P38A Gearbox?

Diving along quite happily accelerating out of speed limit when noise as if I had driven over a loose manhole (Personhole?) and total loss of power. Engine ticks over fine but with a ticking noise. When accelerated the engine dies jas if there is a huge flat spot like you used to get when you had to adjust points with a screwdriver and feeler gauge. Then a noise as if silencer had fallen off. Exhaust is ok tho.
Driving it onto recovery wagon the engine made horrible graunchy noise and stopped and now wont turn over at all. Is a V8 4.6 HSE Auto
Vehicle rolls fine in neutral and doesnt in park.
No flashing lights etc on dashboard and no oil or water light.
Any ideas gratefully appreciated ta

Last time I had something like that was on an old Omega when the timing belt jumped and it bent a valve. Chain on the V8 so less likely but not impossible.

Thanks Grrrrr .
If oil pump failed would that cause similar bent valves?
I have drained engine oil and never found any bits of engine.
Going to drain gearbox and see if any bits of gearbox.

No idea to be honest. Sure someone else will though. SaintV8 might know. He's the V8 nutter, sorry, enthusiast.

Your starter motor hasn't come loose has it?

Grrrrrr said:

No idea to be honest. Sure someone else will though. SaintV8 might know. He's the V8 nutter, sorry, enthusiast.

Click to expand...

Right first time

ok ta hope he is around.
Drained and filtered engine and gearbox and didn't find any bits

No starter motor is still sound and that wouldn't cause the flat aspot would it?

oakey said:

No starter motor is still sound and that wouldn't cause the flat aspot would it?

Click to expand...

Just one big one if it jammed the flywheel

Whip the cover off and check the viscous coupling drive plate hasn't cracked, that will tick when idling

ok ta that is next on list then. Do you mean the viscous coupling at fan? Just wish the weather didnt feel like October

oakey said:

ok ta that is next on list then. Do you mean the viscous coupling at fan? Just wish the weather didnt feel like October

Click to expand...

Sorry mate I meant the torque converter drive plate, my heads all over the place with all the "likes"

whip the torque converter cover off of bellhouseing and have a look in there.

Two minds thinking alike there

I gave a like each
Ok will try and find cover on bellhousing
How do you quote on here now?

brianp38dse said:

Two minds thinking alike there

Click to expand...

Or fools seldom differ, but I like your version.

oakey said:

I gave a like each
Ok will try and find cover on bellhousing
How do you quote on here now?

Click to expand...

It's at the bottom of the bellhousing, Ta for the like. Your post is coming up as a quote on the reply page

Press reply on the post you want to quote. Now I've finished typing I realise I should have done.

Grrrrrr said:

Press reply on the post you want to quote. Now I've finished typing I realise I should have done.

Click to expand...

So it does and thank you

Bellhousing will have to wait til next weekend now but will update you.
Thanks for your help

Update
I removed the wee round cover on the bottom of the bellhousing and nothing came out. I expected to find bits of coupling falling out. No oil came out either which could be cos the gearbox has been drained. Everything inside the housing seemed tight and wasn't able to move it. Couldn't see anything broken etc but I will admit I don't know what I was expecting apart from bits falling out.