When i started it a loud ass noise came from the engine bay, like a cam was lose or something i never heard. I reinstalled everything good, i stripped a hole for one of the cam caps, but left the screw there and it didnt come back up so i didnt mess with it anymore. Now the crank pulley and cam gears will not turn at all as if something locked up. Not even when i try to turn it with a torque wrench. Something is definetly locked, but have no idea what it is. Can you give me suggestions on what to look for? Thanks.

Drop the oilpan and have a look.

I will try that, but i can turn the crank puley and cams counter clockwise fine, but then when i go clockwise the cams and crank pulley stops at one same spot everytime and does not go anymore. I am so lost with this, I may be selling somestuff pretty soon if this continues.

It sounds like the valves may be hitting the pistons. (Hopefully not)

Originally posted by BOOSTED ECLIPSE
It sounds like the valves may be hitting the pistons. (Hopefully not)

yes, sounds like the valve(s) may be hitting a piston(s). cus if you can take it back counter clock wise then some valves are going back in and then what you turn forward they could be smacking a piston or 2. pull the pan first and check it out, then maybe pull out your plugs and look down onto the pistons and see if you can anything out of ordinally looking on the top of them. then if nothign still, yank the head off and look at the valves. sorry to hear your having truble tho bro. good luck, keep us posted.

I pulled the spark plugs, all the pistons look brand new and still sliver looking. I am pulling off the timing belt so i can play with the head and see whats going on. I am agreeing with you guys on the valves.I will keep you updated. Thanks

If you have Wiseco pistons and install them backwards, you will contact the valves. This is why you always make sure to crank it over a couple three times before you even install it. Come to think of it... when you do the timing belt, part of the proceedure is to spin the crank two full revolutions (one full revolution of the cams). If you did that and there was no intereference then, something definitely broke on you imo. Good luck with that. If it's not one thing, it's another.

I did the timing while the motor was outside and i did do 2 revolutions, i think when it is something with my cams when i installed them. I am gonna drop the motor tomorrow and see whhat to do about it. I got JE pistons, actually the motor(bottom end) is from Howell Automotive, i picked up the motor a few months ago and just now installing it. Thanks for the help, i will ask more questions if i need a little more help.

check your cam timing again for one, you could have slipped a few teeth without noticing it while you were tightening the tensioner. (happened to me, i noticed it before i let out the pin) and also the cam cap with the bolt broke out, get a titanium drill bit and a extractor. Drill down about 1/2" or so (or as far as you need) then tap in the extractor and unscrew it. Go to a parts store and get the highest grade bolt you can that fits the metric thread. I ran across the same problem, thanks to everyones help here it's fixed.

I just came across a thread that said the intake dowel is supposed to face up and the exhaust is supposed to be facing downward. If that is true, then there is my problem. I had them both the cams facing upward. I guess when i drop the motor i will install them correctly and time it better. When i timed it the first time, the marks were pretty close, but not perfect across each other. I will keep you guys updated.

Originally posted by freddy_00_69
I just came across a thread that said the intake dowel is supposed to face up and the exhaust is supposed to be facing downward. If that is true, then there is my problem. I had them both the cams facing upward. I guess when i drop the motor i will install them correctly and time it better. When i timed it the first time, the marks were pretty close, but not perfect across each other. I will keep you guys updated.

It is very true. If both of them are facing up and your timing marks align, I would think that you got one of your cam gears backwards also.

Sounds like you found your problem .... your cams should pretty much be opposite. Check all your torque specs too and make sure you didn't over tighten the cams/end caps

I am installing the cams right now, i installed the intake side with the dowel up and the exhaust side with the dowel down, now are the timing marks supposed to be lined up. They are not lining up with each other. Do i just install the cams that way and then try and to adjust the marks. I am stuck at this point because i thought the marks would line up after putting them like they are supposed to be.

The only way the marks line up is if the dowels are both facing up. Any suggestions on what to do.

Now i took the head off and the crank rotates fine so the bottom end is fine. I think it was just timing. But i am still having that cam problem. With my intake dowel up and the exhaust dowel down, my marks come up one fine and the other 180 across instead of facing the intake cam mark.If i face them both upwards, the marks line up, but that is how i believe i installed them first and it got stuck. Could it be possible that my dowels are supposed to both be facing up and line the marks up or is something messed up here. I have the stock cams and stock gears for the head.

Also, if anyone doesnt mind giving me there phone number i can call you and probably explain everything a little better and you can help with figure it out, thanks.

Originally posted by freddy_00_69
Now i took the head off and the crank rotates fine so the bottom end is fine. I think it was just timing. But i am still having that cam problem. With my intake dowel up and the exhaust dowel down, my marks come up one fine and the other 180 across instead of facing the intake cam mark.If i face them both upwards, the marks line up, but that is how i believe i installed them first and it got stuck. Could it be possible that my dowels are supposed to both be facing up and line the marks up or is something messed up here. I have the stock cams and stock gears for the head. Also, if anyone doesnt mind giving me there phone number i can call you and probably explain everything a little better and you can help with figure it out, thanks.

