major 323 engine problem

[liamgt4]

Hi guys,

Hope you can help????

I have had many happy months on motoring but went to start the car yesterday and it struggled to start. Turned it over again and it started but let out an terrible noise of metal grinding! I turned it off straight away and called out the RAC.

When the RAC arrived the car would not start. They tested the first three pistons and had low compression ranging from 35 to 75 PSI but the guy wasnt sure what the issue could be as the pistons where still rising and falling when trying to turn it over!

I had the car towed to my local garage and straight away they tried to sell my a second hand engine!!!!!

Any ideas what could cause this issue? I now fear the garage will right off the engine just to sell me the spare engine they have!

Any ideas or advise would be greatful.

Cheers

[anonymous-user]

Major piston ring or calve failure. Or a hole in the piston, if you had a metalic noise i'd say some sort ot tempory oil starvation causing a ring to fail, althought why it didn't seaze is a question, head off, have a look then the second hand engine.

[liamgt4]

The cam belt slipped, throwing all the timing out and the engine destroyed itself.

Breaking it now. I am going back to Jap cars now!!!!

[phelix]

Must be an E21 or E30?