ZX TD Cambelt failure

Aug 08, 2006 11 Replies
M

Driving up the M6 on Saturday night, temp gauge starts to rise and then fall. Goes up, but never into the red if I accelerate, slowly goes back to normal if I cruise. I decide to stop at Sandbach services to check levels etc. As I am slowing to go into the services, there is a click and the ignition lights come on, and one hell of a lot of blue smoke behind.



Engine spins freely, no compression at all.



Seems the waterpump failed and took the cambelt with it - am I correct in thinking this?



Also, will it be TOTALLY f**ked ? there was enough blue smoke, and oil everywhere under the bonnet for me to call the fire brigade to it


Mike


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A

Mike P ( snipped-for-privacy@privacy.net) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Sounds like it.

"No compression at all"? Yup, almost certainly fooked. You'd have compression on at least one if all valves were straight. When you think about the compression ratio on diesels (23:1 instead of 8.5:1), you can't really picture them being non-interference.

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M

Yes, no compression at all. I was going about 85 when it went.. Engine spins over and just sounds like a big electric motor. Slight vibration from the pots going up and down, but it spins *fast*

Oh well, I'll have to look for another cheap diesel Frenchie again :-)

Thanks Adrian,

Mike P

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D

If it doesn't rattle you can just buy a head down the scrapyard.

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M

there are no rattles, but somehow oil has totally covered the engine bay. Not sure where it's come from.

Mikr

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P

In message , Mike P writes

I thought you said you were slowing down for the services when it went? If that was slowing down, what speed were you doing before and was it really a good idea to be going that fast when you knew the temp gauge was fluctuating and there was obviously something wrong?

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M

I was doing about 85 or was last time I looked, for the simple reason it kept a level temp at between 80 and 90 and I wanted to get to the services, Any slower or faster and the temp went up. I had a Montego turbo diesel years ago that the head gasket went in. Drove it for months until it died fully but it was only really happy at 90 + on a very light throttle.

Mike P

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C

Piston gone through the side of the block?

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A

Conor ( snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

You'd think it'd make a bugger of a noise when it's spun on the starter...

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R

The oil is from the top end ..... the cam caps all go along with the cam the cam box cover has 3 screws which go into the cam caps , so it lifts off , hence the oil ........ either a new head , or a new car. steve the grease

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M

THanks for all the replies guys. New car it looks like

Cheers Mike P

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