Ok, I'm selling my car this week, and next week I'm flying out to PA to buy my VE 5psd I called the guy this week and he said the timing sprockets are bad (I thought he was talking about the VTCs) and that the mechanic is gonna fix that and change the chain for $400, making my total for the car $1900...He says the car doesnt start, or that it does and sputters and dies and the VTCs are clacking like crazy...does the description match up to what the problem supposedly is...when I first talked to him about it he said the sprockets were bad I thought he just meant the VTCs knocked...and I was gonna get a VE 5spd for $1500, then he told me it didn't run so I'm gonna get him to fix it then go get it...please any help would be great.

 

without all the background info on the deal.....what exactly is the problem with the car...whats it do and what sprockets are bad?

 

Without being there I can't really be sure...he sold it once, then the guy brought it back because the timing sprockets went bad (this is what he told me), so assuming "timing sprockets" meant VTCs, I asked if it knocked, and he said yeah, so I thought big deal the VTCs tick, I can live with it...Then I was talking to him online today, and he said it didn't start (because of the "timing sprockets), his mechanic quoted it at $400 to fix, so when I get out there I'm going to give him $400 more than originally planned...so I want to know if fixing the "timing sprockets" is gonna fix it for sure and everything...vg guy trying to learn about ve's

 

Yo DMad8724 thats me yoooo. LOL


Heres the pic.

 

whats the deal with the sprockets then?

 

Ive only owned a VE 5spd so as far as what your telling me about it not starting its NOT just vtc's. Bad vtc's will still let the car run (just noisily). If the car turns but dosent crank then its not getting one of three things....fuel, air, spark.......if it starts then dies insantly then its either missing vaccum hoses and or disconnected. GROUND wire is bad check the one at the top on the manifold i can personally tell you if its no good or disconnected the car WILL NOT RUN. its about an 18 ga or so wire on the top part of the manifold on the passenger side by the vtc solenoids. There are endless other possibilities. If it starts and you can keep it running by holding the gas down you might want to check the TPS( throttle position sensor) IACV ( idle air control valve), MAF (mass air flow), fuel filter, air filter, vaccum hoses, spark plugs, coil packs. The list goes on but until i have more info on the exact problem i cant help to diagnose further since im shootin in the dark, BTW VTC's are not hard to do just time consuming. I diddnt do mine right and it cost me 2400 to fix (but in the process it ported the whole stinken motor, LOL) but i recently about a week ago replaced my buddies VTC's for him east coast nissan, north plainfield, NJ has the rebuild kits and or can order them. neway i did just fine and she turned over at the first hit of the key so all in all its not that bad...It may just be something minor the VE is a sensative engine as ive come to figure out.....

 

It cranks over and dies out. I am not sure but i think the timming is shot or the timming puley. Se its hard to tell, we are getting into the buttom of this friday. Will keep people updated.

 

I thought it was just the vtcs, so I wanted it and was just gonna live with the vtcs clicking...then he said it didnt start and that hes gonna spend $400 to get it fixed...but it sounds like they're just gonna fix the VTCs, and I know that's just gonna stop them from clacking and not gonna change the car starting problem...

 

Its MAKES A VERY LOUD noise form the timming area.

 

the noise is the VTC they get really loud and it sounds like your valves are gonna rocket out of the car at any minute however its ok. and BTW 400 bucks for a mechanic to fix the vtc is very CHEAP hope he does them right....it must run long enough before dying to hear the clacking so my guess is check the OBVIOUS first, all filters, spark plug, coil packs, basic electrical connections. IF you can keep it running by holding the gas check the vaccum connections, coil packs and injectors, ALSO check the EGR valve (mushroom looking thing on the back of the top manifold on the driver side, if its bad or not connected the car WILL run then die. again there are many factors that i can not see good luck !!

 

matt, shawn, can any of you engine gurus chime in and hook me up with some info?

 

if the timing is shot...check the crank angle sensor.......it sets the timing I believe on the ve

 

yeap, this a$$monkey seems to be on the right track

If you have the option to spend $400 to have the VTC's rebuilt, and the chains replaced, by all means do it. Although I would be very very weary, it will take almost all of that just for parts....

 

well its on the cam but meh.

 

The reason its $400 and it cheap for the job he's doing because this mechanic was my next door neighbor for 4 years, and known him now for 6 years. But will get to the bottom. Will keep you's updated/

 

any updates turk?

 

anyone else got any ideas?