1JZPWRD

iTrader: (59)

Well after I fixed three coolant leaks, changed the oil and filter, tranny fluid, fix his door locks, trunk release, gauges, added misc. screws, new radiator brackets, flushed his coolant system, fix oil level sensor, and installed a new dip stick, and ran it in high boost one time, Jay picked up his SC yesterday. He was excited to get it back and everything fixed. About an hour or so, I sent him a text to see how everything was. He didn't reply at first. Minutes later he calls and says it broke down. I thought he was joking. He had to call a wrecker. He says it will not turn over, no clicking or anything. He says there was very little oil on the dipstick, maybe an half inch or so. I am thinking he has spun a bearing or something. I am hoping it isn't. Maybe a starter solenoid stuck. I will know more on Monday morning. We have discussed the idea of a part out, so be on the look out. I hope it is something we can fix and not have to pull the motor. Maybe the oil pump failed. He had no oil pressure gauge hooked up on the car. When I installed the new sensor and dip stick, the old sensor had no level on it or wire, just the top part of the sensor was installed to keep the oil in and the wire from the harness was just dangling unhooked. I feel terrible that this has happened, due to me having the car. In the end I hope we can figure it out, and get him going. I know he is sick to his stomach after all the $$$$ spent on this car. Other than this, maybe a timing belt broke, oil pump failure, hung starter, spun bearing, vapor locked, or something.....

SportC400

I have always done my own work on my vehicles mostly due to the fact that you can save a boat load of money and as long as you educate yourself you know that it's being done right. This thread is really an eye opener on the fact that even if you do fork loads of money over to someone to save a few headaches you might just end up with a bigger headache in the end.

gerrb

iTrader: (34)

I couldn't agree more with what you said. Not only you save boat loads of money , you are assured that your car is well taken cared off . No one will take care of it better than you the owner. Others will pretend to because they are making money off you.. it is just the reality , sad to say. Wait till they are not making any money off you anymore , they won't even answer your calls, emails or your questions.

Take the car , the OP had given here as an example. After talking to the owner and Mark yesterday lengthily and looking at the pictures and videos sent to me... the damn car more likely needs a new bottom end. Jay spent tons of money on this car with three different shop and shop owners who were all nice at the start ... where they at now ???

1JZPWRD

iTrader: (59)

After the diagnostic yesterday, we found the timing belt with alot of slack. My first conclusion was that the belt slipped a tooth or several. I tore it down and aligned it at tdc. The belt had alot of slack all the way around. I removed the crank pulley, and checked for any missing teeth on any of the moving parts. Nothing found. I then removed the tensioner and found only one bolt completely missing. It had only one bolt holding it in place. After checking the threads there was no way that a bolt would have held, it was stripped. I put in a new timing belt and bearing. The belt is tight and where it should be. I also found the coils missing bolts that secured thrm to the bracket. More missing petty stuff. They should have used more time and did this build correctly. We tried to start it and it ran for a second then a loud squealing noise from the front bottom end and it shut off on its own. I suspect bearings..... or even a rod. Wouldn't surprise me more if the bottom end is missing bolts. I told jay to part it out and cut his losses before something else is broken and even more money is needed to get it going. I hate to see this car just being the devil.

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

how does someone strip a bolt on a tensioner and not fix it, its not like its something trivial, that is very important.

SC3coupe

iTrader: (4)

I went to have an alignment done and found the under body air dam missing tons of bolts and one side was just dangling down, one of the bolt was just started. The plastic cracked around the holes from previous abuse e.g. just popping them plastic off the bolt like it was a clip.
One of the threaded boss on the cross member was stripped due to using a too powerful air tool to tighten those 10mm heads. Oh this was a locally recommended shop on CL.

1JZPWRD

iTrader: (59)

I hate to see when people use short cuts, just to lead to other problems down the raod. Just chaps my you know what. The more I look, the more sick to my stomach I get. I think Jay is heavily leaning towards a full part out. He states it is just eating him alive in his insides, and has got more sleepless nights over this SC. I told hime we could pull the motor and trans tomorrow, and starting things out. I would help him. I know he wants to recoupe some of his loss, but all of it, that will never happen. I want him to be happy and not allow this car to become a burden. If he does, I have 1st dibs on several items, so keep your paws off. Here is a short video of what the things I found.

This is the timing belt with tension on it. Even the intake side had as much if not more.






This is the noise. I think bearings.... As well as others I have sent this video too.

ArodDaLob

iTrader: (14)

People tell me there's something wrong with me b/c I always have a car up on jack stands in the garage. This year started out with my scion's clutch breaking, literally, where pieces of the pp were lodged between the clutch springs and the disc, so I couldn't disengage the clutch. Ended up taking months for me to pinpoint the problem, drop the tranny, and replace out all the parts that were affected (clutch, slave cylinder, fork, etc). A week after the tC was up and running, the sc was up on jack stands without any exhaust, rear subframe, front suspension, tranny, etc. I'm spending close to nothing in labor, save the paper towel/degreaser/wd-40 expenses, and I naturally become an expert on stuff I work on, so I say why not DIY. Plus the knowledge of my car comes in pretty handy when something goes wrong.

stockhatch

iTrader: (12)

Vid does not sound good mark, but my first recommendation is always to pull the serpentine belt, run it, and see if the noise goes away. It may be a driven accessory or idler.

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

good advice there were too many things wrong to pin point it to the bottom end, but the sound is definitely not of the good variety.