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[jweddy]

ok, car sat for several months and now won't start.  the engine cranks but won't catch so we have been replacing parts and hoping it starts working.  We have replace the plugs, wires, distributer cap and the coil, still nothing.  Weird thing is that it hasn't started, just a bunch of cranking, and the #3 plug, which is new, is black with soot while the other 3 still look new.  about to get a fuel and compression tester, any other suggestions as to what we need to check next?  oh, and we did put in some fresh fuel just in case.  Any suggestions appreciated, thanks (not sure if it matters but it is a 92 capri with a 93 engine as we cracked the block early on after the water pump/alternator belt broke)

[EShepherd]

ok, car sat for several months and now won't start.  the engine cranks but won't catch so we have been replacing parts and hoping it starts working.  We have replace the plugs, wires, distributer cap and the coil, still nothing.  Weird thing is that it hasn't started, just a bunch of cranking, and the #3 plug, which is new, is black with soot while the other 3 still look new.  about to get a fuel and compression tester, any other suggestions as to what we need to check next?  oh, and we did put in some fresh fuel just in case.  Any suggestions appreciated, thanks (not sure if it matters but it is a 92 capri with a 93 engine as we cracked the block early on after the water pump/alternator belt broke)

Assuming the car ran when it was parked (all of the wiring is correct), you need to check fuel, spark, and air.

Jumper the fuel pump test connector and the pull the fuel line coming from the filter on the bulk head. Turn the key on, and make sure you get fuel flowing from the line.

Remove one of the spark plugs, but leave it attached to it's ignition wire. Lay it somewhere so that the electrode is very near some bare metal, then crank the engine. You should see the arc clearly jumping from the plug to the steel.

For air, make sure everything from the VAF to the throttle body is secure. If you have a smoke tester, use that. If not, there are tools you can make or buy to fill your intake with air, at which point you can use your ears or soap & water to find leaks.

[jweddy]

thanks working our way through that, seems to have have fuel and spark.  discovered that the timing belt cover has been eaten up by the crankshaft pully and the timing belt is half eaten.  So we need to get a timing belt cover as well as it probably shouldn't have holes in it. I have heard that parts for a 1988 Mazda 323 will work on the capri, I can find a lower timing belt cover for one of them, do you think that would work?  Thanks for any guidance or advice.

Also, trying to remove timing belt, service manual says to remove baffle plate but the service manual shows the baffle plate coming out without removing the big bolt that goes into the crankshaft, but mine is behind the big bolt, and the timing belt won't come out without removing the baffle and the baffle won't come out without removing the big bolt.  not sure what to do (have a picture but don't see any way to include it)

[EShepherd]

thanks working our way through that, seems to have have fuel and spark.  discovered that the timing belt cover has been eaten up by the crankshaft pully and the timing belt is half eaten.  So we need to get a timing belt cover as well as it probably shouldn't have holes in it. I have heard that parts for a 1988 Mazda 323 will work on the capri, I can find a lower timing belt cover for one of them, do you think that would work?  Thanks for any guidance or advice.

Also, trying to remove timing belt, service manual says to remove baffle plate but the service manual shows the baffle plate coming out without removing the big bolt that goes into the crankshaft, but mine is behind the big bolt, and the timing belt won't come out without removing the baffle and the baffle won't come out without removing the big bolt.  not sure what to do (have a picture but don't see any way to include it)

Alright, so that plastic timing cover isn't super important. I wouldn't worry too much about it if I were you. Nearly every Capri I've ever seen has the upper cover warped to the point where you can stick a finger right on in and poke the timing belt. I didn't even bother putting that top-most cover back on my car. Just think of it like a dust shield, because that's essentially all it does.

As far as the timing belt job goes: there is both a baffle plate & the large bolt that hold the crank pulley to the crank, and they both are gonna need to come off. I can't remember the order of operations from memory, but I'm pretty sure there are 4x 10mm bolts that hold the baffle plate to the crank pulley on the outside. Remove those, then remove the baffle plate, then remove the big crank pulley bolt. It's indexed to the crankshaft with a woodruff key (metal half moon thing that goes into a groove on the nose of the crankshaft - DO NOT LOSE IT). With the bolt & plate off, you can then walk the pulley itself off the crank. Then you can toss the bolt back in there so you have something to spin the engine over with.

[JJCapri]

timing belt covers are kind of important...
different car, but same deal exposed timing belt. i lived in the country many dirt roads, sometimes they'd dump tar/oil on it as a 'poor mans blacktop' type road...

after they had done that, one of the tiny rocks flipped up and stuck to the timing belt. several rotations later and a hundred miles from home that sucker snapped due to the stress/hole that rock eventually wore its way through.... ymmv