Clutch failed now engine won’t turnover
Discussion
Hi, I have a problem with my Honda CRV, diesel, 61 plate. My clutch completely failed whilst on the motorway (clutch beginning to fail was noticed for a few weeks before the clutch completely failed) , a cloud of white smoke exited from the exhaust and I instantly pulled in to a hard shoulder. The car was then recovered and left to sit for approx 9 months without being started whilst I saved for a new clutch repair. My crv was then taken to a car repair garage for the clutch repair and the garage informed my engine was seized and that I require an engine replacement which was not cheap.
The checks to my knowledge the garage done on the engine was replacing the battery, remove and check the starter motor (no reported issues) then tried to turnover the engine using a socket, breaker bar and a scaffold tube on the crankshaft pulley but the engine would not move. I have since taken my car out of the garage and I would like to gain some advice on what checks I can do prior to committing to a new engine. I was thinking that maybe broken parts from the clutch could perhaps be stuck in the bell housing and would it be worth checking this by removing the starter motor, viewing inside for any debris or by removing the gearbox to check? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Stevie933 said:
Hi, I have a problem with my Honda CRV, diesel, 61 plate. My clutch completely failed whilst on the motorway (clutch beginning to fail was noticed for a few weeks before the clutch completely failed) , a cloud of white smoke exited from the exhaust and I instantly pulled in to a hard shoulder. The car was then recovered and left to sit for approx 9 months without being started whilst I saved for a new clutch repair. My crv was then taken to a car repair garage for the clutch repair and the garage informed my engine was seized and that I require an engine replacement which was not cheap.
The checks to my knowledge the garage done on the engine was replacing the battery, remove and check the starter motor (no reported issues) then tried to turnover the engine using a socket, breaker bar and a scaffold tube on the crankshaft pulley but the engine would not move. I have since taken my car out of the garage and I would like to gain some advice on what checks I can do prior to committing to a new engine. I was thinking that maybe broken parts from the clutch could perhaps be stuck in the bell housing and would it be worth checking this by removing the starter motor, viewing inside for any debris or by removing the gearbox to check? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Clutches don't do that.The checks to my knowledge the garage done on the engine was replacing the battery, remove and check the starter motor (no reported issues) then tried to turnover the engine using a socket, breaker bar and a scaffold tube on the crankshaft pulley but the engine would not move. I have since taken my car out of the garage and I would like to gain some advice on what checks I can do prior to committing to a new engine. I was thinking that maybe broken parts from the clutch could perhaps be stuck in the bell housing and would it be worth checking this by removing the starter motor, viewing inside for any debris or by removing the gearbox to check? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
It's f
ked.Hi, yes agree with the clutch not doing that but I wanted to make sure that I provided all the details of what happened. The evidence of the clutch failing was the smell of the burnt out clutch, other than noticing the clutch slipping a few weeks prior to the clutch completely failing and getting worse no other evidence pointing to the clutch. There was no evidence of an engine leaking oil or coolant leaks.
As above, your breakdown was probably nothing to do with the clutch. If the clutch failed then you would have just the smell and loss of drive. White smoke suggests serious engine issue, such as head gasket failure, letting water into the bores that has now rusted the pistons (more likely the rings) into the bores after 9 months of sitting idle. Or turbo let go which again would spell the end for the engine....
chrisch77 said:
As above, your breakdown was probably nothing to do with the clutch. If the clutch failed then you would have just the smell and loss of drive. White smoke suggests serious engine issue, such as head gasket failure, letting water into the bores that has now rusted the pistons (more likely the rings) into the bores after 9 months of sitting idle. Or turbo let go which again would spell the end for the engine....
I'd think it'd be a turbo, as when it breaks up it can be ingested by the engine which causes further issues like this.Smell of burning clutch would be the wheels driving the clutch against a stationary flywheel as the 1 tonne vehicle rolls to a stop.
White smoke is diesel or oil from the turbo
If the garage can’t shift the engine with a scaffold bar on the crank the engine is properly ceased.
Usually with a major clutch failure the friction material breaks up leaving no drive to the wheels.
White smoke is diesel or oil from the turbo
If the garage can’t shift the engine with a scaffold bar on the crank the engine is properly ceased.
Usually with a major clutch failure the friction material breaks up leaving no drive to the wheels.
Would agree it was an engine failure as opposed to clutch failure. Thick white smoke is generally considered to be coolant, oil is a blue/grey cloud, loads of excess diesel would have been black.
As a randomer on the internet, I'd say head gasket, lots of coolant in cylinders, maybe some damage from compressing the coolant, engine largely hydrolocked whilst travelling along the motorway, clutch smell was the wheels turning the gearbox and thus the clutch over against a stationary or very reluctant to turn flywheel.
If engine won't turn over, quite possibly it was already shafted on the motorway, or equally all the coolant in the cylinders has washed the oil off the bores and feasibly anywhere else it's leaked out onto over the 9 months and now many parts are nicely rusted together.
