Started my mark 1 1.4 RT this morning, and the battery light stayed on. thought little of it, but when I pulled away, I found there was no power steering. headed a little way down the road and the engine started to die. pulled over and just before I stopped I heard some funny noises. Switched off engine, popped bonnet. looked around and found that pulley for P/S and alternator had unwound itself! refitted it with a socket with help from my brother, went to restart it and it turned over but whined and didn't start.
It was then that I got concerned. worried about trying anymore, I called RAC. guy checked it over, same as us thought the battery was flat. however, realised there was more to it than that. Ran a compression test on 1 cylinder and found no compression at all! seems that the woodruff key that holds the crankshaft sprocket to the shaft itself has sheared, and the crank had been turned without the belt turning.
Seems like the valves are bent, so it'll be head off to find out and then probably replace valves or whole head. other options are change the whole engine for a lower mileage second hand one or ditch the car!
Needless to say, it's a lot of work whatever I do!
It was then that I got concerned. worried about trying anymore, I called RAC. guy checked it over, same as us thought the battery was flat. however, realised there was more to it than that. Ran a compression test on 1 cylinder and found no compression at all! seems that the woodruff key that holds the crankshaft sprocket to the shaft itself has sheared, and the crank had been turned without the belt turning.
Seems like the valves are bent, so it'll be head off to find out and then probably replace valves or whole head. other options are change the whole engine for a lower mileage second hand one or ditch the car!
Needless to say, it's a lot of work whatever I do!
