Kia engine seized - alternator?

[roz84]

My car is dead. Hoping someone can advise, it has been taken to a garage but I'd like to sound as little like a helpless female as possible when speaking to them!

So about a week or so the engine started making a slight noise on starting, neighbour (who is a mechanic) has a look, "Ees ok, is alternator bearing, get checked" (he's foreign), he said ok to drive until we do but we haven't made it to our garage appointment.

Was on my way to work last night when the engine cut out dead. RAC said cambelt, the recovery guy said seized engine. Garage said not cambelt but either engine seized or starter motor, they cannot get the engine to turn at all. Could it be the alternator?

Apart from this slight noise (which has been going when it's warmed up) the car has been running absolutely fine, not due a service for another 2k miles. I can't imagine that the engine would just seize like that without warning! We haven't been running it with no oil although it did use a bit but we topped it up.

The car is a 59 reg 2 litre diesel Kia Sportage, with 98k on the clock.

[WinstonWolf]

It can't be the alternator (it's driven by a belt that would slip rather than lock the engine up)

[stevieturbo]

Often people say without warning...when there have been many warning signs.

But until a proper inspection has been done, really there can be no answer for you.

Yes engines can fail, they can seize, they can do many things and some will do them slowly, others instantly.

But as above, it is very unlikely to be the alternator.

[GreenV8S]

It is conceivable that the alternator bearing problem took out the ancillary ('fan') belt which in turn took out the cam ('timing') belt. Although these are logically separate and it isn't obvious why they would fail together, in practice they sometimes do. If the cam belt has failed, this can do a lot of damage to the engine. Replacing the alternator and/or ancillary belt on the other hand are usually relatively simple jobs.

[Munter]

If the garage has said not cambelt (as per the op). I'd be tempted to believe them. Even a poor mechanic should be able to spot if a belt is properly there or not.

Given it was a noise on starting...could it be the starter motor not disengaging for a bit or something similar. Which has eventually killed the starter.

There's only going to be one way to find out...let them crack on with investigating.

[Peanut Gallery]

I have read on here of one instance where the alternator seized, and there had been enough strength in the belt to stall the engine. After an engine replacement this was discovered, but too late.

Let them investigate, you MAY be very lucky and just need a new alternator.

[V40Vinnie]

WinstonWolf said:

It can't be the alternator (it's driven by a belt that would slip rather than lock the engine up)

so is an A/C compressor but when that seized it was enough to stop the o/s focus from turning over

[WinstonWolf]

It's be a first for me if it's a seized ancillary (and a stunning mis-diagnosis). As soon as you get a spanner on the end of the crank you should be able to feel if it's seized or if something is holding it back.

[Mr2Mike]

V40Vinnie said:

so is an A/C compressor but when that seized it was enough to stop the o/s focus from turning over

If the engine was already running (as per OPs car) then it would be more likely to make a nasty smell and smoke until the belt fell apart, unless it maybe happened at idle.

[GreenV8S]

Mr2Mike said:

If the engine was already running (as per OPs car) then it would be more likely to make a nasty smell and smoke until the belt fell apart, unless it maybe happened at idle.

I've read here about engines that have suffered cam belt failure as a result of an ancillary drive belt failure. Presumably only specific engine designs are vulnerable to that, but perhaps this is one of them.