WHISTLING sound from the engine bay

[judasentinel]

I just completed installing a new water pump and timing belt. After installing both, and before connecting the rad (which is shot), I decided to run the engine and see how things move. The car started right up, no problems, and the engine ran flawlessly. But within 10-15 seconds, I started hearing a whistling sound. No idea where it is coming from. I am sure it not any of the belts, since it is not a squeal, but a whistle.

Any ideas? I am thinking that maybe the dry-running water pump could be making that sound and it would go away after there is coolant running through it, but not sure. It's a constant whistle and doesnt get very loud. I turned that car off after less than a minute, started it again......no sound, but then after a few seconds, it came back on.

I'm stumped. Please help.

Thank you......

Munib

[steveo1502]

Could be those idler bearings, lol, but I'd try some coolant in there first, it's probably the water pump just pumping air

[Fred-R]

x2 for idler bearings: i have this problem too! if not the coolant tho...

[judasentinel]

Well, it's gone from bad to worse.......

.....it was more than likely the water pump throwing air, but I decided to check the timing belt and idler/tensioner anyways. Disconnected the water pump pulley to see if the sound was still there and it was. Removed the crank pulley to see if that was making the sound.......still there........and then suddenly, I saw the timing belt coming off the tensioner. I rushed to turn the car off but the belt came off. There was a small rattle for a second before I shut the engine off. I think the cam gears did spin a little bit AFTER the belt came off.........FML!!!

I dont know if there has been irreversible catastrophic damage or not. I have left everything alone and am know wondering how I can find out what to do. I dont want to open the head/valve covers, since it is a job and a half and I dont have any help or on-the-spot guidance. The intake cam gear rotates fine by hand and I can see the camshaft moving. But the exhaust cam is a bit hard to rotate, although it also does rotate. The CAS was fine and the half moon and the stub on the exhaust cam were also intact. But when I tried to rotate the crank manually, it wouldn't complete a full circle, meaning that there is something stuck. It is at TDC now, and I manually moved the cam gears to TDC as well, but if there is something stuck open inside (valves), how can I find out?

Is it possible for me to just throw on the timing belt after manually aligning the three marks and then rotating the whole system by hand and whatever is stuck open will close up? Or does this definitely mean the head is coming off? I am extremely sad right now and dont know how to check for damage without opening the head. Someone said that you can use your ear and slowly move the gears/shaft and identify what is happening inside and then you can move the corresponding shaft to correct the problem.

Now I really need help........

[Skym]

I think it's a interference engine, so valves probably would have hit top of pistons. Use a bore scope to check top of pistons for damage.

To check valves, I think you put 1st piston at TDC (use coat hanger or similar down 1st cylinder sparkplug hole to see when piston is at TDC / stops moving or use a proper cam alignment kit if you have one) and align everything to factory (I think there's marks on camgears that you match to marks on backing plate behind camgears) and fit cambelt, tighten tensioner. Then put first piston at TDC and do a leakdown test (use compressed air down sparkplug hole with gauge on hose to see if pressure drops on gauge or is within specs) on that cylinder and if valves are broken or not sealing, will hear air going into intake manifold or exhaust and air going into sump if rings are not sealing. Then do the same leak down procedure for all cylinders. It's the only way (except using a bore scope, compression test) I know of to find out if there's damage to piston rings, valves without stripping engine down.

Here's the proper procedure, tools you use to align it properly (I might have got the procedure wrong above, so look at link below) -

http://www.camshaftshop.com/the-sole-purpose-of-degreeing-your-cam.php

Youtube should have heaps of video's on how to do a leak down test if not sure how to.

[steveo1502]

Wow, that sucks.It is possible to just line up the 3 marks, and put the belt on, that's how it's done, but first u should pull off the cam covers, see if there's any visible damage, and I'd also try the leaks own test skym mentioned, through the plug hole, that would let u know right away, make sure all valves in that cylinder are closed, if a valve is bent/broken ( which I suspect) it wouldn't hold any pressure at all. You probably now need a new head, or rebuild, tsk tsk, I know how tempting it is to try starting it before its actually finished, but never a good idea, live and learn, betcha won't do that again, and if u do have to pull the head, new head gasket and change those tensioner pulleys, cam seals and main seal, do it right the first time

[NismoS-tune]

Rb26 is an interference engine. You had some piston to valve contact if you timing belt slipped while it was running. Find someone with a bore scope (snake camera ok too) and inspect your piston tops from the plug hole. Timing belt wasn't torqued and tight? Inexperience sometimes cost big bucks. I know. I saved $500 bucks doing something i didnt know how to once and the failure cost me a few $k.

[Skym]

Steveo is correct about procedure. I keep thinking crank pully is off and need cam alignment tools with degree wheels, etc. The degrees are on the crank pully.

Might be lucky that it only chipped some valves if only at idle and top of pistons are ok (head needs to be removed, valves replaced, etc). Worst I've seen is valve breaks off and sits on top of piston and gets rammed into head (ouch).

[steveo1502]

Even then changing a vale or two and reseating is not that bad and can be done at home with the proper tools, just hope it's not worse, could have possibly broke a piston, scored the cylinder walls or cracked the head if it really got jammed in there,

[NismoS-tune]

Before assuming that the head has to come off, looking at the piston tops will tell you if you had contact (vavle won't bend/break on thin air so there would be a mark). By the sounds of it though... A little mistake may have cost a few parts.

Worse case I have a badass engine for sale.

[judasentinel]

the thing that gives me hope that it may not be a disaster is the fact that the engine ran for maybe 1-2 seconds after the belt slipped off of the tensioner and before I turned the car off.....but then at 900 rpm, we are talking about 30 revolutions within those 2 seconds. That's enough to cause major damage, isn't it?

[MarusGTR]

Wow I'm feeling for ya... just to know though, how did the belt get off like that? Was it used? Was the tensionner used?

[rolyaT]

My guess is the belt came off cause you forgot to put the alignment washers back on the lower timing gear. One goes engine side of the gear and one goes on the pulley side of the gear. When I bought my car the tool who was the so called mechanic neglected to put them on. My problems were a whirling sound and belt was riding on the front of the cam gears not the middle. Could be wrong but that sounds like the intial problem

[judasentinel]

My guess is the belt came off cause you forgot to put the alignment washers back on the lower timing gear. One goes engine side of the gear and one goes on the pulley side of the gear. When I bought my car the tool who was the so called mechanic neglected to put them on. My problems were a whirling sound and belt was riding on the front of the cam gears not the middle. Could be wrong but that sounds like the intial problem

You are partially correct, and the tool in my case is ME.

I didnt forget to put the front plate back on. I TOOK THE DAMN THING OFF, to see how the lower timing gear was lining up against the oil pump timing mark, and then decided to just run the engine, not knowing that the plate was to some degree responsible for keeping the belt on the crank gear. I am responsible for this fiasco.

And now that I have no clue where to find a solution to my problems, how to get my car running and how much it would cost to fix the damage inside (and I dont even know what the extent of it is), I am seriously thinking of just saving money for another engine. I do doubt that the pistons will have been damaged. Maybe a couple of bent valves or maybe no noticeable damage at all (which would mean I have been extremely lucky).

Guess I am in the market for a replacement head for an RB26. Anyone got one for sale? I dont have the time to build one, so am looking for a direct drop-in and go kind of a deal. If anyone of you knows of, or has, one for sale (reasonable price), pls pm me.

Thank you.......

[steveo1502]

Try the leak test first, or a boroscope if u can find one, might not be any damage, heads aren't cheap, and if it is just a valve or whatever, can be fixed for way cheaper