Hi All,

My fiesta has broken down and wondering what the general consensus is on what's gone wrong. 

I was driving at 70 on the motorway when the engine management light started flashing continuously. The engine lost power and was very "rocky", felt like i was driving on 3 cylinders. I managed to drive like this for about 3/4 mile to the next service station. 

Parked and left the car to idle for about 10 seconds and the revs were all over the place. 

Turned the car off. Tried starting it again where it just wouldn't start (sounded like the same noise if you have run out of petrol). Tried one more time and the engine sounded like it turnt once then made a "clunk" noise and all stopped. 

AA guy showed up, put the car in 1st gear, lowered the hand brake and pulled on the car where it moved and turnt the engine once. Tried this again a second time and the car wouldn't move (it rocks back and fourth but does not turn the engine). 

My feeling is, the cambelt has slipped a tooth or two. I guess I'm looking at a new engine.

Best Regards

Tom

Does sound like timing belt issue unfortunately.

If the cam belt had gone the engine would just die immediately. 

Has it got sufficient oil? Sounds like it's seized to me

9 minutes ago, DaveT70 said:

If the cam belt had gone the engine would just die immediately. 

Has it got sufficient oil? Sounds like it's seized to me

This is what's casting doubt in my mind that the car ran for a 3/4 mile, rolled in gear the first time and only gave up the ghost when trying to start after turning it off. 

There was sufficient oil. No drastic oil leaks under the car after, no hole in the side wall. No horrible noises coming from the engine when driving. The car has had litterally no red flags in the days leading up until yesterday. 

After work i am going to remove the cambelt cover to see if anything obvious. Also going to remove the spark plugs and lower a clean "magnet on a stick" to see if there is any swarf in any of the cylinder's. Also have a feel of the dipstick to see if the oil feels grainy also. 

 

My guess is the belt tensioner seized and knocked the timing out slightly without totally snapping the belt.  Will be interesting to hear the diagnosis! 

12 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

My guess is the belt tensioner seized and knocked the timing out slightly without totally snapping the belt.  Will be interesting to hear the diagnosis! 

Garage have quoted me 3 weeks to get a chance to look at it, but im going to try and diagnose it before then. I shall keep posted

1 minute ago, Tommy90 said:

Garage have quoted me 3 weeks to get a chance to look at it

Yes I've often heard that the pace of life in Devon is quite relaxed 🤣

Garages still all seem to be busy at the moment.  Would have thought the post-pandemic rush and the extra strain from the MOT extensions must be long passed by now.

Lucky to find something as basic as MOT in less than a fortnight here, and much longer to have any actual work done! 

I agree. A number of garages here have actually stopped taking in new customers altogether, usual customers only. 

 

 

*UPDATE*

Removed the spark plugs, looked down the holes into the cylinders and #1 was literally full to the brim with fuel. As if someone had poured a bottle of evian petrol into it. 

This would explain the hydraulic lock.

With the spark plugs removed, I put the car into gear 4, released the handbrake and i could push the car turning the engine fine. No horrible scraping noises. 

Check the dipstick and there was no swarf. 

Still worried at the fact the cylinder was trying to compress a liquid when i was trying to start the car. 

But my guess is a faulty fuel injector, because surely even if there was no spark from a dodgy plug or lead, it would take more than 3/4 mile to fill the cylinder up with that much fuel. 

I really hope you are right with the fuel injector and everything gets back to normal for you. 🤞

On 4/4/2023 at 8:31 AM, Tommy90 said:

But my guess is a faulty fuel injector, because surely even if there was no spark from a dodgy plug or lead, it would take more than 3/4 mile to fill the cylinder up with that much fuel. 

Not something I've come across before (to that extent anyway!) but I would agree the only possibility is an open injector if it's definitely petrol rather than coolant.