No, they are both not suppose to face upward, or downward, one faces up and one faces down, period. The only reason your marks dont line up is because you have one of your gears on backwards. Look at them, on one side they say 2.0L and the other sides says 2.4l. Doesnt really matter which is facing outward but make sure both face the same direction.

Both cam gears have 2.0L facing outwards. Maybe my marks are crewed up but i will try and get some pics to post so you see what i am talking about. I know you know more then i do so that is why i am asking these questions, i thank you for helping. SO as long as the intake dowel faces down and the exhaust faces up, i should be fine. I wont get back to fixing the car until friday night so i will have time to find answers to my problems.

Screw it, put intake down, exhaust up and flip which ever cam gear is off so the marks line up.

um.. wow, terrible info being said here. look on the top of the cam near the cam gear side. thereis a half drilled hole in the cam. between the first and second cyl i belive. those have to be facing up. thats the only way that timing can be true. so just make sure those are in the right position.

Originally posted by grain
um.. wow, terrible info being said here. look on the top of the cam near the cam gear side. thereis a half drilled hole in the cam. between the first and second cyl i belive. those have to be facing up. thats the only way that timing can be true. so just make sure those are in the right position.

Even if you use this approach the dowels will still be like posted earlier. I'm sorry but if you still can't figure it out then you shouldnt be working on your car. You may even had bent some valves trying to start it like this.

This is the way it should look when you are timing the cams. The intake dowel should be down and the exhaust should be up. Here is a pic of the stock gears the way they should go on.


Here is a pic of the cams timed on my engine but with adjustable gears.


Notice were the dowels are.

But yeah, you probably have bent some valves if the came in contact with the pistons while you were trying to start it.

I did not bend some valves, i pulled the motor apart and everything is fine. I have messed with my motor alot so i know alot about it. I have never installed cams so that is why i asked this question. You are saying i shouldnt be messing with my car, well there are alot more people also. I have searched and people say put the intake up and exhaust dowel down, then there are some that say have both dowels facing up, and then there are some saying exhaust up and intake dowel down. Well, my question still has not been answered since i got 3 different answers. Never mind, i am looking for help, not "you shouldnt be messing with it if you dont know" remarks. Thanks everyone,i will mess with it later.

Originally posted by freddy_00_69
I did not bend some valves, i pulled the motor apart and everything is fine. I have messed with my motor alot so i know alot about it. I have never installed cams so that is why i asked this question. You are saying i shouldnt be messing with my car, well there are alot more people also. I have searched and people say put the intake up and exhaust dowel down, then there are some that say have both dowels facing up, and then there are some saying exhaust up and intake dowel down. Well, my question still has not been answered since i got 3 different answers. Never mind, i am looking for help, not "you shouldnt be messing with it if you dont know" remarks. Thanks everyone,i will mess with it later.

I never meant it to offend you. But why waste time being without a car trying to fix it, why risk messing up your motor all together when you can find someone who's done it before to do it for you?

And your question has been answered, intake down, exhaust up, how many times do we have to tell you that? What grain meant was there are holes that are half drilled, but if both the holes face up, the dowels will still be intake up, exhaust down.

And without seeing your car or even pics of it, I am 95% sure that the only reason your timing marks dont line up is because you have one of the cam gears on backwards.

Originally posted by Hamgumball

Originally posted by freddy_00_69 I did not bend some valves, i pulled the motor apart and everything is fine. I have messed with my motor alot so i know alot about it. I have never installed cams so that is why i asked this question. You are saying i shouldnt be messing with my car, well there are alot more people also. I have searched and people say put the intake up and exhaust dowel down, then there are some that say have both dowels facing up, and then there are some saying exhaust up and intake dowel down. Well, my question still has not been answered since i got 3 different answers. Never mind, i am looking for help, not "you shouldnt be messing with it if you dont know" remarks. Thanks everyone,i will mess with it later.

I never meant it to offend you. But why waste time being without a car trying to fix it, why risk messing up your motor all together when you can find someone who's done it before to do it for you? And your question has been answered, intake down, exhaust up, how many times do we have to tell you that? What grain meant was there are holes that are half drilled, but if both the holes face up, the dowels will still be intake up, exhaust down. And without seeing your car or even pics of it, I am 95% sure that the only reason your timing marks dont line up is because you have one of the cam gears on backwards.

the best way of learning things is called trial and error.

the best way of learning things is called trial and error.


The best way to learn is being showed how to. Trial and error is also a good way to learn, but is it worth a couple hundred in new parts?

Originally posted by Hamgumball

the best way of learning things is called trial and error. The best way to learn is being showed how to. Trial and error is also a good way to learn, but is it worth a couple hundred in new parts?


sometimes, thats how i learned everything i know of because sometimes, there isnt someone always there to hold your hand and show you step by step how/what to do ya know.

Thanks guys, i think you guys have led me in the right direction and now i understand everything you guys are saying. I will try to get it running this weekend, but i doubt it since i work friday and sunday. Work sucks, but i gotta pay the bills.