So, here's a new one for you all.

Any of you who have been reading my posts about my poorly Ducato will know that it's with a so called diesel 'specialist' to locate the issue.

Today, after 10 days of head and butt scratching, they've managed to get it running, but only on 3 cylinders.

The mechanic monkey had the following account "so we blanked no3 and got it running, it made a rattling noise like a cam rattle, so I shouted to him in the front, oi leave off the revs, at the same time there was a graunching sound and now the engines locked solid, it's siezed mate, you need a new engine"

So, it cut out on the road 3 weeks ago with no rattles, adverse noise etc, they trace the issue to wiring to the fuel pressure regulator, get it running, and manage to sieze the engine and tell me it's my problem???

:bang::bang:

Trading standards? Anyone got any experience of this?

Well one plausible explanation is problem with timing belt tension the timing skipped one tooth three weeks ago, then another at the garage rattling sound being valve tinkling on pistons, then skipped again valves hitting pistons and locking her solid but without know what they 'blanked' and how who knows.

Another thing I had though of was a valve shim coming free thus causing that cylinder to stop firing, with a shim floating around to jam up the works, I assume someone had the roscker cover off though.

That sounds nasty please keep us updated.

Dont worry - I will keep everyone updated, I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet!

My thoughts now are that when they changed the HP Pump they didn't lock the engine and have perhaps put the belt back one one or two teeth out?? The symptoms they gave, after the HP pump change sound totally different from the original problem and more like a timing issue - its gone from plain old cranking and not firing to cranking, spluttering and sounding like it was a cylinder down, whilst banging!

Spoke to trading standard already on Friday, who advise going to speak to the garage fact-to-face, but I know 110% that they are going to try and push blame to the old 'it was already like that' avenue!

Well folks, it's not often that I do this, but today I am eating my words! As a result of the above sequence, the diesel garage stripped the engine out of my non-running ducato and took the head off her, before even getting as far as the heads, problem number 1 was found in that number 3 injector was clearly bent with some sort of impact mark on it - very strange, neither the mechanic or I had ever seen this before!

Carrying on to strip her down, when the head did eventually come away, no. 3 piston (which was at the top of its travel due to how it had siezed) had a very clear and distinct ring shape impact mark in the top of it. Turning the head upside down it was immediately obvious we were minus one valve seat!

So, the sorry chain of events becomes apparent, valve seat drops off, piston pushes it upwards squashes it between head/injector/crown area and bends injector. Bent injector for some reason now only allows fuel through at max flow & pressure, this somehow caused a loss of rail pressure enough to stop the engine. We hunted for a fuel delivery issue that never was! I managed to get it firing again, but how will forever remain a mystery. Upon the garage's attempt to get it running, the debris etc from the valve seat has jammed the engine solid.

The end result is that I now have a '53 plate Ducato non-running that I have no idea what I am going to do with!

Anyone need any Ducato spares?