As a randomer on the internet, I'd say head gasket, lots of coolant in cylinders, maybe some damage from compressing the coolant, engine largely hydrolocked whilst travelling along the motorway, clutch smell was the wheels turning the gearbox and thus the clutch over against a stationary or very reluctant to turn flywheel.
If engine won't turn over, quite possibly it was already shafted on the motorway, or equally all the coolant in the cylinders has washed the oil off the bores and feasibly anywhere else it's leaked out onto over the 9 months and now many parts are nicely rusted together.
Thanks all Very much for the information. I want to say now that I have had time to look at the car, the coolant level was ok, I had the coolant tested, antifreeze was present and there was no signs of oil in the coolant. The oil is black, the oil level was slightly high and there was no signs of coolant within the oil or the oil filler cap. There is no signs of external leakage, should the cylinder head gasket be ok based on this? Today I removed the pipe work / hoses from the turbo and inspected inside, there was no signs of damage. Also I want to mention I checked the gearbox oil level and visibly checked the oil condition and both looked fine. I have removed the injectors, they were all clean and easily removed (but one). The plan is tomorrow to put Marvel Mystery Oil (came highly recommended) in the injector ports and leave for a few days in the hope of possibly freeing the pistons. I know there has to be something more so sinister going on here, based on the information I have gave, can anyone perhaps shed some further light please?
Edited by Stevie933 on Thursday 7th November 15:55
Edited by Stevie933 on Thursday 7th November 15:56
Edited by Stevie933 on Thursday 7th November 17:37
Tried turning over by hand a couple of days ago, I will try to turnover again by hand after a few days of soaking the pistons. I am running out of ideas other than start tearing in to the engine. I’ve inspected inside the bellhousing through the inspection plates and there are no obvious signs of damage or foreign objects.
Today I removed the rocker head, no issues with the drive chain and drive chain is under good tension, everything else under the rocker looks good. I want to mention that after are struggling to remove injector #4 the nozzle was found to be swollen and the injector was in poor condition. I’ve taken tension of the fan belt and I plan to remove the crankshaft pulley for a better look inside and to hopefully locate the issue. Can anyone provide any further advice based on the information I provided please?
Problem is....the info is poor.
you have removed a lot of parts....but give no real indication of whether the crank can move at all, or not even the slightest bit.
Even without removing injectors this would be apparent.
Presumably as a fwd car the sump would be easy to remove....so surely this would be a better choice than the injectors ?
Have you jacked the drive wheels up to see if the transmission is locked up, or works in any shape or form ?
you have removed a lot of parts....but give no real indication of whether the crank can move at all, or not even the slightest bit.
Even without removing injectors this would be apparent.
Presumably as a fwd car the sump would be easy to remove....so surely this would be a better choice than the injectors ?
Have you jacked the drive wheels up to see if the transmission is locked up, or works in any shape or form ?
Stevie933 said:
Today I removed the rocker head, no issues with the drive chain and drive chain is under good tension, everything else under the rocker looks good. I want to mention that after are struggling to remove injector #4 the nozzle was found to be swollen and the injector was in poor condition. I’ve taken tension of the fan belt and I plan to remove the crankshaft pulley for a better look inside and to hopefully locate the issue. Can anyone provide any further advice based on the information I provided please?
Time to stop grasping at straws.If you can't turn the engine over at all with a socket & breaker bar on the crank bolt then it's either seized solid or there is something preventing the movement.
I suspect No.4 injector potentially might be a factor, excess diesel would look whiteish, excess diesel would also raise the oil level from attempting to regenerate the DPF, so what you have in the crankcase might not just be oil. Given that most diesels use some oil there is potential for the crankcase to be holding a larger amount of fuel, this would affect cooling and lubrication, so there are a couple of hypotheticals. In extreme injector scenarios it could even be that number four big end has taken excess load and been affected again hypothetical, or perhaps a high volume of fuel has caused the cylinder to hydraulic. Like above, you need to see if the engine turns over. Then you could try a borescope or some improvisation to get an idea of piston heights or cylinder condition.
I had a Nissan in with a collapsed clutch release bearing. I replaced the clutch kit and on road test the engine locked solid. I took the box out and found a ball bearing I had missed had jammed between the starter ring gear and the bell housing. Could be something similar with yours.
paintman said:
Stevie933 said:
Today I removed the rocker head, no issues with the drive chain and drive chain is under good tension, everything else under the rocker looks good. I want to mention that after are struggling to remove injector #4 the nozzle was found to be swollen and the injector was in poor condition. I’ve taken tension of the fan belt and I plan to remove the crankshaft pulley for a better look inside and to hopefully locate the issue. Can anyone provide any further advice based on the information I provided please?
Time to stop grasping at straws.If you can't turn the engine over at all with a socket & breaker bar on the crank bolt then it's either seized solid or there is something preventing the movement.
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