It just stopped

[rips]

My normally reliable Calibra had a bad moment tonight.
I was driving home from a friend's when it just stopped. I felt it lose power then realised the engine had stopped firing. When I tried to start it again, the starter span without turning the engine.
I was near the top of a hill & another motorist helped me push it to safety then I tried to bump start it down hill but it did not seem interested.

I was within walking distance from home so I have left it parked at the side of the road overnight. Has anyone got any ideas what I may find when I look at it tomorrow?

[MarkV6]

So there was no other warning than a loss of power?? No bangs, clanks, rattles? Engine rpm? Road speed? How did it behave when you tried to bump start it? Kangaroo motion or just kept rolling?

When I tried to start it again, the starter span without turning the engine.

A duff starter wouldn't cut out a running engine, unless it managed to burn out all the electrics
I had a 1.8 Vectra that did that if I left it parked up for a week. Starter would spin with very little resistance until the lifters refilled with oil (no cylinder compression).

Has anyone got any ideas what I may find when I look at it tomorrow?

I'd take a second person to tweak the timing belt cover open and watch the belt/cam pulleys as you flick the starter motor to see if it moves.

[rips]

I did not notice any warning signs, just a sudden loss of power.

DanSE4 said he heard of someone stripping the teeth from the starter's gears by turning it with the engine still running. I'm not sure if I did this or not.

[DanSE4]

DanSE4 said he heard of someone stripping the teeth from the starter's gears by turning it with the engine still running. I'm not sure if I did this or not.

Was just wondering if you did that without thinking when the engine cut out. A mate of mine did once when his engine cut out whilst in motion, without thinking (& with the car still in gear) he just turned the ignition key to "start" & the teeth on the starter motor gear got stripped off when they met a spinning flywheel!

As I said yesterday, does seem odd that two separate things have failed simultaneously hence me wondering if the above happened to damage the starter motor.

As Mark had said, an engine with no compression spinning on the starter can sound like it's not turning at all where in fact the starter is turning it. If you haven't got a second person to hand to check pulleys/belts for rotation on the starter then just stick it in gear with the clutch released & try, you'll soon know if the starter is trying to crank the engine!

[rips]

The starter turns the engine over today. Strange that it didn't yesterday.
Timing belt has broken

[Callyman]

The starter turns the engine over today. Strange that it didn't yesterday.
Timing belt has broken

Ouch

[rips]

The starter turns the engine over today. Strange that it didn't yesterday.
Timing belt has broken

Ouch

It had been on there 3 years / 20,000 miles so not due for replacement for some time yet.
If it was fitted badly I'm sure it would have failed long ago. Just bad luck I guess.

[Callyman]

Was water pump, tensioner and rollers changed?

[rips]

Yep.

[v6 steve]

The starter turns the engine over today. Strange that it didn't yesterday.
Timing belt has broken

Ouch

It had been on there 3 years / 20,000 miles so not due for replacement for some time yet.
If it was fitted badly I'm sure it would have failed long ago. Just bad luck I guess.

it might not have been due but not sure i would have kept it in that long

[rips]

it might not have been due but not sure i would have kept it in that long

Really?

Recommended replacement intervals are 60,000 miles or 6 years, whichever is soonest..so I am only halfway through life & a third through mileage. Most manufacturers use these guidelines although I believe they have increased them for more modern cars.

I believe that the belt can weaken through extended periods of disuse but my Calibra gets used several times a week all year round.

I still think I've just been unlucky.