Misaligned auxiliary shaft?

[ammonite]

Hey gang, it's been a few years since I was on. I have a 1978 that stopped working in a great cacophony a few years ago. Towed home and I seem to remember that it was a misaligned auxiliary shaft. Just found the time to get around to my little honey and can see that the distributor rotor doesn't turn. I did a quick search but couldn't find a thread covering the topic. Any tips (or maybe complete how-to's) out there?

[So Cal Mark]

sounds like a timing belt issue

[klweimer]

When you say the distributor doesn't turn, do you mean when you crank the engine over, the distributor doesn't rotate? Is the distributor on the exhaust side of the head, or down on the block?
Kirk

[ammonite]

Yes sir, distributor is on head and when engine cranks distributor rotor does not turn. When you pull the distributor out the crankshaft appears not to be turning either.

[klweimer]

I assume the timing belt is still on the sprocket on the front of the head and it is turning around when cranking the engine? If so, you likely have a broken exhaust cam shaft. Pretty unusual. Can you see the timing belt? Or is it covered by the belt guards?

[ammonite]

Covered by belt guards. Should I take them off?

[blazingspider]

Absolutely, you need to take the timing belt cover off to see what's going on. Check to make sure the teeth on the belt aren't worn down and that the belt is routed properly and tensioned. Check the tensioner spring and make sure that it isn't broken.

The camshaft and crankshaft sprockets should be checked for wear. If your 78 has those phenolic (plastic) cam sprockets the centers could have separated from the rest of the sprocket. I have also seen a crankshaft sprocket's teeth so worn down that when the engine was turned over it spun but the sprocket did not engage the belt. If that's the case then be prepared for internal damage.

I would also remove the spark plugs and use the crank nut turn the engine over by hand until you figure out what the problem is to prevent any further damage. You're probably going to have to pull the head eventually from the sound of it.