Polo 04 1.4 engine locked???? I know it's a car but running out of places to Trn

[greenman]

Help, I don't know if anyone here can help with this, I know it's a car but but it's an engine, 04 polo 1.4 running fine one day and seized up next the next morning. I parked up with no issues next day it turns over a couple of times then stops, then click click, ok, charge battery and click click. Cam belt covers off and I found a broken guide pulley so wondering if it's jumped a couple of teeth and jammed on a valve, cam carrier off, all valves appear to all be up so crank should turn....no. I've been wielding spammers for a fair few years now and have never had an engine do this, it's acting like I've been thrashing it with no oil in and seized solid but it had been left out over night and was stone cold, oil at correct level. I'm stumped so I was hoping someone here might be able to shed some light on this.

[Kosmic Kartman]

Have you tried turning it over with the plugs out?

[greenman]

Yep plugs out, cranking by hand and not a dicky bird, it's like I've drilled through a cylinder and put a bolt through.

[Kosmic Kartman]

But difficult to say but it could be a bearing failure. Have you tried turning over by hand with any ancillary belts removed? Also try turning engine over backwards in case it's something thats jammed in the forward rotational direction.

[Simon.Pieman]

 It sounds like the symptoms of hydraulic lock -ie a cylinder fills with petrol and when the crank gets spun by the starter it locks and a con rod gets bent. Hopefully it's just the valve timing has gone awol.

[Kosmic Kartman]

Hydraulic lock was my first thought that's why I asked if he'd tried turning the engine with the plugs out.

[red98]

When you say broken guide pulley do you mean tensioner pulley ?....if the belts jumped a few teeth the pistons can hit the valves and bend them resulting in loss of compression, this will not seize the engine though,worst case the head of a valve has sheered off and jammed between piston and cylinder wall.....

[slimwilly]

clutch broke,trying to turn the gearbox ?

[greenman]

Thanks for replies folks, plugs are out, looked down holes with torch all look good and dry so no hydro lock, we tried bump starting at the beginning, clutch spun ok when pushing it in gear, tried cranking by hand both ways and it won't budge a jot, I'm seriously stumped by this one, maybe it is a bearing that just failed on start up. Sump off next me thinks. Please keep the suggestions coming.

[BBROWN1664]

A bearing would lock solid at start up. Sounds like the cam belt has jumped a tooth and now you have the piston and valves making contact. Ford Transits cannot be bump started as they have a tendency to jump a tooth and take out the engine.

Have you tried using a socket on the crank and turning the crank backwards? You should get some movement one way or the other even if its only a few degrees.

[red98]

strange,very strange......clutch spinning when bumped but cant turn the crank on the front of the engine !!!!.....yep,agree with you,sump off time......

[greenman]

After sleeping on it I woke up realising the only other part that interacts with the crank via the fly wheel is the starter motor, popped it off and seized solid while fully engaged with the fly wheel = locked engine. All moving lovely now, never seen a starter do that before but happy it's moving again. Thanks all for your replies, I posted this on a vw forum and got no replies, posted it on here and find helpful focers willing to try and help, I think that says a lot about bikers so thanks again and happy New year to you all.

[richfzs]

That's a big part of what makes this forum great - you can ask a question on anything, and get help! Long may it continue.

[red98]

Good news greenman.....got a 1.4 golf myself had a few problems lately myself, am a member of a vw forum but nowhere near as good as this one......glad you got it sorted............so.the pulley was a red herring...

[greenman]

Got the car started today, starter motor from a breakers, New cambelts, water pump, idler pulley (which was a red herring but I'm glad I found it) all running lovely now. I will definitely ask here first next time I need help, cheers guys.

[red98]

Thats good greenman.....another common falt with these engines is the water pump.the original has a plastic impeller that has been know to break up.hope your new one is the metal type.......