hey, im just wondering what would be my best option.
i was driving my ef xr6, all was good, then i went to take off from the lights and the engine started to sound like a tractor and the whole car was shaking, it soundwed like something was loose in the top of the engine, i had to get it towed home as the car wouldnt really start or when it started it still sounded like a tractor, once i got it home i pulled the rocker cover off to have a look and part of the timing chain guide has snapped off, i poked a metal rod down there gently to push the broken piece out of the way down to the sump but the car still wont start now, so im not sure if the timing chain guide is the only problem.
now im trying to decide what to do, either, take it to the mechanics and get them to have a go at fixing it or replace the whole engine?
my car is a 95 ef xr6 with about 230000 kms

you may have some bent valves....do a comp test

if u can then taking off the timing cover would be your next step....u will need to drop the front of the sump, taking the head off would be good too while your at it but not entirely necessary....

how exactly would i test for bent valves? im not really that mechanically minded

compression tester....buy one from supa cheap, very useful tool....u need to remove the spark plugs first...

whats should the compression be for each cyl?
if its not bent valves what else could it possibly be, because i dont think the broken timing chain guide is much of a problem as ive herd of other peoples cars being fine after a bit has broken off.

good would be 150 - 200 psi

a bent valve will show virually no comp at all...maybe 10psi if your lucky

The reason the valves may be bent is that if the guide broke, then the chain may have jumped a number of teeth making the timing all wrong, and the valves could have hit the pistons.

If you are not prepared or able to have a go at repairing/diagnosing it yourself, take it to a mechanic to identify what damage has been done.

If bad, then you can weigh up the costs of having it repaired, or finding a replacement engine. Remember that you have the Tickford head on your engine, but the bottom end will be the same. You could source a low kay EF Gli engine, install it in your car so it is driveable, and then get your Tickford head reconditioned and put it on the engine when you have the time and money.

Good Luck
BenJ

well i got no compression in any cylinders, i rang a few places about how much it will cost and they a few said that im better off to get a new engine, so now my next question is are the ef and el engines a sttraight swap?

i got an ef xr6 engine here....send me a pm if interested...