Just Stopped!?!

[Guest Mr Pid]

Dunno if anyone can help or confirm my worst fears?!

 

After shoe horning a very rare and one off 2.1 Turbo Technics pinto into my 2b i evenutally got it running and tuned.

 

After guy left i switched it on and let it pur on my drive sounding lovely, i then walked into the garage and it just stopped dead. After closer inspection i noticed that the fan had bocome trapped under the lip of the rad, but did not think much of it as this had happened before and a deflector is in the making, after freeing it all up i tried to start it again. But it was locked solid.

 

I have tried turning it over by hand and towing it but it will not move, all the levels were ok, it had plenty of oil and water and fuel, all the warning lights were off and cannot understand why she would die.

 

Are my fears justified in thinking it has seized and in need of total rebuild? If the oil pump packed up would it cause this so quickly? I thought Pintos could take alot of stick but this seems not so.

 

Any ideas or do i have to haul it out?

[Big Jim]

When you started it, did you check for good oil pressure? as it has happened where people have forgotten to put the square drive shaft in between the dizzy and the oil pump.

Also, what about the water? it's usual that there are air locks in the system, which will bleed themselves out as it warms up, thus the water level goes down quickly in the rad.

It's very unusual that you cannot turn it now that it's cooled off, if it has only been ticking over for a few minutes. It sounds more like there is a mechanical malfunction somewhere, it could be anything from a big end bolt coming out, flywheel bolt etc. or even the gearbox could have siezed, (unlikely unless you've previously drained it, then forgotten to refill it.)

Take off the front cover and see if all is well with the cam belt etc.

Take out the plugs, press the clutch and try to turn it.

 

Good luck.

[Guest Mr Pid]

Well the system was all bled up correctly and all air bubbles were removed, the oil pressure light came on the went out as the system pressurised so nothing untoward in that dept.

 

the gearbox was drained but was definately refilled with fresh oil, i have tried towing it with the clutch disengaged then bringing it up but the rear wheels just lock solid.

 

the cam belt is fine and dandy, although there doesnt seem to be any give in the bottom pulley if i rock the car back and forth whilst in gear so it seems like its stuck at the bottom end.

 

As you said it could be a big end bolt but i only replaced the sump gasket at the weekend and i checked all down below and seemed ok the engine had few tweaks before it left its previous car such as low comp pistons, lightened con rods, balanced crank and flywheel etc, all was done by a top notch engineering firm and was still all sparkly and new! the engine was previously in a rally car and was allegedly dyno'd at just under 295bhp. I would obviously wait to confirm this by testing myself but it certainly used to leave my old 370bhp cossie standing! the oil pump wasnt touched but seemed to working fine on previous occassions i had the engine running before it was tuned.

 

I have had a mad idea which may be lethal but there is a n/a inj sierra near me with the engine available, if i transfer just the block over as a tempory remedy until the other fella is better, obviously the compression ratio will be raised considerably as this a bog standard engine, but will this be too high? i doubt it'll take the power but Im not bothered about it blowing as i have the better one as a backup.

 

Its gona be nearly impossible to take the whole engine out as it was built piece by piece around the chassis.

 

I think there is going to be alot of headscratching going on this weekend!

 

Thanks anyway Jim, any more info please let me know

[Big Jim]

Well I think that it's a definate engine strip, and I also think that it's something broken.

[Bob Tucker]

It's unusual for an engine to lock up solid at tickover, so

it does sound pretty terminal, but there's a couple of

things to check first.

Remove the starter motor to check that the bendix hasnt siezed & locked

on the ring gear.

Drop the cover over the bottom of the flywheel & see

if there's any movement at that end of the crankshaft.

 

Swapping just the block means stripping & rebuilding two engines.

Why not just swap the complete engines to stay on the road,

& take your time stripping & hopefully fixing

the BRUTE?.

295 BHP sounds like loadsa fun & worth all the hassle!!!

Bob.

[Guest Mr Pid]

Well siearra no.5 has been sourced and will be collected this sat, apparently has a real sweet engine and brand new clutch and all for less than £100 and only round the corner (someone up there likes me!)

 

Plan on stripping out engine and gearbox and loom complete as one unit so i still have the fall back of a good engine in emergencies.

 

I'll just prob swap over engine (minus manifolds) and see how it copes.

 

Im planning the SVA soon and its soo close to being finished, only need to fit HB cable and do a couple of ickle jobs.

 

I'll send the "BRUTE" back to the workshop if need be but ill make sure its tip top before it goes back in.

 

Thanks for all the advice so far, ill let you know how it goes this weekend, dont want to miss this summer though!

[Guest Mr Pid]

Well picking up new sierra turned out to be bit of a bummer! The guy thought that when i said "was it a pinto" thought i said "is it a huge great DOHC lump with all the manifolds on the other sides to make my life a bit more interesting" So it was off to Bournemouth to get an engine off my mate but was a bargain at £30.

 

Well the Duck Oil was administered tonight in an attempt to let it soak into the bores and free up the pistons (apparently suspects No.1) so we shall see how it goes. This magic liquid has saved many a peoples bacon before so hopefully it will make Bob be my uncle.

 

Ill let you know if it worked tomorrow.

[Guest Mr Pid]

Nope! :angry:

 

Bob did not want to be my uncle!

 

Oh well looks like i get to test my skills on freeing up pistons whilst engine in situ at the weekend-gonna be fun!

 

Lifes just not fair.

[Big Jim]

It's not worth playing with it whilst it's still in the car, take it out then you can get a proper look-see. It will only take you a hour or so.

[Guest Mr Pid]

Hi, appreciate the idea and would love to just whip it out, but its crammed in like a bunch of very crammed in sardines. It is so tight that some of the hoses have to be routed outside the car then back in again. The steering and brakes are both very tightly squeezed through and past the exhaust manifold and turbo. it would mean dismantling all the brakes, taking out the servo, taking out the rack which all took weeks of fine tuning.

 

Ive got a practice engine so i can try out what i have planned on that first so if it doesnt work i know it will never work on the engine in the car.

 

I would attach a pic but its too big to upload.

 

My plan should work so long as i can get pretty good access to the crank, if it doesnt then my car wont be on the road for another year

 

I'll keep you posted tho

 

Cheers for now

 

Stu

[Guest Mr Pid]

Hi, thought id share the brainwave i had over the weekend with regards to freeing the engine.

 

Well used said "practice" engine this was turned upside down and sump duly removed, pick up pipe also taken off for ease of working. nuts securing big ends to the crank were then losened and removed and pistons were pushed down to bottom (actually top) of cylinder bore. crank and pistons were both free, it was all lubed up again and reasemble and worked fine.

 

So if i can copy this on the engine in the car it should free it all up and be back on track pretty soon!

 

I am i beeing mad/suicidal or do you think this plan of attack will work?

 

Cheers

 

Stu

[Mat-Moo]

I would attach a pic but its too big to upload.

try http://community.rhocar.org/index.php?a...t=ST&f=13&t=253

[Guest Mr Pid]

Cheers Matt,

 

I can be David Baily once more this weekend!

 

Pics on their way then-

[Guest Mr Pid]

Heres a few pics

[Guest Mr Pid]

another,