Hi all,
I've searched a number a forums with this problem I have with my mother in laws car and haven't been able to find a similar situation to mine. It's a 93 with a 3.1, 175K, was running fine. She drove to our house - everything was running good - She went to start it up to leave and it sounded like the engine kicked back from the starter..but started. The lifters - sounds like all of them - sounded like they had collapsed like there was no oil pressure. Sounded like there was a powerstroke diesel under the hood! It ran although rough. Oil pressure good, no coolant in the oil. She attempted to drive it home about three miles, barely making it before it died...it didn't seize up though. I'm thinking the knock sensor told the ecu to retard the timing so much it wouldn't run. Can a slipped timing chain cause this? That's what has been suggested to me. And from what I've read these 3.1's are interference engines..but I'm wondering how far the cam/crank timing can be off before the valves kiss the pistons. Like I mentioned it still ran when this happened. Any help would be appreciated! I've already got a motor lined up in case it needs it...but I'd rather just to a chain kit.
Thanks
Colin
