Hi guys. So I'm looking to purchase a ej22 that came out of a car that was in a 25mph rear ender where the truck bumper went in far enough to break the cam pulley completely. I'm having a hard time finding a good engine here in Colorado so when I saw this for 300 bux and only 112k miles on it I thought this would be a good deal. Do you think the impact could have hurt the cam itself? Its a 97 ej22 so it is a interference engine but the timing is still on or at least that's how it would seem.

Edited January 15, 201610 yr by gravitate

Lots of things it could have done. Might not have hurt the cam but it could have crushed the thrust bearing journal or scored the other three bearing journals in the head. Only way to find out is pull the cam out. Takes maybe 15 minutes to get it apart and check.

I'd be leery if it was running when it was hit. More likely to need a valve job than to incur damage from that camp pulley breaking. it's certainly worth the cost of a good block though which gives you some room to negotiate since the rest is unknown. $300 is still a decent price for a short block. Offer less and maybe get a deal. If the valves are toast, heads on these SOHCs are so simple. Pull 6 head bolts and remove the head. Don't even have to take the valve covers off. Clean them up sanded smooth. Resurface them if desired, but with these first gen gaskets, it's really optional. they are very forgiving. $50. job for new head gaskets. Follow the torque sequence to tighten head bolts and done. Once the motor was out, the whole process took about 2 hours the first time I did it. Most of that was spent sanding and cleaning the block and head surfaces.

 

I have a set of single port EJ22 heads that I'm selling cheap to clear out the garage. If you end up needing a set, let me know. Would be around $150 shipped to the lower 48

It was running when wrecked. I wonder if a compression check would be good enough to figure it out for sure. I have another couple heads from my old motor I could throw on. Do you guys bother with getting new head bolts like the manual says or just use the old ones

Just use the old ones. There's never been an issue. Dip the bottom of the threads in used motor oil and reinstall. With the motor out of the car, swapping heads on a phase 1 EJ22 is as easy as brake pads, but with a little more muscle applied.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here, but...

The inner timing cover behind the pulley isn't damaged and the bolt area looks totally intact (not even any scratches), so I'm thinking that you're good to go with that head after you swap out the pulley. 

 

Of you grab the bolt area and try to move it front/rear, does it move at all?

 

Emily

It had enough force to break that pulley clean and the plate that the tensioner pulley, tensioner, and idler pulley bolt up to was also cracked and that caused the tensioner pulley to push over and back into the crank cog causing the timing tab to break off. It didnt look good at all. But I threw another cam pulley on and put the belt back on, hooked up a big rump roast drill to the crank bolt and did a compression check and all 4 cylinders jumped up to 175 to 180 right away. I had an extra plate I put on it so it looks like I got a screaming deal. Engine and 5 speed with 112k on it and a full exhaust system, which I needed badly, all for $450. I'm stoked

Good stuff! Glad the valves survived.

Those pulleys are strong but sensitive.  If one gets accidentally dropped on the floor while cleaning in our shop, we won't reuse them. 

 

Glad you got lucky!

 

Emily