Friday 13th luck!

[azza993]

Last night I was driving home, I got to a roundabout and pulled away in first, it wasn't the fastest pulling away but I went to change to 2nd at around 3000rpm and heard a loud bang and grind noise, the car popped out of gear and came to a stop, when I tried starting it again, it wasn't having any of it when i tried to it would even attenpt to fire, there was just a nasty knocking noise from the engine. I called my breakdown cover and they came to tow the car, the bloke thought it was either the cambelt snapping or the timing belts slipped. There was also some oil in the water which he reckons could be head gasket problems but there was no large amounts of smoke coming from the exhaust, it's going in to be looked at today but I was just wondering if this has happened to anyone before or if they may have any idea what it could be? Any help would be much appreciated

 

[DannyR]

Pull your oil cap off and turn the engine over with the key, if your cams are spinning the belt is still in tact.

 

[CoooL]

Pull your oil cap off and turn the engine over with the key, if your cams are spinning the belt is still in tact.

That is true, but if it has just slipped, it will most probably still turn the cams.. but its is a very good indication of a snapped belt..

 

[DannyR]

If the belt has slipped enough you'll hear the valves kissing the piston.

 

[azza993]

If the belt has slipped enough you'll hear the valves kissing the piston.

There was what sounded like a knocking noise when I tried to start it after the car stopped, I'm hoping that could just mean the belt has slipped, sounds like it would be cheaper than what the mechanic said the worst case would be. If the cambelt has snapped and bent valves, with replacing the water pump at the same time it will cost around £600 he reckons