HONESTLY do a oil change and see what happens! The cat shutting off may in no way be related...

 

Try the simple stuff first....

 

Let's just put the poor car to sleep... if he went 115k on the timing belt then it probably snapped. And probably due to too much resistance from the cam's not getting oil.

Your car's fucked.

 

I'd be inclined to agree with this gentleman. Aside from the oil pickup/pump, the timing belt (and valves, cylinders, cylinder head if it did in fact snap), and sludge problem, the turbo shaft bearings are probably fried. Plus if it was as low on oil as you say it was, no telling how long the top end was starved for oil, the entire top end might be scrap metal anyway.

If you're feeling adventurous then by all means, try and save it. IMHO it's worth whatever you can get for it as scrap.

Also, not to be Debbie Downer, but if you couldn't even manage to change the oil or timing belt at the recommended intervals, what makes you think you're going to be able to tear down the motor and bring it back from the dead? Buy a Honda dude.

 

its a 14 year old car and yes, i am in the screw it attitude. one tends to get bored of a car after so many years. it became more of a red headed step child after a while.

at any rate, the oil has been topped off throughout the year when it would get low, ticking valves would get louder, so topped it off.

the timing belt look intact but due. lets not assume. as i said, it was more of a boost problem before it gave out.

sure, the turbo bearing could have gone but the idea was to replace the turbo and not rebuild it.

if anything, i would assume at the least, sludge. ill check out the valve cover for s&g to see if it resembles the posted pic.

any helpful advice would be appreciated.



thanks.

 

If its a 14 year old red headed step child that you're bored with, why would you spend upwards of $1k to replace the turbo?

I'm serious man just get rid of it and buy a new car with a warranty.

 

other '97 1.8's with about the same mileage in my area sell for about 4k. 1k to repair (if repairable) and then sell.

 

it's not worth it. you'll be spending way more than 1k to repair. i'd part it out or just sell it as is

 

Sorry to say but your car is not comparable to those. Most of those have had at least some sort of maintenance done... I'd be glad to take the shell off ya though.