Has my car died...

[Sponge Bob]

On way to work - driving nice and gently... it stalled for no reason - then it has this slight ticking/knocking noise...

Turned around and limped it home, but now it's really bad and stalls whenever idling... the knocking is rev dependent...

Here's the low-down:

- When between 1-2k revs, then engine wobbles the entire car
- Once in 3rd gear and over 2k revs or so it seems to go (although still not right)
- Makes a louder knock when engine under load
- It doesn't seem to knock or tick when I'm in gear and off the power (i.e. decelerating)
- Stalls when idling


My initial thoughts are - crush the car and say it got nicked..... only joking (sort of..) initial thoughts are that it's gone in a very big way - however, things I'd like it to be are, running on 1 or 2 cylinders? Manifold come loos? (am I clutching at straws here :cry: ... )

Someone give me some good news, for the love of all the effort I've put into this car!!

Thanks,
Very sad Ash
:cry: :cry: :cry:

[weegaz22]

the knocking id say is probably indicative of bottom end gone, drain the oil and look for brassy fillings in oil or drop the sump and check out the shells

[Racebreed]

Unfortunately what he said

[Garbe]

Sorry to hear the news mate - however I would check the basics first -dizzy, rotor, plugs etc (hopefully its something simple) turbos are known for eating these things

[Sponge Bob]

My hands are clasped in prayer mate...!

[rattymr2]

Someone give me some good news,

Thanks,
Very sad Ash
:cry: :cry: :cry:

I've got some good news. i am getting my car back soon:jump:

[Paff]

If all else fails mate I may be able to source a rev1 engine for ya. It hasn't got an unmolested loom but yours should work with it anyway. Hope for your sake it is something simple for ya tho.

[Mistertwokw]

Sorry to hear the news mate, hope its somthing simple!

Ki

Glad to hear mister two is coming home at last..what was the problem?

[rattymr2]

seriously though Ash i hope it isnt major. i have been there with cars and bikes and can sympathise with you. apart from the rough running i would have suggested broken engine mount causing the knocking.

Ki, dont know what the fault is or when it is going to be repaired but i will be getting it back this weekend regardless. need to book Ace's trailer again.

[Sponge Bob]

Cheers for the offer Paff - will check over her tonight before dropping off the sump for a nosey... preparing for the absolute worst though!

I wish it was just a broken mount mate - I'd pay good money if it was just a broken mount, but it's some pretty serious rev dependent knocking going on...

[rattymr2]

if you need to get an engine etc i have a van that can be used to transport it.

[Sponge Bob]

Cheers Ratty - that's top banana of you mate, but if the bottom end has gone, I just don't know if I'll be able to muster up the heart to fix her...

[rattymr2]

Ash,

take time out for a day or 2 and you will find the inspiration to repair it. dont make any rash decisions. Apart from this weekend the van and i are about to help collect an engine.

i am sure that there will be plenty of donors coming up over the next few weeks. silly question but can you repair a crank if the big end has gone. Regrind it?

i am sure people on the forum will rally round and help if they can. i will be about over the crimbo period and the odd saturday.

Hang in there, gather your thoughts and you will get the motivation back. You will rebuild it and it will be better than before.

[podge]

hi ash, the noise you can hear? is it clunky or like a fast clatter, one way to hear your engine is to get someone to hold the revs so she doesnt dye on you, then with a long extension bar put it to your ear and place it on whare yyou think the noise is coming from and listen, you will hear it realy well through the bar then go from there mate podge

[Sponge Bob]

Will give that listen test a buzz this evening Podge... would help if I could see if it's the block or head making the racket.

[adamh]

a good mechanical inspection should find the cause ash, do a fault code pull aswell you never know.

[Paul Woods]

i wouldnt condemn the bottom end just yet ash,maybe its got a cylinder off,wet plug etc....a non firing cylinder has been known to make noises too,could be a water pump pulley,vibration damper,alternator prob,...anything really mate....so dont get downhearted until you know for sure.

One thing id def do is drop the oil out and see if theres any bronzy coloured speckles in it

[Sponge Bob]

Right - I made a video of what it sounds like, and made some observations:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OoHGCkEXKg

Notes:

It makes a wheeze sound just before trying to fire up

Fault codes ok - just a 43 (starter signal) from bumping it on way home

Spark plugs all look ok

Removed charge cooler and put straight though pipe on, but car won't start at all now -

Sounded like it was coming from the head - not the block. Will test for shavings in the oil later.

Lots of white smoke and water vapour coming out the exhaust

Lots of engine movement/vibration - i.e. as if something is off balance? What could it be...!


Any ideas anyone...?

[snowtigger]

water vapour and white smoke head gasket blown please drop the oil if its got a watery film have a look at the oil filler plug see if its got any gunge on it also if water is getting in to the engine will make it sound rough and misfire like buggery. sounds like a diesel dont think its big ends cause it would sound like a cement mixer and vibrate as well only a thought hey woodsy next person.p.s have look at the oil will tell whats wot .

