HI can anyone help? I think my engine is dead!
seicento 2001. sx 1.1 58 k miles . Been driving great but been losing water.I thought head gasket as a bit smokey but no mayonase inside filler cap. been topping up water and waiting for christmas hols to fix.suspected water pump.
reversed into parking space last night and noticed more smoke than normal . When I returned to car it would not start. Head lights dim when I try but it does not feel like starter motor. It feels like engine won't turn over cos starter not able to turn it. I got some mates to push. 3 adults found it really hard to push and as soon as I let out clutch in 2 nd they could not push it. I think it's seized .I left it in school car park last night and am arranging a friend to tow home. Is there anything else it could possibly be ? I'm reasonably handy but spent most of my life on air cooled vw's .

Seized or possibly gone hydraulic. Remove all plugs and see if it'll turn over.

Could be hydrolocked? Take out the spark plugs and see if it turns over, if not then it probably is seized. Bad water pump wouldnt cause it to loose water unless it is leaking. Could be headgasket still as you wont always see the mayo on dipstick or filler cap. Was there steam/smoke coming out of the exhaust or engine bay?

Hope this helps

Chris

fingers99 said:

Seized or possibly gone hydraulic. Remove all plugs and see if it'll turn over.

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Thanks for quick reply. what does gone hydraulic mean ?

chrisb7777 said:

Could be hydrolocked? Take out the spark plugs and see if it turns over, if not then it probably is seized. Bad water pump wouldnt cause it to loose water unless it is leaking. Could be headgasket still as you wont always see the mayo on dipstick or filler cap. Was there steam/smoke coming out of the exhaust or engine bay?

Hope this helps

Chris

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smoke was coming out of exhaust

Basically a cylinder fills with water (or any liquid). Liquids cannot be compressed, so the engine can't turn over.

seanhyde said:

smoke was coming out of exhaust

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If its smoke then is oil, or overfuelling. Steam its water. It does point to the headgasket however. If it turns out your cylinder is full of water then this is almost definealtly a head gasket unless you have a cracked block or head

thanks loads. I will do checks when I get it home. Be gutted if engine is gone as only got car 8 months ago for daughter to learn in. One owner full service history less that 50 on clock. I love it use it all the time and leave my vw transporter on the drive. Head gasket looks do able ,if whole engine dead then looks like Ill try and get a used one of ebay

I doubt that the engine would be seized so fingers crossed for that, aslong as you were keeping water and oil in it have you noticed any rough running on a cold start?

Take the spark plugs out and turn it over again. If it was hydrolocked then you'll get water fired out of the plug holes.

If not, check the alternator hasn't seized.

arc said:

Take the spark plugs out and turn it over again. If it was hydrolocked then you'll get water fired out of the plug holes.

If not, check the alternator hasn't seized.

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Surely a seized alternator wouldnt cause an engine not to turn over like that?

Completely seized they can, if they don't break the belt first. Good shout by Arc.

Remove alternator belt and try starting!

ming

Once again thanks to all of you .I will let you know what it is when I find out

Hi

Another option is the clutch thrust bearing can jam itselt in the clutch tines.

Noel

sounds alt based as your lights are dim aswell, shouldnt hydrolock really you would bend a shaft before it locks,

the clutch would only be a problem in gear with clutch depressed.

Wouldn't be so sure - if it hydrolocks while the engine is spinning it might do some proper damage but if it happened while the engine was not running it will just lock solid until you release the pressure.

I managed to fill a couple of bores with petrol once because the fuel pump didn't switch off and a couple of the injectors were wide open. By the time I got back to the car it was just running out of the top of the engine...

A few minutes with a plug wrench was all it needed and no lasting damage to the engine. Helped out with a diesel engine that had done something similar and no damage there either... in fact every time I've come across this the engine has been just fine once the fluid was removed from the bore.

slugworth1987 said:

sounds alt based as your lights are dim aswell, shouldnt hydrolock really you would bend a shaft before it locks,

the clutch would only be a problem in gear with clutch depressed.

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Neither statement is true, for the 2nd the clutches release arms have a tendancy to embed themselves in the clitch diaphram spring tines when the engine will squeal to a stop, and the clutch cable will have some more slack then normal... Easy to check cable slack.

Noel

Basically, plugs out, alternator belt off and spanner on crank pulley.

Does it turn or does it not?

Cheers

D

my vote goes to seized alternator, mine seized while doing 30 on a roundabout and as i slowed to 25 the engine pretty much stopped dead, had i not put the clutch in to roll off the roundabout, i would have stopped dead in the middle of it.
So yeah a seized alternator can stop your engine turning over fast enough to start