I have a standard 1.8 engine which was running fine and I parked it up at home and switched off normally. The next day I tried to start it and there was a clunk as the solenoid kicked in and the lights on the dashboard dimmed
I checked and the battery voltage was dropping to 7 volts directly across the terminals and as I knew it had been allowed to go completely flat before I bought the car I ordered a new one and fitted it, this did the same but the voltage only dropped to 8 volts
I then checked and found some fur in the header tank coolant and the oil level had risen a bit so I diagnosed head gasket and presumed that the engine had leaked into a cylinder and was hydrauliced over night
I have started stripping it down and drained the oil (about half a litre of coolant came out first), drained the coolant with an amount of fur/slime and removed the plugs. Peering down the plugholes the pistons appear dry and ok
Having got the cambelt cover off I thought I would get the engine to the timing position before going further but.....
I cannot turn the engine either forwards or backwards
I am assuming that the starter has jammed in but am struggling to get the bottom bolt out at the moment is there anything else worth considering
I would certainly continue taking the starter motor out, if it is not a hydraulic lock which you have proved it not to be, I would suspect the starter/pinion next.
The gasket issue may be coincidence, but I am sure the more experienced K folk here will keep you right!
I had a temporary hydraulic lock caused by a cracked liner.
Dont assume just bcause you have no water in the bores, that it has never been in there - perhaps it drained past the rings or got pushed up and out past the valves.
I found mine on start up the following morning when it eventually fired up and sounded like a traction engine.
The force created by the 'lock' caused a bent con-rod - happy days...
Persevere with the starter bottom bolt.
At first I thought it was impossible but after reaching in from different angles I found I could get it undone.
I think I put a spanner on the nut and a socket on the bolt. You have to move things around and maybe take out the
purge canister for more room.
You will need that removed anyway if you are going to do any engine work as you will need to lock the flywheel somehow. There are locking tools available of course, but I found a random wedge of Stainless Steel jammed in there did the job nicely for me.
starter is out and still the engine is locked
put the wheel back on and tried rocking in gear but still locked
took the wheel back off and carried on as I have decided to take the head off and time everything before putting it back together, not that I have much choice!
I now have the manifolds off, what sadist designed the access to the bottom bolts on the inlet manifold?????? this is my first k series engine and it might have been nicer to have had some access around it
I have ordered one of the proper locking brackets as I am working by myself and can't be bothered to make an engine lock. that arrives friday so another installment then
my current guess is one of the liners has dropped and come into contact with a conrod, any other theories anyone as I really don't like mine at all
I agree with IanC, I believe the liners are shouldered about half way down and hence can't drop significantly. If they drop at all it's only a few thou due to either original manufacturing tolerances or some defect which allows them to hammer the shoulder they sit on every revolution - but they can't move far I wouldn't think.
I wonder if you have broken a piston ring or have cracked a piston land?
I think this is the case, but from what you say I gather the engine is completely frozen with no movement at all rotationally in either direction, no play at all?
If so, it is so odd that the engine was running fine last time it was out.
It must be a mechanical jam of some sort, like your idea of the liner, but that doesn't appear to be possible.
I am not familiar with the K, so I am intrigued to hear what the problem turns out to be but can't be of much use myself.
Broken and jammed oil pump quill shaft?.....says he clutching at straws! I have no idea how the oil pump is driven on these engines, just a mad guess.
"I gather the engine is completely frozen with no movement at all rotationally in either direction, no play at all?"
Correct, no play at all. I was tempted to use a gun and get the crankshaft bolt off but not knowing what is holding it tight I feel better waiting until the flywheel lock plate arrives before I carry on and take the head off
Pretty much decided the liner theory is a bust as even if it had happened I think there would be play.
I should know for sure sometime over the weekend
If I need to do it, is it possible to split the engine and gearbox without dropping the subframe? bearing in mind the head and lots of other bits will already be off
progress but crank still locked, no movement whatsoever not even a little rock
head off, all looks ok, no sign of valve/piston contact. on the two cylinders that the pistons are down on there is no sign of damage. It is possible that cylinder liner 4 may be flush
took the sump off and no broken metal in there. had a look up round/through the oil frame and it as far as I can see it looks ok
What is the best thing to try next
1. undo the big ends from underneath and remove the pistons one by one?
2. drop the subframe, engine and gearbox out and then separate them?
Alternative suggestions welcome as neither of these sounds particularly attractive to me
I suppose undoing each big end in turn will reveal if you have a seized piston and it is not a difficult job, as such. Why a piston should seize is another issue.
If it still is locked solid after that, it really is a mystery after all you say you have already checked.
Yes, starter out, head off, sump off so I can see the bottom of the flywheel which is all clear
really thought it would be going round by now
thank you for all the help and suggestions so far. I won't be updating this thread for a week or two as I need to get on with something else but I will get to the bottom of this and post back what caused it
I had this problem with my daughters TF a few years backs. The car ran perfectly into the drive and would not start next morning. Thought it was a flat battery. Tried jump starting it and then tow starts when we realised that as soon as the clutch was released the rear wheels were locked. Took the plugs out dry in the bores. Drained the oil and got a couple of litres of orange coolant out first. In the end the cost of repair exceeded the value of the car. Concluded that somehow on start up the in the morning the cam belt broke or jumped teeth. Car was sent to MGTF bits to be dismantled/scrapped.
I had this problem with my daughters TF a few years backs. The car ran perfectly into the drive and would not start next morning. Thought it was a flat battery. Tried jump starting it and then tow starts when we realised that as soon as the clutch was released the rear wheels were locked. Took the plugs out dry in the bores. Drained the oil and got a couple of litres of orange coolant out first. In the end the cost of repair exceeded the value of the car. Concluded that somehow on start up the in the morning the cam belt broke or jumped teeth. Car was sent to MGTF bits to be dismantled/scrapped.
That would cause a lock up certainly, if the valves contacted the pistons due to a belt failure, but the strange thing in this case is that Mike has got the head off and reports no valve/piston contact, or anything else that he can see that would cause a lock up, apparently.
It is an odd one, and I am intrigued to hear what the problem is down to, once he manages to find the cause.
had another look at the subframe and concluded that it will be best to drop the frame and then i can give it a clean and paint and also properly separate the engine from the gearbox
be nice to do it this weekend but so many things already lined up to do
Having realised you have to depressurise the hydragas in order to drop the rear subframe I have spent the last week trying to work out an another way of doing this job but cannot see any alternative
I could only get one bolt per big end out and still couldn't turn the engine, three of the exhaust shield bolts are too corroded to get out so I am guessing subframe bolts will shear as well
I am at that decision point as to whether to continue or to break it but a big part of me wants to know what the heck has gone wrong
any suggestions for somebody that will visit and do a home vacuum and refill of the hydragas system in the bedfordshire/hertfordshire area as the pumps for do it yourself look expensive and a cheaper alternative would motivate me to continue
any suggestions for somebody that will visit and do a home vacuum and refill of the hydragas system in the bedfordshire/hertfordshire area as the pumps for do it yourself look expensive and a cheaper alternative would motivate me to continue
I have a (tatty, but working) liquid levers pump you could borrow, but I have my hands full at the moment trying to sort out the stuff for the MOT, so can't bring it over at the moment.
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