92 Lumina 3.1 timing chain broke

[racerdad]

My son's 1992 Lumina with 3.1L broke a timing chain the other day.

So I took removed the broken chain and old gears and installed a new set.

I "thought" I had the timing marks aligned properly. Cam gear at 6 and crank gear at 12. But as I was getting the crank balancer back on, I noticed that there must be something hitting inside the engine somewhere or something....I can turn the crank only so far and then there is something stopping it dead from turning.

Is this a interference or non-interference motor?

If I did not have the timing marks aligned properly, could that cause the dead stop?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Skeith]

Did you check anything else in the engine for damage?

Couple years ago i bought a 93 lumina with a dead motor for cheap because it was safetied. (3.1L MPFI)

when cranking the engine the rockers would not move, so I figured it was the timing chain. Started with pulling a couple push rods on the front bank, found 3 bent rods. Removal of the timing cover revealed a broken timing chain.

I tried turning the camshaft sprocket by hand but the cam was completely seized.

needless to say i didn't go any farther as there was more than likely also damage to the pistons, valves and lifters.

Engine was pulled and replaced with another 3.1L MPFI from a donor car. Been my daily driver ever since.

Don't want to discourage you, but it sounds very similar to my situation.

Will the crank rotate without the chain on? and if so can you rotate the cam by hand?
Check the rods in the front bank. mine were very visibly bent.

[3400-95-Modified]

This is also an interference motor... if the cam chain broke and you bent a valve and its still in the cylnder then you wont be able to turn it over. Pull the valve covers and pull all the rockers off and find out which valves aren't closing.

The 60* can be timed with the cam at 6 and crank at 12 or the crank at 12 and the cam at 12... just as long as the marks are in a straight line from each other, you cant time it 180* out since it will be right the next rotation. Its not like doing a distributor 180* wrong.