1990 turbo - engine trouble
#1
04-14-2012, 05:40 PM
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: des moines iowa
Posts: 1
1990 turbo - engine trouble
I have a 1990 Sunbird 2.0 turbo convertable with engine trouble.
When I bought the car I was told it was driving, lost power and eventually stalled and wouldn't start back up. So I was thinking bad turbo, ect...
I couldn't get the engine to turn over at all even with a new starter and battery (it engaged but no turn) until I removed the flywheel cover and pryed on the flywheel turning the engine over once. turning it with a breaker bar on the crank bolt was impossible... I got it to turn over with the key but it only would turn over 1 or 2 times and stop, then again 1 or 2 times and stop. so I figured it was pressure locked and removed the plugs. with no plugs it did turn over constantly. at this point I noticed antifreeze blowing out of the number 3 cylinder.
Oil looks spotless and antifreeze is clean(no oil streaks). I figured a severely blown headgasket was the issue and removed the head. The head gasket showed buildup in the water jacket ports, almost clogged but not. the head was cracked on number three so i replaced the head and gasket.
The engine now would fire and would run 2-3 seconds and die, hard. not like running out of gas, just stopped. this would sometimes be accompanied by a high pitched metal chirp. no knocking when running or rattleing. I figured the turbo was locking up and removed the intake tube between the turbo and intake. it would run longer now, then stall hard, and sometimes chirp. after it ran there was smoke in the valve cover when i removed the lid, alot. I figured exhaust was backing up in the turbo and stalling the engine... i let it sit a day
I came back and removed the exhaust manifold from the head and tried to start it, now it wont turn over again. removed the plugs, won't turn. Got under and pryed on the flywheel and now it will barely turn a full revolution with the key before the starter cant turn it anymore. It does "move" the engine around but not even a full cycle. now i know its not pressure locked... possible rings? bearings? or even transmission locked up or warped block?
I just want this beauty to run, thanks for reading!!! help!
When I bought the car I was told it was driving, lost power and eventually stalled and wouldn't start back up. So I was thinking bad turbo, ect...
I couldn't get the engine to turn over at all even with a new starter and battery (it engaged but no turn) until I removed the flywheel cover and pryed on the flywheel turning the engine over once. turning it with a breaker bar on the crank bolt was impossible... I got it to turn over with the key but it only would turn over 1 or 2 times and stop, then again 1 or 2 times and stop. so I figured it was pressure locked and removed the plugs. with no plugs it did turn over constantly. at this point I noticed antifreeze blowing out of the number 3 cylinder.
Oil looks spotless and antifreeze is clean(no oil streaks). I figured a severely blown headgasket was the issue and removed the head. The head gasket showed buildup in the water jacket ports, almost clogged but not. the head was cracked on number three so i replaced the head and gasket.
The engine now would fire and would run 2-3 seconds and die, hard. not like running out of gas, just stopped. this would sometimes be accompanied by a high pitched metal chirp. no knocking when running or rattleing. I figured the turbo was locking up and removed the intake tube between the turbo and intake. it would run longer now, then stall hard, and sometimes chirp. after it ran there was smoke in the valve cover when i removed the lid, alot. I figured exhaust was backing up in the turbo and stalling the engine... i let it sit a day
I came back and removed the exhaust manifold from the head and tried to start it, now it wont turn over again. removed the plugs, won't turn. Got under and pryed on the flywheel and now it will barely turn a full revolution with the key before the starter cant turn it anymore. It does "move" the engine around but not even a full cycle. now i know its not pressure locked... possible rings? bearings? or even transmission locked up or warped block?
I just want this beauty to run, thanks for reading!!! help!
Last edited by SunbirdTopDown; 04-14-2012 at 06:09 PM. Reason: more info
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