Engine Is Dead

[rossiducati46]

Hi,

I need some help please! On a returning from oxford last Saturday my Avensis suffered a serious breakdown. The oil warning light came on, I stopped at the services on the motorway but after checking the dipstick the oil was found to at normal levels. I carried on for about 30 mins on A roads as the car sounded awful, almost as if the alternator had failed or something. After 30mins or so there was a snapping sound from within the engine bay and the car lost all power instantly and I pulled over.

After three hours the AA looked at the car and said the oil was at correct levels and that it was likely to be a snapped timing chain. After I got the car home I removed the Camshaft cover and inspected the timing chain, it was intact and remained so after turning the engine over by hand through full cycle. However, I did notice that the exhaust camshaft was not rotating with the inlet camshaft. Is this normal?! as I really do not think it is somehow. Also, why was the oil warning light on but the levels where fine? And Finally, what is wrong with the car? Its only done 77,000 and I thought Toyota were made to last!

Thanks for any help!

[moonstone mart]

The oil warning light is for oil pressure not oil level.

Sounds like your engine suffered low or no oil pressure (blockage or broken oil pump) and due to this it could have snapped the exhaust cam.

Does the exhaust cam spin using a spanned or is it siezed solid?

Mart.