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#1
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HELP! Stranded in U.P.! SVX is dead!
Alright, I'm not going to tell you everything, I'll save that for when I get back. But basically, long story short, I was driving on a dirt road in my SVX, and I was traveling about 15mph or so. I saw a big dip coming up, so I slowed down, but heard a 'scrape' and my car lost all power. The engine died, and it will not start.
I've been under my car a little, and the oil pan is fine, the transmission looks fine, the suspension looks fine. The only part that does not look fine is that rear 'frame rail' type parts of the undercarriage (basically under the rear seat and not directly in the center of the car, but not on the edges of the car, kinda between them) were crushed upwards. I thought that maybe a fuel line runs in one of those rails, and it crushed the fuel line, and thats why it won't start. However, fuel is not leaking, and... this is the really weird part. I'm sure most of you recognize the sound an SVX makes when it starts. Instead of the Rir Rir Rir Rir >VROOOM< it usually makes, it has a different sound now when I try to start it. The engine still turns over, but it now goes "RIR-RIR" >space< "Rir Rir!" >space< "rir Rir >space< "rir rir!" in that pattern. Does anyone know what could possibly cause this? Like I said, my car was running fine, I bottomed out and heard a scrape, and now it will not start. I'm going to a car repair shop tomorrow at 5:30 in the morning and any information you could provide would be extremely helpful! Thank you! - Rob BTW: Some good news: I know that the SVX is capable of hanging with a modded Audi S4, and a modded S8. In the straights, and in the corners. My god. The SVX is an incredible car. I have a video that you will all LOVE..... |
#2
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Did you check to see if any part of the exhaust was crushed... especially around the resonator area (where it drops to a single pipe)? If the exhaust is completely collapsed then the backpressure could be preventing ignition.
It COULD also be fuel starvation... so your theory about the crushed lines might be good too. However, since the starter is electrical and doesn't need gas, the engine should still be turning. However, it is possible again that no fuel is coming through when the engine computer expects it... that could explain the noise. Also... one other thing to check us the drive-shaft to the AWD... (is yours an AWD? I can't remember!) if that's badly bent then that would definitely stall the engine. Wouldn't necessarily explain the starting problems though. Hope this helps! Keep us all posted. |
#3
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Quote:
__________________
Lwin M. Maung (Member # 147) Current SVX: • NONE Previous SVXes: •1994 LE Barcelona Red 107k • 1992 LS-L Pearl White 143k • 1994 LSi Bordeaux Pearl 220k • 1992 LS-L Ebony Pearl 184k • 1992 LS-L Liquid Silver 145k • 1992 LS-L Liquid Silver 102k • 1992 LS-L Ebony Pearl 123k Other current cars:•2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee Black If at first you don't succeed, CHEAT!
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#4
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Yeah check to see if you got fuel at the engine, I don't think you could have crushed a fuel line but if you pushed up the bottom of the gas tank it might be cutting fuel off from getting sucked into the pump or the pump might have broke. That or the exaust thing but I would try pulling off the fule line at the filter to see if you got pressure there, just be carefull not to spray it all over yourself or the car.
__________________
92 SVX #772 140k 6speed, ECU Tune stage II, Koni/Ground control, 3,270lbs. 91 Legacy Turbo 5spd. FMIC, crappy stock turbo, ACT clutch. 78 BRAT (New toy) (Soon to be EJ22T powered) 90 240 SX. RB25 powered!! DRIFT!!!111!!! (GF's car) To many cars to spend time on teh web! |
#5
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See, I would agree with the fuel line/starvation explanation, but that does NOT explain why the car turns over differently. Instead of a solid steady 'whir whir whir whir whir' its more 'stacatto-like'; its a 'whir whir' >.5 second pause<whir whir' >.5 second pause<whir whir' >.5 second pause<whir whir' >.5 second pause<.
