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sudden death?


Fairlead
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Hello

It's a sad day. I'm seeking the wisdom of the forum before I arrange for our 57 reg Aygo to be taken for scrap. Would I be doing the right thing?

We've had it since nearly new, it's done 55k miles and been serviced and repaired as required throughout. Overall, been an amazingly reliable and relatively cheap car to own and run.

This morning it wouldn't start with the symptoms of a flat Battery - starter attempting to turn engine over and failing. I attempted to jump start it but the symptoms were the same so called out the AA (we have free Homestart). AA man ran a thorough diagnostic and found the Battery to be in fine fettle and the starter drawing 400amps as it tried in vain. The engine appears to have seized solid. Jacking up one wheel lets the transmission turn, there's no water in the cylinders, the oil and coolant water look normal but the engine is locked. Looks like a drastic failure of something in there. But it was running fine a week ago when we parked it on the drive.

Economically, there seems no point even in paying for an engine strip down to find what the problem is, let alone paying for a replacement engine.

Anyone have any thoughts or similar experiences? I thought 14 years old and 55k miles was young for a Toyota. Have I just been unlucky?

Thanks in advance

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Id remove the starter motor first then try turning the engine over by hand. 

Might be also an idea to remove the auxiliary drive belt then repeat the test in case an alternator or idler puller bearing has failed. 

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Forking, are you thinking of a seized and engaged starter motor? 

I had a case many years ago when a starter motor did not disengage after engine start. 

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Thanks for your thoughts. First thing the AA man suspected was a jammed starter so he took it off. The starter and pinion were free to spin and both looked in good condition.

I haven't removed the drive belt so that's a good thought. The amount of heaving he did on the crankshaft pulley nut with a long socket handle makes me think I'd have seen movement and a bit of belt slip though. Could a seized alternator or idler cause such a solid lock, do you think?

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An engine just don't seize just like that, it needs the starter motor looking at a seized starter will lock the flywheel

the starter motor pulls 60-100 amps and is fused at 120a

put the car in 3 or 4th - handbrake off and push the car backwards and forwards

its not an insurmountable issue 👍

 

Take off the aux belt and see it the alternator or water pump hasn't seized

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Flash22, thank you.

We had the starter motor out, came away easily and hadn't been jammed. The pinion is in excellent condition so I'd guess the flywheel gear is also. Doesn't seem to have been jammed. We gave the car a good rocking in gear several times including after removing the starter and the spark plugs (in case there's water in the cylinders - there isn't).

As you say, engines don't usually seize just like that but this one seems to have. I'll check the belts later today as that's a good thought.

Thanks for your input -much appreciated.

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next step would be to whip the cam cover off what's an easy job, check the cams and chain, cam chains usually rattle like mad before letting go - outside chance it has dropped a guide

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What was the oil condition and level prior to engine issue? My Neighbor is a mechanic and he bought a year ago Yaris with Aygo engine that was seized, been left without any oil. He replaced the entire engine., got a replacement from salvage yard through eBay

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The fact that the car has been running fine with no strange noises, etc and is now seized is certainly puzzling.

David it wasn't seized when you were initially trying to start it so the my feeling is that the actual engine is not seized, but a component failure is stopping it from turning ?

Such as what Bob suggested the cam chain ? Worth a quick investigation first David before scrapping 👍

 

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8 hours ago, TonyHSD said:

What was the oil condition and level prior to engine issue? My Neighbor is a mechanic and he bought a year ago Yaris with Aygo engine that was seized, been left without any oil. He replaced the entire engine., got a replacement from salvage yard through eBay . 

The oil level is where it should be on the dipstick and it looks clean, coolant is also as it should be.

Thanks for passing on your neighbour's experience. I will look into replacement engine but I'm not a mechanic and I'd be working at the roadside so I'd have to pay for garage to do it - I'm  expecting that to be too costly.

thanks very much

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18 hours ago, flash22 said:

next step would be to whip the cam cover off what's an easy job, check the cams and chain, cam chains usually rattle like mad before letting go - outside chance it has dropped a guide

Thanks for this. I'll do as you say this weekend. 👍

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2 hours ago, Hybrid21 said:

The fact that the car has been running fine with no strange noises, etc and is now seized is certainly puzzling.

David it wasn't seized when you were initially trying to start it so the my feeling is that the actual engine is not seized, but a component failure is stopping it from turning ?

Such as what Bob suggested the cam chain ? Worth a quick investigation first David before scrapping 👍

 

Thank you. What you say is logical and gives me a glimmer of hope a repair could be economically viable. It was trying to turn over at first but couldn't get going fast enough to start which is why I assumed a Battery or starter motor problem.

Now I think about it, several months ago it did make a screeching noise on first start up but it stopped quite quickly and I put it down to the aux belt. Never made that sound again so I forgot about it. But it was running normally when we parked it and it didn't get used for about a week until yesterday (it's our second car).

Cam cover off this weekend then.

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  • 4 weeks later...

15 hours ago, Stecha said:

How are you getting on with this ? any updates ?

Sorry for the long radio silence - other things have needed my immediate attention so the Aygo's been simply gathering some autumn cobwebs outside. I've only just turned my attention back to it today. 

My local garage (independent, good but not cheap) has agreed to do a preliminary investigation to confirm it's definitely something inside the engine - without racking up a big bill. Happily, they're not far from me and downhill so, with a bit of help, I'm going to roll the Aygo down sometime over the weekend when the roads are quiet, leave it parked outside and the garage will have a look at it next week. 

I'll be sure to report back here. 

Thanks again for your support and interest. 

Edited by Fairlead
typo correction
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