Hi, most grateful for any advice.
Car had been serviced 10 days or so previously and also replaced batteries in car keycard recently due to low battery messages. Also, prior to service, the car had been run with low fuel warning light came on after a long journey. But car had been driven daily since and no problems until going to start car one morning after being parked up overnight - the starter motor was turning the engine over but engine didn't fire. Tried again a few times both with keycard in slot and out but wouldn't start. Everything else seemed normal - electrics/lights/dash/unlocking the steering lock etc.)
Called RAC and patrol "had a look" and advised thought it was starter motor and he could tow it to a garage to get checked. Our drive and the road has a slope and so he started rolling the car towards his van for towing when he attempted to "bump-start" the car and there was a loud crashing noise like a bag of spanners being emptied onto the floor and also failed to start the car and so it was eventually delivered to the garage.
The garage advised the starter motor isn't the problem. There's no compression in any of the 3 cylinders and the timing chain/belt has "jumped". They've inspected the cylinder bores and appears to be no damage, then removed rocker cover to inspect valves etc but again "appears" no damage. Due to cost of stripping down engine further and likelihood of requiring a new engine anyway they've advised to replace the engine at a cost of about £3,500 fitted including VAT.
My concerns are:
1) the RAC patrol by attempting a "bump-start" caused the timing chain to jump leading to loss of compression and damaged the engine (the garage have said this would have done it but grateful for any view if it could have happened otherwise - if it had been while being driven wouldn't the car have broken down immediately?) and;
2) What could the original reason be for the car not to start - fuel line blockage due to low fuel or is there a fuel cut-off switch / engine "kill" switch? Could it be due to replacing keycard batteries even though it was driven afterwards? Something else if anyone has experienced the car not starting?
If anyone has any ideas/comments or advice we would be most grateful.
Thanks.
Car had been serviced 10 days or so previously and also replaced batteries in car keycard recently due to low battery messages. Also, prior to service, the car had been run with low fuel warning light came on after a long journey. But car had been driven daily since and no problems until going to start car one morning after being parked up overnight - the starter motor was turning the engine over but engine didn't fire. Tried again a few times both with keycard in slot and out but wouldn't start. Everything else seemed normal - electrics/lights/dash/unlocking the steering lock etc.)
Called RAC and patrol "had a look" and advised thought it was starter motor and he could tow it to a garage to get checked. Our drive and the road has a slope and so he started rolling the car towards his van for towing when he attempted to "bump-start" the car and there was a loud crashing noise like a bag of spanners being emptied onto the floor and also failed to start the car and so it was eventually delivered to the garage.
The garage advised the starter motor isn't the problem. There's no compression in any of the 3 cylinders and the timing chain/belt has "jumped". They've inspected the cylinder bores and appears to be no damage, then removed rocker cover to inspect valves etc but again "appears" no damage. Due to cost of stripping down engine further and likelihood of requiring a new engine anyway they've advised to replace the engine at a cost of about £3,500 fitted including VAT.
My concerns are:
1) the RAC patrol by attempting a "bump-start" caused the timing chain to jump leading to loss of compression and damaged the engine (the garage have said this would have done it but grateful for any view if it could have happened otherwise - if it had been while being driven wouldn't the car have broken down immediately?) and;
2) What could the original reason be for the car not to start - fuel line blockage due to low fuel or is there a fuel cut-off switch / engine "kill" switch? Could it be due to replacing keycard batteries even though it was driven afterwards? Something else if anyone has experienced the car not starting?
If anyone has any ideas/comments or advice we would be most grateful.
Thanks.