I'm fairly mechnically inclined and while I agree that it might be a fuel problem (will check tomorrow) I cannot think of ANY REASON why it would start different. It just doesn't make any sense, especially considering I didn't SLAM the car on the bump, and instead just sorta bottomed out. Any other ideas?! This sucks. I'm already going to miss a day of work. UGH. - Rob |
#6
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Also, where are the fuel lines routed???? ALong the sides of the car, in the center of the car.... etc. If someone could provide a diagram that would be great, but like I said, the only thing that looked crushed was that 'quasi frame rail' that runs from front to back, and the crushed section was basically underneath the passnger footwell area.
HOWEVER; it still doesn't explain the weird starting/turning over noise. - Rob |
#7
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The fuel lines run in the side rocker panels. Look under the back seat and you will see the lines coming out of the fuel pump. Most likely the bottom of the tank is pushed up. It sounds different because it has no fuel.
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May your transmission live forever. SuperbVehicleXtraordinary Proud sponsor of a 1992 SVX. |
#8
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to me...
My guess is maybe you hit the bottom of the trans
and possibly bent the flex plate and a small section is scraping against something.... Or you knocked a cable going to the starter loose and its not getting good juice to the starter... You sure you where only going 15 ???
__________________
My mom will forever live in me and never be forgotten, one day Ill see her again CLICK the LINK below to Visit the SVX Store: http://www.planetsvx.com http://www.motorsportwarehouse.com/svx/sig2.jpg Cars in the garage: 92 Toyota Soarer Single Turbo JDM RHD 70 Boss 302 Mustang 39k original miles 97 SVX Lsi 92 Liquid Silver Murano-ized (1st of its kind) 71 Cougar Xr7 Conv 351c 4v 4spd 69 SS Camaro 350 71 Nissan RHD Fairlady Z 70 Stang Fastback 70 Amc AMX 390 71 240z 89 Conquest TSi w/ 5.0 v8 swap 84 Mustang GT Turbo conv "good, if it bleeds, we can kill it ....." |
#9
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It has been towed to a foreign car repair shop; and they tested the fuel pressure. The fuel pressure was fine.
They also found out what was wrong: The drivers side cam is not aligned properly; it jumped teeth somehow. I just had my waterpump replaced about 3500 miles ago at the dealership. The repair shop was saying that incorrect tension on the tensioners could have caused this. This is really bad news, since we all know the SVX engine is an interference engine. I'm thinking about purchasing a 79 Pickup with a slant six to get us home, and perhaps coming up next weekend to tow the SVX home on a flatbed. Can I get the dealership to pay for this? Just because it jumped a few teeth, does that mean that the engine is toast? Or is it possible that the valves just closed and thats why it wasn't turning over, because it was trying to compress the air at the bottom of hte stroke? This is horrible. I'm supposed to be at work right now but instead I'm stuck in this town of 10k people, and 7 hours away from home. ACK. DOes anyone have any suggestions? - Rob |
#10
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Rob, the SVX is NOT an interference engine.. Just readjust the cams and drive it home, then get another timing belt.
__________________
I'm like a Slinky.. Not really good for anything, but you can't help but smile when you see me tumble down the stairs. http://stickyvinylgraphics.com/ |
#11
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I think it's unlikely that your engine is wrecked. The timing belt turns the exhaust cam and the intake cam is driven, by gear, by the exhaust cam. It's very unlikely that the intake cam skipped unless one of those gears is broken.
It is possible, though, that if the tensioner is bad, that the exhaust cam jumped a couple teeth on the timing belt. Your jolt from bottoming out very well could have caused this (given the bad tensioner). It sounds to me like all you need is to get a new tensioner, install the timing belt correctly, and you should be good to go. More info: The EG33 is only called an 'interference engine' because the valves could, technically, touch eachother. But something pretty catastrophic would have to happen to make them jump teeth in the first place. Frickin' a, Rob, I'm sorry to hear about your problems.
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2005 RX-8 Grand Touring 2005 Outback 2002 Mercedes-Benz E320 wagon END OF LINE |
#12
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But that's extrememly unlikely. So, you're right, for the most part it is a non-interference engine. But not completely.
