Another Non Starter After The Winter

[markw 1]

Hi,

 

Yet another car not starting post, mines slightly different though,

 

The last time I drove the car before Christmas it stalled on me as I came to a tee junction, it would turn over but wouldn't restart, I got my dad to come and tow me back home parked the car up and let it for a few months with Christmas and then I changed jobs too

I occasionally would venture back into the garage to try it again but it would never start, it turns over but sounds terrible almost as if it has seized??

I hooked up the laptop to the ECU and noticed it was only cranking at 150rpm, thinking it was a starter issue I ordered a new starter and changed it,

but its still wouldn't start, still turning over slowly and also still making the awful sound

 

Today I got the wife to turn it over while I looked at the bottom and cam pulleys, all were turning together, which is a good thing (or so I thought!!)

 

Next I though I would take of the sump or the cam covers, I took the oil filler cap off and got the misses to turn it over again, inlet cam pulley turns, cam doesn't,

bastard then I noticed the pulley bolt was only finger tight, oh s*it, grabbed a spanner and tightened it up but it never tightened and sheared off

 

Engine is an XU9J4RS with some big catcams (4903271 285 and 277 deg duration and max lift of 13.25 and 12.5mm) )and forged pistons,

 

Basically am I going to be lucky and get away with it or will it of damaged the valves and pistons??

 

 

Thanks

 

Mark.

 

[pugdamo 111 2 Cars]

It doesnt sound good,i would be pretty confident and say head off unfortunatly.You could always take the plugs out and look inside the plug holes for contact marks on the pistons,a nice bright light and moving the engine over by hand and you will probably see something,unless you can get your hands on a bore scope,will be way easier with that.

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

Bent valves I would think unfortunately. You could sort the pulley out re time it and do a compression test to find out, but TBH personally I wouldn't waste time doing that and just pull the head off for inspection.

[welshpug 1,657]

bent valves for sure, head off time!

[markw 1]

Thanks guys, it's as I thought really, anyone in the Birmingham area that fancies giving me a hand for a few beer tokens, I'm nervous taking the head off after the money I've spent on it

Mind it's worth sweet FA at the moment.

[jamie_1992 66 1 Cars]

did you build the engine up yourself or get a garage to do it? if it was a garage id be taking it back as that cam bolt has come lose.

[welshpug 1,657]

tbh it's no different taking a standard engine apart to a modified one.

[markw 1]

We checked the valve clearances and set the cam timing, it started ok and revs up but has started tapping a little, so today I took the head off, although I haven't stripped the head yet there isn't any visible signs of valve damage

There are 5 or 6 small marks on no3 cylinder as if bits of metal or dirt have got caught between piston and head, the marks on the piston aren't bad and he head I flattened them off by pulling a Stanley blade over them

Could this of been the tapping..

Thanks

Mark

[Anthony 1,003]

If you cranked it over with the cam not turning you will unquestionably have bent some valves on an RS engine.

 

They might not look bent at a glance with the valve springs pulling them straight-ish on the seats, but when you strip the head they will be bent. The "tapping" noise again points at bent valves.

[markw 1]

Gents you were right, very very slightly bent two inlets and two exhausts we couldn't tell by eye only by putting them in a drill and spinning her up.

Hoping that will cure the tapping!!