Ok guys driving home yesterday My cav deveolped a slight miss. I am at 116k and had not done a tune up. So i hoped in the car to go get a set of plugs. Being a 5 speed my foot slipped off the clutch on crank to fire. No big deal hit the key again to fire real hard start and idled reallly bad almost like a diesel engine. Grabbed wifes car went to zone to get plugs came back swapped out plugs and fired her back up real quick to fire but she runs like crap. Feels like a dead cylinder and had a rattle by timing chain. Checked oil level found for some reason I am out. no visible leak.Topped her off and tried one more time and yea she is running like crap. Pulled the valve cover so a lot of slop on the timing chain bared the motor over by hand and can not get the timing marks to line up. on tdc both cams look equaly three teeth out. Knowing this is an interfeance motor is this possible to jump three teeth and still fire and run like crap. Whats the best step to take next was going to test compression but thought I would see what you all say. I am kinda scared to hit that key and then have it slip again and kiss the pistons and need a new motor or am i allready there?

HMM.. I see a few problems here.

1. no oil, if you had no oil in the car the chain is the last of your worries.

2. slack in the timing chain, doesn't sound good. I think the service interval for the chain is 100k you missed it I guess.


I would say do a compression test maybe?

TDC (according to the chains and colors on them and marks on the cam gears and all that good stuff) will only "show" once every 16 revolutions of the crank gear...if that makes sense..ask me how i know...basically, if you have it all lined up perfectly and rotate the crank one complete revolution, they will not line up again. doesnt mean your timing is off though. If you really wanna make sure you are on TDC, you need to take the timing cover off and completely reset timing. Its not that hard. I have done it several times. lol All the colors and things are meant to do is help you achieve TDC for initial timing. If you are over 100k miles, I think replacing the chain tensioner would be a good idea. I dont think the chain is "scheduled" until 150k or more. but anyways, if youa re not sure if things are hitting, I would reset timing, and then do a compression test.

The lack of oil is a concern but at this point not the big concern. I know its burning some oil. My odometer light is not working so I am not sure how bad I missed my oil change interval. I almost allways change my oil before a trip and the one time I dont I may have killed my motor. Tomorrow I hope to do a compression test. Evo I understand what you mean about the timing.. is it set tdc on wich stroke?

I'm gonna say check the timing chain tensioner, that is probably causing the slack. The original tensioner is known for premature failure, there is a revised version available now.

Well went out today to test the compression got 145 with only one bump on the compression gauge then 0 on all cylinders. Thinking my gauge screwed up went to zone and rented a gauge it came up to 0. then i hooked to lawnmower just to see and my gauge read. DAMNIT.l

look inside the spark plug holes and look for damage or metal. If none, I would try to re-time it and replace tensioner. I also would not of been bumping it with the chain out of wack...

Freelacer We did the compression check casue it was not running worth a dam something was deffintly wrong. more then just a chain. Pulled the head today. all my intake valves are open at the same time

Yea with it being out of time will cause that. I say just pick a new engine up or go to a salvage yard and build that one that is screwed up.