Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Maintenance HELP!!! Dura is sick

Hi all. I posted this in the trouble shooting forum with only one response, which we already tried with no difference. Maybe the duratech gods can come up with some other ideas!!

Here's the back ground 95se duratech, 5 spd. 130,000 miles.
Washed the car Sunday inside and out(not the engine). Moved it back and forth a couple times. Checked all fluids everything was fine. Hubby went out Monday to go to work and it wouldn't start . Pulled front 3 plugs they were soaked with gas, cleaned them, put them back in still no go pulled them again soaked again. Had it towed to the garage, they charged the battery (ran it dead trying to start it). They got it to start last night(Wed), but it is making a horrible lifter noise like the cam shaft is out of it . My questions are what would have caused it to flood itself out like that and why would that cause the engine noise?? This engine has never made any sounds except the ones it is supposed to make!! Any suggestions would be terrific. Thanks in advance, my baby is sick and I don't like it !! I don't drive it very often, but I am having withdrawl knowing it's not going to be home at 5:30 so I can take a spin and blow off some aggrivation if needed!!

Flooding can happen by chance or be caused by leaking injectors, too much fuel pressure, or a bad ECT.

Is it still flooding?


It would be best if you could describe the noise better. Valve chatter at an idle is caused by thin oil, no oil pressure,or sticking valve train components. If the oil has now been changed, these don't make much sense. If the timing chain tensioner is stuck or damaged a clattering sound will come from the front cover only. Valve damage is possible depending on how they got it started.

If the oil was too thin with gas and the engine was run for any length of time, bearing surfaces could be destroyed. This would cause a deep hard knocking sound.

THe noise is coming from the front cover only, more the front right to be exact. THe noise sounds like really bad valve clatter, like the cam is out or it's got a collapsed lifter. They started it just by letting it sit a couple of days and fully charging the battery, which we ran down trying to get her to start. They just jumped in it and turned the key, she started right away, but made this horrible noise. The mechanic turned it off immediatly, becuase he had never heard the car run before this incident (he is a new mechanic at the shop) He called me and I went to hear it and almost died when I heard the noise it was making. THe plan is to get the noise to stop and then find out why she flooded herself out. Just wanted some input from the dura gods on this forum that have worked and reworked their duras!! Thanks for the input that sounds like what maybe happening. One more question! Do the Duras have a timing belt or chain??? Thanks again!

Chain.

Had you recently changed the oil?

It was just due to be changed when all this occured. They have changed it once. They got most of the noise out of it today just by running it awhile. It is still tapping a little bit and is missing, but they think both of them might be because the back 3 plugs are so fouled from it running rich. They are going to do a complete tune-up tommorow and let me know how it sounds. It needs an O2 sensor so they are also going to replace it. I will let everyone know if she comes home tommorow. Hopefully this will get her back to feeling 100%, Momma needs a long ride on a windy back road!!! LOL

Well my car did this due to a leaky fuel injector seal and made some of the same noise yours is and it turned out to be a bent conecting rod along with a washed out exhaust valve.Hope that this is not what happed to yours I was able to fix mine with some help and it still ran me like 900.but I did some other things to it as well when in there.

Good luck

R96SE

Well we took it to the dealership lastnight, because the place it was at didn't want to continue trying to find out what was going on . The dealership is a highly respected one in this area and my brother-in-law works for them. They called just awhile ago, the timing chain tensioner on the back half is gone. Total cost $880.00 . The good thing is they can have it done tommorow late afternoon. Question?? Anyone have any ideas on if this going bad would have caused the no starting problem or if the no starting could have caused this? I'm guessing the excessive fuel was from the "lawnmower syndrome". I know one thing I'll never just move it back and forth again from now on it's all the way around the block!!

It may be just coincidence. If the timing tensioner is bad the timing may be off, making it hard to start. I doubt the excess fuel from the lawnmower syndrome would be enough toeven get too much into the oil. I don't know if the tensioner is hydraulic or spring-loaded but either way I think just unlucky coincidence.

Scott

I was told it was hydrolic(sp?) I guess unlucky may as well be my middle name this past 2 weeks, hopefully it will get better, waiting to hear now if my baby is ready to come home yet. Of course I will be taking the back roads!!!