i am not sure. But this monday, i will let the shop take a look, if they our bent, i will have to replace them, simple as that.

No way to really "tell" if it is. I was hoping someone would chime in and say if they were or if they wernt interference.

Anyways exactly if it is interference the valves and piston bang into each other when the chain snaps.

At the very last you need a head job.

Sometimes parts of the valaves break right away and then the piece is in between the piston and valves, in the cylinder ( hope you understand what I mean there). Sometimes it will go up and bang into the other valves and may cause piston damage.

Dont know really, needs to be torn apart.




- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new

lo you said head job lol
sorry sick mind


VOTE FOR PEDRO!!

Looking at it this weekend, I am assured it is the timing chain, either it broke or sprocket was stripped. It was mostly likely it broke. The mechanic said when he tryed to crank it over, it doesn't sound like anything is hitting, just that is makes the belt run for like 2 sec. He said the only way for sure is to take the head off and check each cylinder for breakage. I asked him if he thinks that their might be damage. He said it is likely but by how the engine reacts, it doesn't look like any damage. But he reminded me, due to the age of the car, the chain would of broke eventually, manufacture chain. So, I just hope it was the chain and it didn't cause any damage. Thanks guys for all your help.


97 Chevy Cavalier
2.2L 3 spd
Automatic

Hey, J-body folks, a Neon driver here and retired admin from www.neons.org. I searched the site and came up with this thread, so I'm adding my question here.

A friend's 2003 Cav just died. From his description, it sounds like it's seized, but I haven't seen the car. It's also possible the timing belt/chain/tensioner broke. I don't know the mileage but it's a 2003 and he said it is just recently out of warranty.

It's a base 4 cyl (2.2?) with automatic trans. The car is decently maintained and lookscared for; he gets the oil changed regularly. I don't believe it was changed recently enough to point to a mistake by the lube shop, though.

Anyway, I've advised him to call GM's customer service people and plead his case about the warranty, but for backup, I was wondering if there were any known issues with this car/engine that might be indicated. He's not a car guy and I'd like to give him a little info to work with. Any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Duke

Hey. The 2.2 is the ecotec, its the only engine available for the car 2003 and up. Its a DOHC 140hp/150tq. It has a timing chain. there have been a few broken chains here and there at low miles. Im pretty sure that the tensioner for the chain can become to tight or to loose based on oil pressure, so the proper fill has to be maintained, always at 5qts.

It's never supposed to need changing or service.

One went in my father-in-laws Saturn L300 (this car also uses the ecotec) at about 38k miles, and 3 years. It was just out of warranty, but they still did the work free of charge. This is supposed to be a lifetime part. Usually, in my experience when a car is only a grand or two over the mileage for the warranty, they make good with it. I cannot say that for sure though, I guess it depends on the dealership.

If the lubeshop has been putting the wrong capacity in the vehicle this could break the chain. You do not want to say that to the dealership though, they will look for any scape goat. You should simply tell them its just now out of warranty, and that the lifetime timming chain has broken.

If they ask any oil related questions I would simply say that I did all the oil changes myself, and used 5qts. each time.

Thanks for the prompt detail, Rob.

All he's told me is that "it's seized and totally won't run". Now, without serious overheating or catastrophic oil loss (neither of which he mentioned), I hit upon a broken timing belt/chain as the likely culprit. I'm assuming the Ecotec is an interference engine like most modern 4s, so some bent valves and a broken piston could give the "seized" symptom to a layman.

Thanks again for the information.

yeah I got the same with my car. My stupid ass brother in law didn't check my fluid when my water pump was leaking. So right now my car is sitting. I have a leak at the cam towers ( we just need to tighten them up). Getting back to the point. Get your head pressure checked. We thought we might be getting into a new head but we got it saved. My head got warped. We got it grinded down flat again. My # 3 cylinder was where it was warped. The valves on that cylinder was bent. If your head is warped don't start worrying too quickly unless it's totally f&*%ed. Nowadays they make a shim that can make up for the milling. With that shim they can take off about .028 off the head without it being replaced. I got lucky I paid $98 for having new valevs seated ( I already had valves). $29 for pressure testing, $29 for the milling, and $29 for the shim. The figures aren't exact but the total was $191 for all that. But hopefully it's just your chain!

well, finally i found out. My timing chain broke and all but 2 valves are bent. The shop wants $1200 for the repair. They are going to replace the chain, the tensioner, and the valves. Now is that a good price, b\c my car is only worth $1400 or not even that with the body damage. Should i go ahead and repair the car or trade it and get another used one. Right now, i could only spend about $3000 on another car, or fix this one. What should i do?


97 Chevy Cavalier
2.2L 3 spd
Automatic

well it depends on you, how bad is the body damage? is the car accually worth fixing?i quess you just have to ask yourself what you want nobody can really tell you what to do.

I guess that might be a decent price. But if you could do the work yourself you'd save a arse load of money. I helped myh father in law tear down my motor to the block. It's not actually that bad. Just take your time and do it right and pay attention.