I bet you had a timing chain tensioner let go. Just to be clear, when i say spinning over fast, it turns over like way faster than it ever did when it would start correctly, right? Because if your chain is the issue, the starter is just spinning the crank only, chain doesnt turn cams so it doesnt make compression and the starter will just spin the motor super fast since theres very little resistance.

 

He must have 😞 don’t know what I’m gonna do without my car. I have had it for 11 years and still get excited to drive it everyday 😢 thanks for the help guys guess I don’t need the Cobalt website anymore. It’s been a lot of help through the years.

 

It doesnt have to be done, man! It can be fixed! If the chains ht problem, pull the head on it make sure you didnt have valves slap a piston, have the head checked, get a timing chain kit and fix her up! She never let you down, dont let her down!

 

pull the valve cover and see what the timing chain looks like. it's quick and easy.

 

I guess is was super low on oil some how

 

I’m a girl guys I can’t do stuff like that and I know he won’t look at it anymore. He said sorry it’s junk and is threatening to have the junk yard come get it from his house! I’m beside myself right now I’m so upset

 

sounds like your bro in law is either an a-hole or jerking your chain. it takes 5 minutes to remove the valve cover, less if you have a power wrench

 

This. If you were closer id happily help you out, but Michigan is a long haul up 55 from me

 

i would still think fuel related. if it "just died" and it was oil-related, you would have seen the oil light and it would have been more violent. oil starvation would cause the crank to seize (freeze) and there would be no engine turning when you try to start the car. a timing chain snap my be less violent but very sudden and would explain "no compression." your bro in law owes you more explanation.

 

^ not necessarily. Colodudes car just "shut off" at the track and his engine seized. It made no noticeable noise or anything like that.

 

interesting. i've never had it happen. but it still wouldn't crank.

 

we couldn't turn the crank with a breaker bar. and there was lots of glitter in the oil .

 

Is it ok if I add you guys as friends for when I do get it home. My Dad lives with me he can check the things you guys want me to check. He’s a Diesel engine mechanic so he don’t know much about my little car but he knows a little.

 

is that a thing? just have your dad ask your bro in law why he thinks it's scrap, then he can figure out what the deal is.

 

Ok thank you

 

Ya your Dad sounds fully qualified to work on it.

If you have people that can help you out it might make sense to rebuild it. A shop will cost a ton.

The car does have high mileage and won't be worth a bunch even after a rebuild so dropping it might be your best option.

But payments suck too.

Goodluck.

 

having just rebuilt an LSJ. even if yours was in pristine condition I wouldn't rebuild it. Assuming the engine is actually toast.

but you have some sentimental value to it so it would seem.

 

Ya any big project on these cars is a labor of love. Don't hold value anymore. But if you like the car it's worth it. I wouldn't have gotten rid of my lsj if I didn't get a good deal on a turbo sedan. Then the new owner blew it up and I was so sad about that. Built it myself from the ground up and put 120k on it in 4 years. It was my baby.

 

yeah its just not worth rebuilding these unless its an LNF honestly.

 

It also depends on what's wrong. No one really knows that yet.

 

But you didn't listen when someone said just drop a long block in it it was fun to rebuild but certainly more expensive than dropping a new or used long block.

If the engine seized it wouldn't turn over or sound like it's starting.

 

What do you guys think about it being the camshaft position sensor or crankshaft position sensor? I just can’t give up yet.

 

you'd likely have a code for those.

 

I don’t have a code reader to check that but I think I can borrow one.

 

Do you have a check engine light on?