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Hi all. Please help!

Wife called me 2 hours ago - car cut out as she was parking at ASDA. Says engine 'seized'. Long story short - I go there and find that its not the battery - and the engine does actually turn over, but doesnt start.

Thing is - I cant see if a cambelt has snapped due to the cover on it but something just sounds wrong when it turns over - almost as if something has gone wrong in the engine.

The car has been running ok - even with its boost issues - not sure if these are related but the car is now stranded and wife is now without car.

I know theres not much to work from - is there anything that I can try to check - within the confines of Asda's parking? Id love to try and push start the car to see if the engine takes - but no go due to the ice, snow etc.

So, engine turns over, sounds aweful however, no knocking, just as if lots of stuff is 'grinding' and doesnt start. Its sounds almost as if there is no compression - Ill try and take a plug out later if I can get back and see - hence why I suspect cam belt perhaps. I cant hear any knocking or anything like that however - perhaps valves may already be bent but not sure - on 8V cars - possible?

Where abouts in the country are you ?, i'm bored and if your nearby i will come and have a look !!, you might want to put your location in your profile

Hi, In Widnes, Chesire. Think the chances of you being close are remote but heres to wishful thinking ... thanks for any help in advance.

Your 199.15 miles away !, thats a bit further than i want to travel today really !

Can you do a video with sound of the car attempting to start and post it to youtube then put a link on here ?, you might get lots of suggestions then, but from what you say, it does sound like cambelt has gone

Was thinking of doing that - had my phone with me but that said - had limited time available. Hindsight - I should have done that - may go back later or tomorrow morning to try again. Car's alarm also kept going off etc - not useful.

Assuming the belt's gone - being an 8V engine (and lower compression due to it being turbo) - is there likely to be damage to the head?

I'm a diesel and electronics person myself, dont know much about petrols and compression ratios and clearance, but i would expect it to be an interference engine with will mean valve damage (bent stems usually), not particually difficult to fix, head off, new valves for the ones that bent, grind in, new gasket, possibly check skim of the head and bolt back on and your done, you can do it in a day if you dont need the skim done for less than £100 all in

TopDonkey wrote:I'm a diesel and electronics person myself, dont know much about petrols and compression ratios and clearance, but i would expect it to be an interference engine with will mean valve damage (bent stems usually), not particually difficult to fix, head off, new valves for the ones that bent, grind in, new gasket, possibly check skim of the head and bolt back on and your done, you can do it in a day if you dont need the skim done for less than £100 all in

Thanks. Any idea on where I could take it for a check / skim if needed? Is there a 'group' that I can go to? What about buying the bits - suggest a vendor please.

Thanks

I buy complete top end gasket sets for about £35 when i do head gaskets from ebay usually, you can check the head for warping yourself with a straight metal edge (long ruler etc..), but i use a local machine shop near me, details below, they do a check skim for £25-30 and can supply a matching correctly notched head gasket for about another £20 (usually payen) M & J Engine Services 8 Westbury Leigh, Westbury BA13 3SG 01373 823524‎

I'm not sure if they do mail order though as i just drop in as they are only 2 miles away from me, might be best to find a local one really so you can drop it off and collect it

TopDonkey wrote:I buy complete top end gasket sets for about £35 when i do head gaskets from ebay usually, you can check the head for warping yourself with a straight metal edge (long ruler etc..), but i use a local machine shop near me, details below, they do a check skim for £25-30 and can supply a matching correctly notched head gasket for about another £20 (usually payen) M & J Engine Services 8 Westbury Leigh, Westbury BA13 3SG 01373 823524‎

I'm not sure if they do mail order though as i just drop in as they are only 2 miles away from me, might be best to find a local one really so you can drop it off and collect it

Sorry - what is a 'notched' headgasket - needed due to a skim or as a normal replacement item?

Head gasket thicknesses are indicated by the number of notches on the side of the gasket, if your not sure what thickness you need, take your old headgasket with you when you remove the head and ask the machine shop to supply the correct one, it depends on how much they take off the head when they skim it as to what gasket thickness you need

Ok, many thanks for your help. I may try and recover the car tomorrow - not sure yet.

Im away on Sunday for a week to Milan for training - at least the wife can use my 407 till then and hopefully I can get time / decent weather to look at hers.

Best of luck with it Chaz
Just a thought, was there antifreeze in the coolant? The water pump might be seizing...

teamster1975 wrote:Best of luck with it Chaz
Just a thought, was there antifreeze in the coolant? The water pump might be seizing...

No idea mate - need to check - wondering if it will run after a night in Asdas carpark ?

Chaz wrote:

teamster1975 wrote:Best of luck with it Chaz
Just a thought, was there antifreeze in the coolant? The water pump might be seizing...

No idea mate - need to check - wondering if it will run after a night in Asdas carpark ?

I wouldn't risk it until you know what's going on
If something is sticking it could cause the cambelt to jump or snap & then you're shagged!

teamster1975 wrote:

Chaz wrote:

teamster1975 wrote:Best of luck with it Chaz
Just a thought, was there antifreeze in the coolant? The water pump might be seizing...

No idea mate - need to check - wondering if it will run after a night in Asdas carpark ?

I wouldn't risk it until you know what's going on
If something is sticking it could cause the cambelt to jump or snap & then you're shagged!

Any suggestions on what I can check before turning the engine over again? That said - we tried a few times - probably screwed already.

Take plug out - will I see valves moving? Perhaps easier to move the cambelt cover off to see - seems no physical place to see the cambelt when the cover is on?