Re: 356 timing sprocket damage

Posted by Fish'n Jim On 2022/8/20 12:57:38

Kinda late, but always check and see if you can turn it by hand before firing them up. If no, stop and start partial tear down and inspection. A bore scope is a nifty tool to have for this. But a light and angle mirror will do.
If not a valve train issue grabs one, there can be lower end issues as well.
Things that sit and aren't operating are like that most likely for a reason. Also can suffer from poor storage conditions. The part they don't tell you or don't know. I bought a "rebuilt" for a rebuild shop that sat for 10 years, and it was junk. Needed sleeves and had cracked heads. We did salvage all the new parts for the original motor rebuild. I was trying to save some time, but back fired on me.
I like to push down on the fan belt and see if it'll go like that because it doesn't take much resistance to stop belt tension rotation. Sometimes it's the accessories, gen, A/C, PS, etc. that are faulty if the motor is OK.
Maybe find another car and part this one out might be a better option.