| The gear is aligned with a key to the crankshaft. If
the bolt comes loose, the gear be free to wear away at the keyway.
Here are three examples. ranging from mild wear to a catastrophic
failure. |
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| And as the keyway wears, the position of
the gear changes, which affects the alignment of the timing belt.
As a result, the camshaft timing becomes retarded. As the keyway wears
further, the timing becomes more retarded, and the engine has less
power. The loss of power is a gradual process, so most owners don't
notice it until the car becomes very slow. If ignored, the nose of
the crankshaft can break off. |
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What to Do if It Fails?
- Replace the crankshaft. A robust fix. Probably a $3000 bill
comes with that.
- Replace with a used engine. Also a robust fix . $600-2500, depending
on who does the labor
- Weld the crankshaft to repair the gap. Perhaps weld the gear
in place. Some risk of failure. $ 100-700, depending on who does
the labor.
- Try the Loctite Fix described in this web site. Some risk of
failure. $ 50-700, depending on who does the labor.
No one guarantees this Loctite Fix will work on your car. That's
why there is a risk of wasting time and energy. If you are a do-it-yourselfer
though, it may be worth your effort.
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Contacts
I can be reached with the user name hsue
My web provider is wideopenwest.com
Listing an email address attracts too much spam, so you'll have
to type both parts and add the "@".
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