__________________
2005 RX-8 Grand Touring 2005 Outback 2002 Mercedes-Benz E320 wagon END OF LINE |
#13
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Rob,
Mr. Pockets is correct. The EG33 motor is by design a non-interference motor. It would take a catastrophic failure to actually get the valves to crash into one another and then cause the dreaded piston failure. The Subaru 2.5 motor has four cams similar in design to our SVX motor, but the main difference is the drive system. The 2.5 motor drives all four cams off the timing belt. The EG33 only drives the two exhaust cams. The intake cams are driven via a helix cut pair of gears that remain in time off the exhaust cams. Although its very possible to throw the valve timing off by slipping a tooth or so on the belt, the intake to exhaust valve timing will always remain true. The only exception would be some kind of serious failure in the gear drive system between the cams. I also agree with the other members here and recommend replacement of the gas charged belt tension assembly. Good luck
__________________
-- Chris Founder/Administrator SVX World Network ECU Tune (stage 1), PWR (prototype aluminum radiator) Amateur Radio - General Class - K7SVX #1 92 Teal LSl 246k (Dedicated SVX Race Car, now with 4.44 speed) #2 92 Teal LSl 125k (Retired, car rescued from a field of weeds) 2007 Impreza 2.5i Special Edition, Obsidian Black Pearl (Daily driver) 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 quad cab, Cummins turbo diesel 4x4 (race car & RV hauler) 1985 Honda VF500 Interceptor (fair weather fun commuter) Going on 11 years of NHRA bracket racing NHRA Div 6 Car/Driver # T654 (site being rebuilt, new name is www.teamsvxracing.com) 2000 1st Place Club Challenge Series 2002 3rd Place Season Track Champion, Import Racing (Firebird Raceway) 2003 4th Place Season Track Champion, Import Racing (Firebird Raceway) 2003 1st Place NW Regional Import Shootout (July 5th) 2004 1st Place Club Challenge #1 (Firebird Raceway) 2004 1st Place NHRA "King of the Track" race 2004 NHRA Gold Cup 2nd place season win 2004 Import/Sport Compact 3rd place season win 2004 Division 6 Summit/ET NHRA Race of Champions finalist competitor (Mission, BC) 2007 1st Place Import Survival #3 2007 1st Place Track Champion Import Summer Jam (Wild Street Class) 2007 1st Place Import Survival #5 2008 Club season 1st place win, Club Champion 2008 2nd Place Season Import Final. 2008 Division 6 Summit/ET NHRA Import Finals (Woodburn, Or) 2009 2nd Place Import Summer Jam (Wild Street Class) 2010 1st Place Club race #2 - 1st place Sport Compact race #1 & #2 |
#14
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I didnt hit a bump
that had to be a coincidense...
but my tensioner bolt broke about 3000 miles after I did my belt etc too.... Installed a new one from the dealer and it was all fine....
__________________
My mom will forever live in me and never be forgotten, one day Ill see her again CLICK the LINK below to Visit the SVX Store: http://www.planetsvx.com http://www.motorsportwarehouse.com/svx/sig2.jpg Cars in the garage: 92 Toyota Soarer Single Turbo JDM RHD 70 Boss 302 Mustang 39k original miles 97 SVX Lsi 92 Liquid Silver Murano-ized (1st of its kind) 71 Cougar Xr7 Conv 351c 4v 4spd 69 SS Camaro 350 71 Nissan RHD Fairlady Z 70 Stang Fastback 70 Amc AMX 390 71 240z 89 Conquest TSi w/ 5.0 v8 swap 84 Mustang GT Turbo conv "good, if it bleeds, we can kill it ....." |
#15
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That's just not the case with the SVX. The valves are positioned in such a way that, if the timing between them was messed up in some way, intake valves could come in contact with exhaust valves. But that's so unlikely that I'd contend that something pretty horrible would have to happen to the engine first. A big frontal impact comes to mind as an example. So, the EG33 is practically a non-interference engine. The whole point of such a design is so you can prevent further damage if there's a timing failure. But the only ways, that I can see, of causing a timing failure between the cams would severely damage the heads in the process anyway.
__________________
2005 RX-8 Grand Touring 2005 Outback 2002 Mercedes-Benz E320 wagon END OF LINE |
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