89 Grand Am Quad 4 timing gears/belt

How much do you want for it and where is it at?

Reply to
FBR
Loading thread data ...

On these older Quad's, you may have one of two problems. In the block, in the oil pressure passage that feeds the head, there is an anti-drainback valve sitting in the block. It basically consists of a small ball and seat. What would happen is the ball would be pound out the seat (cheap tin) and then the ball would get stuck in the seat preventing any oil pressure from getting to the cylinder head. In this case, you get low oil pressure (sending unit is up on the head) and a lot of valve train noise.

The other option is that the fibre gear on the oil pump has sheared off some teeth and is no longer turning. This would again cause no oil pressure, and since the timing chain tensioner is oil pressure driven...noisy chain and valve train.

Either way, it's big bucks to fix.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

Greetings,

I don't know if this is the best place for a Pontiac question...

I've got the famous transitional year-model '89 with the imfamous Quad-4 engine. I guess they usually blow the head gasket at about

60k miles and are very expensive to fix at that point. I've been babying it.

Recently it was about 10 below (F) and I started it and there was major chain noise, definitely from the timing chain or gear area, I think it has timing gears (?) Also I see oil press is low and check gadges is flashing. Might be because I just blew another rusty brake line.

Anybody have any insight into this situation? The car is rusty, I don't intend to fix a head gasket problem really (it's is supposed to require a laser guided mill to do it right due to the tolerances of the aluminum head/iron block design)... I don't know how much it'll cost to fix the timing gear, Maybie I'll get it running, sell it cheap. Or just junk it.

thanks, p

Reply to
Pierre

Hey thanks for the feedback, I was figuring there was only an outside chance of avoiding spending big bucks... anything with this engine.

As to location and price, I'm in Winsted, Connecticut and I'd be thrilled to get 100 for it.

It's got about 62k miles on it, i'm second owner, It's also got 4 new snow tires. Other tires are crap.

p
Reply to
Pierre

I've got a Pontiac 6000 with a 4 cylinder 2.5L. Could it have the same problem? It has 123k on it. Haven't had any problems like that yet, but just wondering if that time will come. Doesn't it use the same engine as the Celeberty? If so, it would be doomed, wouldn't it? I know the Celerberties have head gasket issues - in fact, before this Pontiac, my mom had an '86 Celeberty with a 4 cylinder. She got rid of it because the head gaskets needed replaced. Somebody that works with my dad took it and fixed it up, and from what I've heard, that Celeberty's still going today.

Reply to
Travis King

Reply to
Pierre

When I was 16 I had a 88 Olds Cutlas (however you spell it) it also ha

a quad4 but had been rebuilt at 36k. One cold morning I went to star it and it was all loud and all and no oil press. I said "oh shit" an waited a few days until someone who knew something could look at it Needless to say I went out side and started it up and it ran fine. A far as I know the car could still be running ;

-- Mar

----------------------------------------------------------------------- Mark's Profile:

formatting link
this thread:
formatting link

Reply to
Mark

Uh, good news! I waited untill the temp came up to about 50F and she started right up with normal oil press and sound. Some kind of gunk in the engine (or that check valve) must have frozen. Hope to get another season out of her.

p

89 GrandAm Quad4 Le

Reply to
Pierre

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.