What happens? Will the starter still try to turn the motor or when you turn the ignition key nothing happens (other than the radio come on and other electrical stuff). Just curious. (22RE)

 

...bad things happen.

:wabbit2:

 

yea, the starter is still going to try to turn the motor over. easiest way to make sure tho is pull the valve cover.

why do you think yours is broken?

 

It's possible mine is broke but I think I spun a rod bearing or something. I am about to swap the motor as it has high milage. I was just curious. My starter won't turn. You just turn the ignition key and nothing happens other than all the electrical lights, radio, etc. come on. It had a real loud knock start up shortly before it died.

 

Thanks for helping me out with my new clutch earlier today waskillywabbit.

 

that knock you heard if the chain is broke is probably the pistons beating the snot outta the valves, if not it was a very short rod knock that led to an engine seize.

now of course this doesn't mean that the starter isn't fried causing the no start issue. As the starter should still try to spin the engine resulting in some sort of a click.

 

If the starter armeture stuck you may have heard the starter lock up, and when those starters lock up or go bad, they dont do nothing... been there haha

 

See if the starter is loading the electrical system. If yo dont have a load tester, turn on your head lights (bright) and try to crank it. If the starter hits and attempts to turn the engine, the lights will dim. If you see no difference in the headlights the starter is shot and not drawing any voltage.

If the starter does dim the lights, you need to try and turn the crank by hand. You do not need to pull the valve cover to see if the chain is turning the cam, only remove the dist cap and see if the button is turning as you turn the crank.

There is a long winded arguement if the 22RE is an interference engine (valves enter into the cyls)

I have seen interference engines survive a break before, if it broke on start up. Basically the pistion hits and stops at the valve without bending it. This doesnt typically happen when driving down the road at a few thousand RPM's. They hit at that speed and you can kiss the valves good bye.

IF you have a piston against the valve, it wont turn forward, but you can turn it backward by hand.

 

Two outcomes.. catastrophic and not catastrophic. Just depends on where the valves stopped when the chain broke.

 

Have you pulled the valve cover to look yet? Do that before turning that key again!!

 

This is not a starter issue as it went down hard driving down the road. I bought this truck used and everything was great but it had a knock that made me suspicious. Then while driving the knock got crazy loud for about 8-10 miles. The last 1/2 mile or so I started losing power and then the engine gave out. It has 186K which I understand many 22RE's go on to 300K. I am having a new long block built as I type this. I figure if I am going thru all the trouble of replacing the timing chain I might as well and bite the bullet and install a new engine. I hate to spend the money but I want some piece of mind. I have already ordered new water pump, clutch kit, etc. I was just curious what to expect when a timing chain breaks. I dropped a rod once in my old 304 V8 Jeep. It started with a slight knock for a few months and then one day the engine just died. It was exaclty the same experience I had with my 22RE truck.