I've got a major problem.

I have a 56 reg fabia vrs with about 50k miles on the clock. It's been regularly serviced and had the cam belt and water pink replaced 3 years ago circa 30k miles

I went out in it yesterday to fill up with diesel and get it washed. I was pulling away from a set of traffic lights turning right at around 15mph and all of a sudden heard and felt a massive clunk. The engine cut out straight away and I came to a stop at the side of the road.

Tried starting the engine back up and all I get is a whirring noise. No unusual lights on the dash, and battery seems fine.

I've searched for threads with similar problems with no success. A friend of mine thinks it could be a broken crankshaft? Is that a possibility?

The garage I usually take it too is closed till next year so I'm hoping someone on here has suffered a similar problem and can tell me what it could be.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Cheers

Chris

Edited 27 December, 201312 yr by e4sby

I think maybe your DMF has asploded!

youve defo filled it up with diesel havent you ....  its amazing how many people say yes until they look at the recipt when their cars broken down ....

but first thing i would do is pull the engine cover off then whip the little cover off the timing belt and check that 

100% filled up with diesel, I always double check.

Car is round my dads at present, will have to go over at the weekend and have a look.

Just reading about failed dmf - I have noticed juddering when accelerating in high gears so sounds promised. Would be better than a snapped cambelt

Just reading about failed dmf - I have noticed juddering when accelerating in high gears so sounds promised. Would be better than a snapped cambelt

if thw dmf fell off would it damagw the bell housing / box?

It can't really fall off can it? Attached to a flywheel and pressure plate on the other side

I'm hoping someone is coming out to look at the car later. My dad says there is some sort of fluid leaking underneath the car?

I'm hoping someone is coming out to look at the car later. My dad says there is some sort of fluid leaking underneath the car?

 

Whatever has happened, it doesn't sound good, bad luck.

 

Once you know for certain what has actually happened I'm quite sure everyone here will be able to help with suggestions as to the best/cheapest course of action to remedy the problem, until then further speculation is pointless.

Doesn't help I've just come back from Oz so the bank balance is pretty much non existent.

Dad works for Andrew Page so will get the parts cheaper just hope my mate can get it booked in to get sorted

Belt snapped!

oh dear .... hopefully not tooo much will have been damaged then 

Unfortunately there will be extensive head damage, new valves and a cam kit and valve seat machining will be needed.

 

What I, and no doubt others will want to know is how the hell this happened if the cambelt was changed three years ago and more to the point WHY was the cambelt and water pump changed so prematurely?

By looks of the belt something has seized up, general condition of the belt is nearly knew. All teeth fine all could be water pump or crank shaft gone I'm guessing.

Car is a precious write off so don't think I can justify new engine.

Hopefully it isn't terminal, your going to have to remove parts in the engine or jack it up and look underneath and around the pulleys belts etc though I'd be taking the cam cover off too.

Supelchrave right if that's the case let's hope it's not terminal, unfortunately all everyone is doing at the moment is guessing.

I must say within the time tolerances it's not usual for a belt to snap, saying that mine needs done in 9k.

I got the belt changed after 4 years for piece of mind. If I had the belt with me I'd take a photo of it to show has it's been torn. All teeth looked fine.

Will speak to my mate who is a mechanic and go from there. Will get him to have a look at the engine to see how bad it is. Either way it's not going to be cheap.

Hmmm, I'm worried that the snapped belt maybe a symptom rather than the cause.

That's what I'm thinking - god knows what damage there is. Oil was ok and only serviced 3500 miles ago

well youve 3 choices really

1 - cut your loses and sell it as a priject
2 - buy a 2nd hand engine (which is not guaranteed to have been looked after properly in its former car ) but can be a cheap fix i.e under £500
3 - strip the engine down see what went wrong and repair it 

seized water pump has taken belt out

well youve 3 choices really

1 - cut your loses and sell it as a priject

2 - buy a 2nd hand engine (which is not guaranteed to have been looked after properly in its former car ) but can be a cheap fix i.e under £500

3 - strip the engine down see what went wrong and repair it

1. How much is it worth as a project?

2. Second hand engines are around £700 on eBay, I don't even have a clue how much it would cost to fit

1. How much is it worth as a project?

2. Second hand engines are around £700 on eBay, I don't even have a clue how much it would cost to fit

depending on spec of the car i cant see it being worth a lot as a project maybe up to 1500 ?? if its well specced

there are cheaper engines if you type in blt engine .... the cheapest i can find is £450 with 89k on clock .

not sure what the diff between the bare asz and blt engines are?? an asz engine is alot cheaper than the blt ?

Edited 29 December, 201312 yr by Holmesie

It's pretty much a standard car.

I don't know the difference between the two engines, the problem you have is picking up an engine that has been well looked after.

Thanks for your help

Have got the bad news and the full extent of the damage.

It is as follows

4 inlet valves

4 exhaust valves

8 followers

16 collets

Head gasket

Cam belt kit

Water pump

Plus ribbed belt, coolant, oil, filter, and a couple of other bits and pieces.

Labour is going to be £400+vat so in total the cost of the belt snapping is around £900

Has anyone had any experiences with BGA valves and followers? Mechanic wasn't keen on fitting them as he's experienced wear after 5000/6000 miles

Hopefully will get the car back early next week

I know BGA head gaskets aren't all that clever, BGA are just an umbrella VAR for a bunch of pattern car parts of unknown provenance.

 

I'd only use genuine valves and fit a complete cam kit as stated earlier, since you need all the followers renewing it makes more sense to fit a new cam to match.

 

Sinking the ship for a ha'peth of tar IMO.