engine locked up

mick1961 · 23rd January 2010, 11:21

hi all my problem is just before christmas my wife came home from work ,the car had developed a loud knocking from around the crank pully side. i decided to have a look as i read in the forum that it could be a worn crank pully decided to turn the pully back and forth by hand but could not see anything obvious.i then tried to start the engine at first it started then just died this happend a couple of times ,the engine then just made a clicking noise and the head lights started flashing as if the engine had locked up .had it towed to a local garage the mechanic thought i could have damaged the timing chain or the tensioners ,he striped the head of removed ancillery belt ,removed timing covers he then tried to turn the crank with a spanner bearing in mind there is nothing but the gearbox stopping it from rotating it still locked up in a certain possition.he has now come back and said he thinks its a crank problem ,he also said it may not be worth investigating any further and to cut my loses. im gutted only had the car six months any ideas would be realy appreciated.ps i just wonder if it could be a auto gearbox problem thanks.

dustybin · 23rd January 2010, 11:38

has he removed the head or just striped covers off etc, if it was the box you would not of been able to tow it or even move it,the only other option is to remove the sump which is not a big job really..diesel engines are a lot harder to move than petrol engines due to compression, but guessing is not really possible..

stocktake · 23rd January 2010, 11:52

Not much help to you now Mick but headlights flashing and a click is a classic sign of a flat battery. Car is designed to give this warning.

mick1961 · 23rd January 2010, 11:54

yes the head as been removed ,if the box is in park would this stop the engine from being rotated.

stocktake · 23rd January 2010, 11:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by mick1961

yes the head as been removed ,if the box is in park would this stop the engine from being rotated.

Yup, park would stop the engine rotating is my understanding of the set up

mick1961 · 23rd January 2010, 12:14

cant see the mechanic making this mistake.must be a big job to change the engine he quoted £900 and 2 weeks to do the job is this a reasonable price and time span.

Dragrad · 23rd January 2010, 12:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by mick1961

cant see the mechanic making this mistake.must be a big job to change the engine he quoted £900 and 2 weeks to do the job is this a reasonable price and time span.

Speaking from experience the price is reasonable, the time is not. Three days maybe a week, but not 2 weeks. Unless of course he's squeezing the job into an already full work-load

Phil · 23rd January 2010, 12:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by stocktake

Yup, park would stop the engine rotating is my understanding of the set up

Being in park won't stop the engine rotating, if it did, putting it in park would cause the engine to cut out whenever you did.

Is that £900 all inclusive of parts and labour? Surely not. Incidentally, we have a car in our workshop, the bill comes to over £12000, The guy ran it out of oil and wrecked the crankshaft. I have heard of owners going through their insurance for expensive repairs although I can't see how they can.

DerekS · 23rd January 2010, 12:58

So.. how was it towed to the garage ?? front wheels off the ground ? Difficult to move at all if the whole thing is seized up .

mick1961 · 23rd January 2010, 13:46

sorry it was taken on the back of a break down truck ,£900 is for labour only .i wonder if it would be more economical to have the crank out and re-ground and new bearings plus all new gasketts,can the crank be removed with the engine in the car.

23rd January 2010, 11:21	#1
mick1961 Newbie rover 75 conn se cdt auto saloon Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: sheffield Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	engine locked up hi all my problem is just before christmas my wife came home from work ,the car had developed a loud knocking from around the crank pully side. i decided to have a look as i read in the forum that it could be a worn crank pully decided to turn the pully back and forth by hand but could not see anything obvious.i then tried to start the engine at first it started then just died this happend a couple of times ,the engine then just made a clicking noise and the head lights started flashing as if the engine had locked up .had it towed to a local garage the mechanic thought i could have damaged the timing chain or the tensioners ,he striped the head of removed ancillery belt ,removed timing covers he then tried to turn the crank with a spanner bearing in mind there is nothing but the gearbox stopping it from rotating it still locked up in a certain possition.he has now come back and said he thinks its a crank problem ,he also said it may not be worth investigating any further and to cut my loses. im gutted only had the car six months any ideas would be realy appreciated.ps i just wonder if it could be a auto gearbox problem thanks. Last edited by mick1961; 23rd January 2010 at 11:38..

23rd January 2010, 11:52	#3
stocktake Vis Whiz Rover 75 2.5 auto Saloon Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: LEEDS Posts: 20,591 Thanks: 2,057 Thanked 3,056 Times in 1,621 Posts	Not much help to you now Mick but headlights flashing and a click is a classic sign of a flat battery. Car is designed to give this warning. __________________ Dave... Lost a few stones and a Gall Bladder and part of a bile duct and all of my dignity in the suppository incident

23rd January 2010, 11:38	#2
dustybin Avid contributor MG ZT Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Northamptshire Posts: 200 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	has he removed the head or just striped covers off etc, if it was the box you would not of been able to tow it or even move it,the only other option is to remove the sump which is not a big job really..diesel engines are a lot harder to move than petrol engines due to compression, but guessing is not really possible..

23rd January 2010, 11:54	#4
mick1961 Newbie rover 75 conn se cdt auto saloon Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: sheffield Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	yes the head as been removed ,if the box is in park would this stop the engine from being rotated.

23rd January 2010, 12:14	#6
mick1961 Newbie rover 75 conn se cdt auto saloon Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: sheffield Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	cant see the mechanic making this mistake.must be a big job to change the engine he quoted £900 and 2 weeks to do the job is this a reasonable price and time span.

23rd January 2010, 12:58	#9
DerekS Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Malpas Posts: 1,526 Thanks: 34 Thanked 118 Times in 89 Posts	So.. how was it towed to the garage ?? front wheels off the ground ? Difficult to move at all if the whole thing is seized up .

23rd January 2010, 13:46	#10
mick1961 Newbie rover 75 conn se cdt auto saloon Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: sheffield Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	sorry it was taken on the back of a break down truck ,£900 is for labour only .i wonder if it would be more economical to have the crank out and re-ground and new bearings plus all new gasketts,can the crank be removed with the engine in the car.