engine seized

  1. Newbie Joined: Oct 2011 Posts: 3
    #1
    Can anyone help me?

    Saxo forte petrol 1.1. 02 plate..it was running perfectly until I parked it on my dampish drive facing slightly downhill for three weeks. All is now dead...just the solenoid clicks. Starter motor seems ok. Car can be towed..... Have put a spanner on crankshaft pulley having removed everything necessary(sparkplugsetc) and the crankshaft appears to be seized solid. I intend to take engine apart to fix. Cam belt is ok and intact. The plastic bottom end of the dipstick broke off a while ago but there are no other clues. Can anyone advise on this just so maybe I can go straight to the problem rather than waste time taking everything apart. There is no water apparent in the oil. Thanks.
  2. Regular Poster Joined: Sep 2011 Wirral Posts: 280 desire
    #2
    First thing check the charge state of the battery, and I don't mean turn the lights on. Get a meter on there and see what it reads.

    Only if the reading is ~12v should you start looking for other things, anything lower and charge the battery and try it again.
  3. Saxperience Hardcore! Joined: Dec 2007 smurfland. Posts: 17346 Ex saxo owner.
    #3
    Battery would be the 1st port of call for me.
  4. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 9100 Amazon green VTR 16v, Inferno RS clio 182
    #4
    Has the cam timing slipped at all? Would explain why you cant turn it over by hand if the pistons and hitting the valves
  5. Regular Poster Joined: Sep 2011 Wirral Posts: 280 desire
    #5
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by womdee View Post
    it was running perfectly until I parked it
    I doubt the cam belt went and bent the valves whilst parked on his drive, even though it was parked facing downhill.
  6. Frequent Poster Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 740 suzuki ignis sport
    #6
    he said slipped not went btw
  7. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 9100 Amazon green VTR 16v, Inferno RS clio 182
    #7
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bosax View Post
    I doubt the cam belt went and bent the valves whilst parked on his drive, even though it was parked facing downhill.
    I didnt say it snapped did I? Ive had a tensioner slip out on me as I didnt torque it up correctly. It slipped a few teeth out and the valves just lightly hit the pistons when turning over. I was very lucky as it just jammed solid and didnt bend anything, you couldnt turn it over by hand. If the engine doesnt turn over by hand there is clearly a problem with timing or something more serious
  8. Regular Poster Joined: Sep 2011 Wirral Posts: 280 desire
    #8
    OK, same reasoning........how can it slip when parked?
  9. Regular Poster Joined: Sep 2011 Wirral Posts: 280 desire
    #9
    It's been parked for 3 weeks, the solenoid is clicking and it's not turning over on the key. It couldn't slip when starting because the starter wouldn't turn it over (low battery?). If it had tried to start (turned over) and jammed then your reasoning would be sound.
  10. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 9100 Amazon green VTR 16v, Inferno RS clio 182
    #10
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bosax View Post
    It's been parked for 3 weeks, the solenoid is clicking and it's not turning over on the key. It couldn't slip when starting because the starter wouldn't turn it over (low battery?). If it had tried to start (turned over) and jammed then your reasoning would be sound.
    I see where you are coming from but when mine slipped it turned momentarily then stopped. Like for half a second or so until the valves contacted the pistons. Plus when mine did this it behaved like the battery was dead upon further attempts.
    I'd be all for saying its just battery but if the guy cant turn it over by hand with the plugs out so there is no compression, how can you explain that away? Providing he didnt leave it in gear of course!
  11. Regular Poster Joined: Sep 2011 Wirral Posts: 280 desire
    #11
    As for the crankshaft not turning..........it's probably in gear.
  12. Newbie Joined: Oct 2011 Posts: 3
    #12
    Thanks for replies... I have connected a brand new fully guaranteed battery to no avail..so it's not that. The car isn't in gear. The starter motor is removed. The crankshaft won't turn .....no way no how.

    The cam belt was supposed to have been replaced by a 'professional' outfit eighteen months ago but it does look like there are micro line cracks in it but otherwise appears to be aligned ok etc.

    What do you reckon the first port of call for inspection is then.....cylinder head off or sump off?
  13. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 9100 Amazon green VTR 16v, Inferno RS clio 182
    #13
    Hmm cant really check the timing if the crank wont turn. I'd start by taking the head off
    but as its a 1.1 you'll need to secure the liners if you try turning it otherwise they'll unseat themselves.
  14. Regular Poster Joined: Sep 2011 Wirral Posts: 280 desire
    #14
    Now you are into the expensive things

    Take the sump off and have a look the arse end, make sure there's nothing in there that shouldn't be, then take the head off and see if the valves have touched the pistons, should see marks on piston and valve if they have.
  15. Newbie Joined: Oct 2011 Posts: 3
    #15
    Off with the sump first then. Have a break first

    I'll be back with some feedback later. Thanks so much for all replies.
  16. Established Member Joined: Feb 2009 Woking / Plymouth Posts: 1031 saxo 1.1 posi blue, saxo 1.4 furio black
    #16
    This may sound stupid but is the starter motor turning properly? or is it just turning for a second then dying? when you try and start it?

    As this happened to my car after i left for a month of being at uni, may sound stupid but have you tried push starting it? and dumping the clutch with someone pushing you to start it?