chip wrote:
>>The teeth have stripped off the timing belt at the crankshaft.
>>
>>When you shut down, the engine kicks back a bit as it stops, stripping the
>>teeth off. Normally, this happens because the belt is very old. But as
>>motsco says, you may have a seized distributor, which would also lead to
>>stripped belt teeth.
>>
>>However, the fact that the cam won't turn could just as easily have to do
>>with bent valves as with a seized distributor. Considering that it's
>>ordinarily 1992+ distributors that are prone to the "red dust", It's
>>possible you have valve damage.
>>
>>Do not drive this car or attempt to start it until the problem is resolved.
>>You may do even more damage to the valves, if you have not already done so.
>
>
>
> i'm guessing the cam bearings seized. even if you had bent
> valves the cam would still turn. you might move the crank some and
> try again. If you get the cam to turn you can run a leakdown test
> with no timing belt. May save some time and money.
> Chip

cam won't turn if the op has pistons at t.d.c. ensure crank is at 90
degress from t.d.c., then try turning. if it's still locked, remove
distributor. if it's now free, the problem is diagnosed. if it's still
locked, the valves that touched the pistons when the belt broke have
bent stems & they're locked in the guides. for an 88, the cheapest
repair is to get a replacement head from a junk yard because if the
valve guides are damaged, it's a lot of work & requires special
equipment to replace them.