HELP! My engines coming apart over a oil pan cleaning...

[Uglybob]

From the front of the engine. Here's some background:



My power steering rack crapped out. Removed belt until I can get a new one, which is how I bought the car. Assuming this is why he ran with no belt. This is not the issue! The issue is after pulling the belt I went to start it up. SCREECHING noise is coming from the front end of the engine. REALLY loud screeching . Like metal scraping on metal. I didn't touch ANYTHING besides the bracket to remove the power steering belt. Besides that, I took a tooth brush and some water/dawn dish soap to my oil pan to clean off some misc. gunk.



This is disconcerting to say the least. ANY HELP is appreciated. I have no idea what this could be or how it could have happend. When I cleaned off the oil pan (lower) could I have bumped the cam position sensor or something? (The little sensor next to a sprocket type gear. I'm guessing it's the CPS?)



Boner.

[DesktopDave]

That'd be the crank position sensor.  Very important part there, the car won't run if that isn't working.  I don't think bumping it would bend it into the crank wheel.  That sensor should be VERY close to the toothed wheel, that's normal.

Screeching noise...how are the rest of the belts?  Pulleys OK?  Any unusual oil leaks (I know, dumb questions).  I can't think of anything that'd screech like that from pulling a belt.  I pulled mine for the same reason, no odd noises at all.

Cam pos sensor is in the front of the head, top front of the engine.

[nickmpower]

did you add more PS fluid?

[Uglybob]

The rack is leaking like that one in Holland that the boy saved... except worse.

I actually fixed it. In my brilliant mind I thought it would be handy to leave the PS pump closer to the acc. pulleys so I could just throw the PS belt back on and tighten it down once I swaped the PS rack out. Well it turns out that the alternator fins where juuuuust barely catching the top edge.

Thank you everyone for the quick responses and concern. All is well when you figure out that it's not your engine coming apart, just stupidity

[///M3Mike]

Besides that, I took a tooth brush and some water/dawn dish soap to my oil pan to clean off some misc. gunk.

Never clean off misc. gunk, either.  Sometimes that's all that's holding the engine together