EXPERTS PLEASE HELP .. 1990 B2 2.9 This is a desperation case.

[SenorNoob]

Just guessing here, but if the previously mentioned nub on that sprocket wasn't lined up and the crank pulley was torqued... That'd do it, right?

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Just guessing here, but if the previously mentioned nub on that sprocket wasn't lined up and the crank pulley was torqued... That'd do it, right?

Probably.

@MajorKlozeoff looks like you found your issue.

 

[Uncle Gump]

So... I think this should be root caused before putting it back together. Because it's odd (I've never seen anything like this... but I'm not a 2.9L expert).

So if the crank gear looks like this...

... and that key fits into a keyway in the crank... between the time the balancer was removed and timing cover resealed... that gear key slid out of keyway and "jumped" time. Then the balancer got retorqued. When the engine was then cranked... the gear broke (which the OP noted a bad sound during initial attempt to start). Now the crank gear spins on the crank and doesn't turn the cam or distributor.

Seems plausible.

I would ensure the cam rotates smoothly on its own... and distributor turns when the cam is turned. Also... fish out the broken pieces of crank gear from the pan. A flexible magnet should get to it.

I also would ensure first that when the crank is rotated with the broken gear and chain still in place... the cam sits stationary. That would prove the above theory.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

So... I think this should be root caused before putting it back together. Because it's odd (I've never seen anything like this... but I'm not a 2.9L expert).

So if the crank gear looks like this...

View attachment 125036

... and that key fits into a keyway in the crank... between the time the balancer was removed and timing cover resealed... that gear key slid out of keyway and "jumped" time. Then the balancer got retorqued. When the engine was then cranked... the gear broke (which the OP noted a bad sound during initial attempt to start). Now the crank gear spins on the crank and doesn't turn the cam or distributor.

Seems plausible.

I would ensure the cam rotates smoothly on its own... and distributor turns when the cam is turned. Also... fish out the broken pieces of crank gear from the pan. A flexible magnet should get to it.

I also would ensure first that when the crank is rotated with the broken gear and chain still in place... the cam sits stationary. That would prove the above theory.

Ive never seen/heard it happen on a 2.9.

i do remember it happening years ago to my neighbors 302 he had in a 79 or 80 LTD. We blamed poor gear manufacturing (it had jumped time originally) and the gear didnt go on the shaft quite square which put weird torque on it...but that one actually busted/cracked in half.

@MajorKlozeoff if you get it back togther and the compression is still low you might be looking at pulling heads to make sure and/or fix bent valves. Im pretty sure the 2.9 is an interference engine

 

[MajorKlozeoff]

So I wanted to say thank you to all you guys that played part in getting this fucker going again.
Crank pulley did slip and or snapped from wear. Still never pulled that bugger off. But ultimately she's on the road and bout to go to a new home.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME

 

[kunar]

What do i win?

For real though, i'm glad you figured it out!

 

[sgtsandman]

What do i win?

For real though, i'm glad you figured it out!