About time I updated this.
After many months of turbocharged fun. Disaster struck back at the start of December.
On the way to work, driving down the motorway, completely lost power. Managed to safely roll onto the hard shoulder but the engine was not re-starting.
Called the handy free recovery included with my insurance, and got a lift back home with the car on the back of a wagon.
.
So into the garage for a little digging.
I took the engine out, mainly because I can, but also because it's a lot easier to work on out of the car.
After a lot of head scratching and testing, found no compression and noticed the cm pulley wasn't turning when i was turning the flywheel. Although the timing belt looked OK and felt nice and tight.
After removing the covers I found the lower pulley wasn't turning, so off it came to reveal...
The built in "woodruff key" had sheared, leaving me with an engine in a similar condition to what happens if you don't change your timing belt at the required interval. No pictures but basically 8 bent inlet valves and 8 bent exhaust valves. Fortunately the pistons have survived with nothing more than a little minor scoring from the valves. Not Ideal but good enough to not need to be replaced.
As it currently sits the engine is on a stand and has been stripped of its head and all accessories, cleaned and painted, and I am now the proud owner of a complete new set of valves to fit, as soon as my head gasket kit and timing belt turns up (new stem seals too.
)
Have also taken the opportunity to paint the cam cover and inlet manifold too. Will be doing the gearbox too and giving the engine bay a good clean out while the engine is out of the way. Might even give it a quick once over with paint too.
All in all not what I needed over christmas, but has given me a bit of a kick up the @rse to get things I should have done when I bought the car done.
Ben.
