[xxmrman1991]

I have a 1990 300zx NA 2+2. The engine sounds as if it were cranking but the cam shafts do not rotate!??! The car was bought as a project from a guy who gave up half way through an engine swap...good times. Anyway I am really hoping that it is something simple and not a improperly connected trans.

 

[xxmrman1991]

That's the strange thing, the timing belt checks out Tip Top.

 

[xxmrman1991]

ok this is very strange. I removed the air intake boots from both sides of the engine as well as the hoses that go along with them and now the cams are rotating, there is spark, and the car started. Go figure. If anyone knows why in the world this might have happened please let me know.

 

[xxmrman1991]

I had a friend tap the starter a few times while I watched the cam pulley.

 

[xxmrman1991]

Oh well, the good thing here is that it does run. I don't have the foggiest notion about what happened here but I shake my head and laugh confused and satisfied. Thank You.

 

[xxmrman1991]

you can get them off with small hands and a lot less work than that.

 

[xxmrman1991]

I had the distributor off and was watching a white TDC mark on the right hand side cam. It appeared to not be moving at all. I MUST have been mistaken. I would like to think that I know motors in general pretty well. I am aware that there is a mechanical connection between mostly everything including the crank and cam shafts. There is no way that without the timing belt being stripped out at the main crank gear that the cam would not turn.

I have no idea what happened here, but I guess that's what I get for working on the car for 20+ hours at a time.

The good news is that today I threw some Premium fuel in it and fired it up for a few seconds. It ran quite smooth too.

 

[xxmrman1991]

ah yes the elusive 10mil. It is very possible that it could have been a glare. I was having someone hit the starter while I observed.