Engine Seizure - Is this the end?

[Aussie_Camry]

Hey,

I had an engine seizure yesterday and realistically I think its fatal. I was accelerating at the time when the car just completely died on me, it still cranks but the engine wont start. I was alittle confused because the car didnt overheat, but thats not to say the thermostat just wasnt reading properly. I have had coolant problems in the past, but my coolant levels were ok and the car does have a slight sludge problem but oil levels were also ok. The car only has 90,000 miles on it as well

My question.... what could be the cause of this? Also, if I need to change the engine (more than likely), whats the rough cost of doing so.

Thanks in advance.

[BakaWill]

if the engine's seized would it crank tho? check you basics before anything else.

[ghettosled]

it wouldnt crank. check the basics - fuel, air and spark.

[Aussie_Camry]

Yeah I dunno, I dont have any mechanical knowledge. All I know is when I try to turn it on, it sounds like its cranking, but then sounds really rough and dies. Im thinking its major though, I was at high RPM's (Not doing anything stupid, just keeping up with a friend in another car because I was unfamiliar with the area )

I will have to take it to a mechanic asap

[Aussie_Camry]

Ok thanks for your replies to date.

Well maybe it hasnt seized then, but I thought it did because it completely died on me and when I tried to start it, it sounded like its trying to crank it but because its seized up it just wont budge? I dont know

EDIT:

Also, Ive read via googling it could be the timing belt... is it possible that it has stuffed up as a result of the high RPMS? And this may seem really dumb, but in the pic below that area highlighted, thats the timing belt right? If so, it does look like it needs to be changed, but it is still in one piece so that rules it out I guess .



And lastly, could this be from sludge? If it is, can it be fixed or has it caused the fatal failure of other parts of the engine?

[Aussie_Camry]

Just abit of additional info as well..... when I turn the key and continue to have it turned it wants to start, it will shake abit wanting to get going but then a sound comes from roughly the transmission area and it doesnt start. Could any transmission problem cause this (as in, stop car from starting)?

[marc780]

Just abit of additional info as well..... when I turn the key and continue to have it turned it wants to start, it will shake abit wanting to get going but then a sound comes from roughly the transmission area and it doesnt start. Could any transmission problem cause this (as in, stop car from starting)?

No, not really. Its the engine, nothing to do with transmission at all here.

The first thing to check is engine compression. (I think the acceptable range of compression reading is 141 lbs Minimum - to 185 lbs, sorry i dont know what measurement that would be for you but the info isnt hard to find-)

My guess is at least one of the cylinders will be low, maybe a valve is burnt out or other internal damage. When you crank it, does the cranking sound even or uneven? If it sounds uneven, i.e. abnormal, then one cylinder may be out, from bad piston or rings, or valves.

If the compression tests ok, and at high normal range, there is probably hope for this engine but then the question of course, is what next to check. But the compression reading is the bottom line: low compression = internal engine work needed.

[Aussie_Camry]

Its hard to tell if its even or uneven, if I had to give an answer though I would say uneven. It finishes with kind of like a high-pitched shriek noise which is kinda uniform in length every time, hard to describe, sounds almost certainly like internal damage has been done though.

[Eye8Pussies]

it actually doesn't sound like much is wrong with the engine....the noise that you hear is most likely the starter....

I would, as ghettosled suggested, check the spark/fuel/air

if you lack a spark= die and no start
lack of fuel = same
lack of air = same

[Aussie_Camry]

Hmmm ok, is the starter located to the right of the engine? Thats where the sound comes from, must be the starter then.... I hope cranking it a couple of times hasnt damaged it

As for checking, Im going to have to take it to a mechanic for that... damn inconvenient breaking down in the early hours of the morning, I had to get my car towed to my house and then on Monday Im going to have to get it towed again to a mechanic who is barely 1km away

[mazdaverx7]

it really sounds like a fuel problem. if the timing belt snapped, it would crank differently. the sound would be higher pitched and you would notice that it would crank faster due to the lack of restriction the engine has on it. meaning, its not turning the cams and thus would crank faster.

[fargoal]

Faulty fuel pump maybe?

[Aussie_Camry]

Thanks for all the replies

I hope it is the fuel pump, first thoughts when it died on me was that it was something major internally because I was accelerating hard at the time when it died. Would a fuel pump fail like this under such conditions? I also dont think its the timing belt now, Ive googled around and found a site that gives the sounds of certain problems, mine isnt the same and yes, it isnt cranking irregularly fast or slow for that matter either. I checked my car as well this morning and that noise is definetely the starter, but is it normal to make that noise (high pitched whine) or have I stuffed it up by cranking it a coupla times?

Im taking it to the mechanic in two days time, I will report back on what they SAY it is.... in the mean time keep your opinions coming

EDIT: Also, some additonal info... Im not sure if this is normal or not, but when I turn the key from off to run (not to start) their is a prity loud clicking noise that comes from underneath the windscreen wiper reservoir. It stops after 2 secs or so. I dont know if this is normal or not, seems alittle unusal though. And its got me confused to, when cranking it sounds totally normal, like today I thought it was going to start, but it just died. Googling some more :

"If an engine cranks but refuses to start, it lacks ignition, fuel or compression. Was it running fine but quit suddenly? The most likely causes here would be a failed fuel pump, ignition module or broken overhead cam timing belt."

I know its not a timing belt... it may well be the fuel pump afterall.

EDIT 2:

Although this isnt rock solid, furhter evidence pointing to a fuel issue I got from this site below, the sound for no fuel going to engine is IDENTICAL to that of my car, including the high pitched whining kind of noise at the end (I know the issue isnt bad fuel because the tank is quarter full now after being full, so it shoudlve happened earlier if that was the case):

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice.../carcough.html

[v-cam]

More than likely your fuel pump mate, call a home mechanic to save the cost of towing it. Hope you get it sorted!

cheers.

[Maim Menu]

Fuel pump or maybe Ignition Coil too.

One of the coils failed on my '98 and it had pretty much the same symptoms than you. It died right there, then it would crank but would only stumble for a second before dying again.