micklongley

Hey guys,
I think the 944 is dead now. I was driving it today (1 week after the first oil change since we got it) and it started to make a huge knocking sound then totally died. When I tried to start it up again it starts backfiring a little. It seems to me like all the compression is being released through the exhaust port. Since we just got the oil changed, I think maybe all the carbon deposits may have clogged the oil pump and starved the engine of oil. Its going to be a huge pain to take the oil pan off and check for damage to the bearings and everything else. Were thinking about just parting the car. If any of you are interested or have a word of hope for us, please dont hesitate to say something. Thanks a lot guys!

Mick

Dmitry S.

What year is the car, I live pretty close to Monterey and if you're parting it out, I'd want to get some parts off of you.

TMH

I'm up in San Jose. Let me know if you are looking for a nice, 85.5 NA low mileage 944 with virtually no issues or gremlins.

Tom

Red 944

best of luck, hope it's nothing bad
my lancia spun a bearing a month ago and it's been a sad process.
did you check the oil level after the change / now? If you went to a Jiffy Lube or similar - they might not have put any back in .. happened to my friend's mother's mini-van, they replaced the engine for her. Again - best of luck.

micklongley

Thanks for the replys. The oil looks like its in great condition, That was the first thing I checked actually. Its an 84 with black vinyl interior. What were the symptoms of your spun bearing? theres no smoke or anything right now. It wont even fire up, its like the compression charge is exiting on the exhaust stroke and causing a slight backfire type noise. So what i think that means is that maybe the cylinders arent moving. would that be the main bearing? Im interested in a new 944 but now that im having this trouble im on a pretty tight budget. Thanks for your help.

Mick

Jay W

Sounds like the timing belt might have broken. Take off the distributor cap and have someone turn the engine over and watch if the rotor goes around. If its not moving with the rest of the engine then the belt is broken. There is also a top dead center inspection hole right next to the distributor cap that you can see the upper belt gear through. You can watch for that moving when the engine is turned over as well. If the belt is broken you are looking at $600 to $2000 for the repair depending on how much of it you can do yourself.

SoCal Driver

Could have stripped enough teeth off of the belt to have it jump a bit and still see the belt go round. But it does sound like you lost the timing belt.

Does the engine seem to spin over like a sewing machine when you try to start it?

Dmitry S.

If not the belt, you could have burnt a valve.

car_slave

Maybe the distributor rotor screw has backed out letting the rotor spin. Definitely check that, and then pull the belt cover and have a look inside.

good luck

Peckster

If you keep turning it over with the starter you'll only make things worse. From the sounds of it, you should be gently turning it over by hand to see what's moving and what isn't.

Sounds like a T belt to me.

chris walrod

turn it over by hand or just slightly click the starter and watch the rotor for movement. It wont take much crankshaft movement to determine if your timing belt is broken.

SoCal Driver

If he has been using the starter then what's bent is bent. Even at an idle the valves are as bent as they can be bent before the rpm's drop to zero.

micklongley

Im amazed! the screw on the rotor did come off and the rotor was just free to spin. I tightened everything up and it started! Now to the other problem, It still has that really bad knock near the head. It sounds horrible and it just started yesterday before it died. Does this have somethihng to do with the distributor? could the shaft that the rotor is on come loose inside the engine? It was a little loose when I tightened everything up, but I checked it again and its nice and tight now. Could the engine have gotten out of timing because the whole rotor thing? Let me know what you guys think

Thanks again
Mick

elvisizer

glad to hear it doesn't seem to be a t-belt incident . . . .

car_slave

Glad that solved the problem!!!! As for the knock I am not sure, but it could be some bad (collapsed) lifters. Take a screwdriver and use it like a stethoscope on the cam box and try to get the noise isolated.

good luck