.My '96 300tdi has just died. As I pulled away from a set of lights, there was a slight lurch as the engine died ( it felt as if it had dropped out of gear) so I coasted it to the side of the road. It turns on the starter but makes no attempt to fire.
Fortunately, I was only 100 yards from home and, even more fortunately, the mechanic at the lock up service shop next door to me was late getting away so we managed to tow it onto my drive.
I fitted a new timing belt a couple of weeks ago and my initial suspicion was that the new belt had failed but the mechanic tried it on the starter and seemed to think that the engine was turning over with too much compression for the belt to have snapped ( I had the belt snap on a petrol megane and there was next to no compression when the engine was turned) but Im not sure whether this theory holds true with the 300tdi.
We did have a look in the oil filler cap to see whether or not there were any rockers visibly moving as the engine was turned. We couldnt detect any movement but I'm not convinced we could see the rockers through the oil filler cap anyway.
Its now on my drive and I have arranged to get it collected to a local garage in the next few days on the assumption that the belt has snapped and there will be some major piston and valve damage. Or is the 300tdi a 'safe' engine in the event of belt failure?
However, if anyone has any suggestions as to what else it could be I can investigate further and possible tackle it myself.
Any advice would be great,
Thanks
Fortunately, I was only 100 yards from home and, even more fortunately, the mechanic at the lock up service shop next door to me was late getting away so we managed to tow it onto my drive.
I fitted a new timing belt a couple of weeks ago and my initial suspicion was that the new belt had failed but the mechanic tried it on the starter and seemed to think that the engine was turning over with too much compression for the belt to have snapped ( I had the belt snap on a petrol megane and there was next to no compression when the engine was turned) but Im not sure whether this theory holds true with the 300tdi.
We did have a look in the oil filler cap to see whether or not there were any rockers visibly moving as the engine was turned. We couldnt detect any movement but I'm not convinced we could see the rockers through the oil filler cap anyway.
Its now on my drive and I have arranged to get it collected to a local garage in the next few days on the assumption that the belt has snapped and there will be some major piston and valve damage. Or is the 300tdi a 'safe' engine in the event of belt failure?
However, if anyone has any suggestions as to what else it could be I can investigate further and possible tackle it myself.
Any advice would be great,
Thanks