75ZT Community

It's a Rover 75 2.0 CDTi Auto which having driven about 1200yds from house there was a "clunk" sound (as Dodo described it) everything stopped. Pulled over and car wouldn't turn over or start, symptoms just like having a flat battery, clicking sound as turning ignition with flashing lights. Everything else electrical was working still OK on car.
RAC called out as a member and not used them, they turned up (2 vans 2 engineers ) and first of all thought battery as well, although what would stop car running surely not a flat battery? after flattening his battery booster unit on my car, he then decides its the starter motor as its getting hot. He tried hitting screw driver with hammer onto starter motor, no joy. Got towed home and on form diagnostic is listed as "Starter Motor burnt out and Jammed"
Well today fitted another starter motor the same and fault still the same with fully charged two year old battery. Disconnected battery and used neighbours 3 litre BMW Diesel via jump leads to contacts off of battery and still won't start but did get one attempt at slowly turning over so engine not seized another comment from RAC guy! Even with my battery reconnected to car and jump leads from 720Amp battery still no joy. Have check continuity on leads from battery to starter and Alternator OK.
Oil etc all checked OK and ECU (Engine Control Unit) isn't swimming.
Has anyone any ides?
Also been advised its the Alternator, but surely this wouldn't stop car when driving and prevent it from re starting?
Also advised ignition switch wiring, gearbox seized. You really get your monies worth from the RAC

At a bit of a loss and relying on others to try and get going etc due to still being incapacitated.

Many thanks everyone. Sorry not around much at the moment, now back to using buses!

If it's not the power lead, the earth lead is a good next check. Also check the voltages at the battery, and at the starter when trying to start. If the starter is trying to pull in and volts are OK, there's not much else that can be wrong.The electronics wouldn't stop it going round if the starter is pulling in. If there's a lot of volts going missing between the battery and starter, try to find out where the voltage is being dropped. You might get a good 12v until you actually try to draw current.

It could be something stuck in engine or box, that means it's very hard to turn over. Either some problem with the torque convertor, or gearbox fluid pressure pump. At worst, it could be something like the crank. There have been a few tales of snapped shafts, and this might well give these kind of symptoms. I hope not, of course.

Times like this I wish I was more clued up on the diesel John

Mileage is what now John? Just wondering about your timing chain and tensioner?

200,000 + miles Zeb, unfortuneately where do you start (after Duncan's list) for this fault and is it worth repairing if that serious?

Times like this I wish I was more clued up on the diesel John

Me to Dave.

Stab in the dark this, but, could it be a problem with the autobox solenoids?

Mike

I doubt it's the autobox solenoids. In order for them to have any effect, the gearbox pressure pump needs to be running to supply line pressure to the valve block. It won't even get that far as the engine won't turn over.

As to if it's worth fixing, well it depends what the problem turns out to be. Even an absolutely worst case scenario of needing a new engine could be done, and if the car is bodywork sound then it will last for another few miles yet!

But the car was running when there was a clunk and it stopped. So have the solenoids thown a wobbly and stuck the car in Park? If so the engine will not turn over.

The engine will turn over in Park, though. Otherwise how would you start in normally? The solenoids only select the forward gears and control the pressure as far as I know. But no matter what the solenoids do, without the line pressure (the engine running) it would revert to the same state as when starting normally.

Sorry my mistake, I meant to say Drive instead of Park. My line of thought was that..... think I will go back to bed, got up too early,

I would say she is worth saving even if it is an engine replacement job......she is, after all, a bit of an icon....!

Think the answer is the 'clunk' sound. Something has snapped or is not as it should be.

As has been said probably not the gearbox but does sound that the engine needs pulling out and looking at. However, at the mileage it has done far better to look for a low mileage engine from a scrapyard, or even a low mileage early car (so relatively cheap) and pull the engine out of it.

Sorry to hear this John!

Seen as the starter motor got red hot, first thing I'd see if you can rule out is if the engine's seized. If you can get someone to get the front end up off the ground, gbox in neutral, battery off etc.

If they've got a large enough socket and bar you should be able to turn the engine over by hand going from the crank pulley - if this won't turn then it would suggest that the engine has seized.