...I don't want something that has major engine trouble.

Howdy Michael,

Whether or not you should consider buying this car depends a great deal on what you call major engine trouble. Anytime you go into a purchase knowing the engine is making noises it should not, plan for the most expensive possible repair and hope for a minor fix.

I think it is relatively safe to say that cams don't whine. The cam belt and gear interface may whine, but cams do not. If the noise is originating toward the front of the cam, a visual inspection with the belt covers removed should help locate the source. If the whine is coming from the middle or rear of the head, it will not whine much longer as the only source of that kind of noise is a cam bearing; seizure is imminent.

A valve does not stick open unless the valve is bent or the guide is galled. The fact that it starts working after the car warms up is no consolation; the head has to come off the engine for repair.

Do you know how to check engine compression? A sticking valve will show low pressure on the effected cylinder. Since this car runs better when it warms up, do the check while the engine is cold. If one cylinder is significantly lower than the others, the engine does have an internal engine problem. If the compression is even across all four cylinders, the problem is not a sticking valve.

When you pull the spark plugs to do the compression check, inspect them for raw fuel. If one plug is wet with fuel, you've found your "cold skip". If all the plugs are dry and compression is good, you are looking at some other fault that "goes away" when the car warms up. Possible causes are many. The only way to know for sure is to troubleshoot the symptoms.

If I were looking at this car I would plan for a rebuilt head and all the general maintenance and repairs that are easiest to accomplish while the head the is off the car. That gives a maximum cost factor to help you determine whether or not the asking price is reasonable for an old, high mileage wagon making odd noises from the top end.

Whilst I am calculating the possible expense, I would hope that a new cam belt would fix the whine and that the bent valve diagnosis is incorrect -- it may be a leaky injector, etc. So, I would replace the cam belt to see if the whining goes away and troubleshoot the "cold skip" condition more thoroughly before pulling the head.

Do you know what to look for on this car other than the whining and skipping when cold?