[Sponge Bob]

Oil filler plug totally clean... looked inside and no signs of mayo either - dropping oil right now to see if filmy

[weegaz22]

Check and see if its down on coolant first, its damp weather and your starting the engine from cold so you will get the white smoke till it warms up and steams it off

[lodgeman]

sounds to me like it is missing ash! what are the leads/dist cap/rotor arm like? that would be the first place to start. check timing? may have jumped a cog? distributor tight? hasnt slipped around? then check compressions- do you have access to a compression tester? doesnt sound like a bottom end though. keep smiling though between the lot of us we can get to the bottom of it!:thumbsup:

[snowtigger]

i agree with lodgeman it does not sound like bottom end more like it could be the timing out by acouple of degrees or top end fueling maybe hmmm does not sound like bottom end knock if it was u would know and switch it of quick it has not got that death rattle sound more as if its miss fireing .

[jimi]

sounds to me like it is missing ash! what are the leads/dist cap/rotor arm like? that would be the first place to start. check timing? may have jumped a cog? distributor tight? hasnt slipped around? then check compressions- do you have access to a compression tester? doesnt sound like a bottom end though. keep smiling though between the lot of us we can get to the bottom of it!:thumbsup:
I agree, sounds like you've lost a cylinder, check as above and definitely check or change the plugs, could just be a plug gone bad.

[Sponge Bob]

I checked the timing, and it seems ok on both the top cams... will have a look at the ignition side of things tomorrow eve :)

[Paul Woods]

i agree with jimi,just sounds like you have lost a cylinder ash,its only running on 3 there..... so no bottom end failure mate.

What you need to do now is compression test all four cylinders,if it passes that then test theres a spark at each lead,although when you take the plugs out one of them should be oily....thats the cylinder with the problem.

If the HG is gone then the faulty cylinder will show a shiney clean plug and if you look into the cylinder you will see a shiney piston top.

It could be just a faulty plug or HT lead though....or an injector has died or fault injector plug connection.

If it passes the comp test and you have a spark at all four id disable the spark and crank the engine over for a while,then pull the plugs out and examine which are getting fuel and which arent.... if you find one that isnt then wire a non flashing LED onto the injector plug you suspect and crank the engine,the LED should pulse....bear in mind you need to wire the LED + to + and - to - or it wont flash at all....

report back matey

[snowtigger]

i had a spark plug go it looked okay from outside whent to grab the ht lead and the core of the spark plug just came out with the lead weidest thing ive seen well the other half does call me a ham fisted gorilla.

[rattymr2]

any news yet Ash?

[Sponge Bob]

Hey up rats - I took off the dizzy and cleaned it all up, and looked at all the plugs etc etc

The clanking noise is coming from the no.1 cylinder - closest to the cambelt...

Haven't tested yet (didn't have keys on my at the time) but have removed the HT lead from that cylinder, and will try starting again... if it makes exactly the same noise then I know it's the cylinder not firing... if it makes a worse noise... then it's probably not that....!

:( sucks ass

[Paul Woods]

ash have you done a quick compression test yet mate?

[Sponge Bob]

Erm... i'm not sure how to do it Paul... :( hehe

Do I need to get the car to a garage to do that, because I don't think it would make it - or do I buy something that I hook up to the car?

[Paff]

buy a compression tester, most automotive shops will be able to get ya one, don't think they are that much but its been a while since I bought one.

pretty straight forward to use, it will all make sence once you see one

[Paff]

http://www.justoffbase.co.uk/Petrol-Engine-Compression-Test-Kit-6pc-Sealey-CT955;jsessionid=0a0016431f436d59386887b946d4a33ba 223f2ca0f71.e3eSc3eMbxuPe34Pa38Ta38Lc390?sc=2&category=124

Can get them cheaper but that ones quite nice

[Sponge Bob]

Cheers... off to Halfords to pick one up now!!! :)

[snowtigger]

put finger down hole if it blows it out u have compresion try other cylinders to see if u have same compression or more violent old trick but if u whant to be shure go get a tester.

[Sponge Bob]

RIGHT - got a compression tester, and had a go at doing things...

The first 2 cylinders did the test ok - and came up with 170 and 130 (low, but hopefully the reason is as below), but the 3rd & 4th were making a chuffing/train noise and only managed 30psi - although, I tried them a few times again and whilst still chuffing, cylinder 4 made 180 psi... so I guess I just used a shit compression tester...

Now - because I didn't disconnect the injectors, I thought I'd do the old lighted splint down the chambers to fire them up, and get rid of some fuel - BUT I couldn't get anything from cylinder 2... all the others burnt my knuckles and made me shit a brick, but 2 had absolutely nothing...

So - does this mean my 2nd injector isn't firing AND more to the point... is this likely my problem given the sound on the video????

[podge]

quite possibly ash try a spare injector in there if you have one

[snowtigger]

or swap one of the good ones over.