Rotor arm not turning when I turn engine over

[Bakscar]

Hi and Help
I bought and went to collect my new to me Stag on Sunday. I was tootling down the A42 heading home when all power to the engine stopped. I was brought home on a flatbed recovery truck ( much to the amusement of my 17 year old son).

I then checked the coil all good no issues I then cleaned the plugs and dizzy cap. I got my son to crank the car over and it cranks over well but the rotor arm staid put. I took the dizzy out and the cam shaft is solid what could this be I hope my worst fears are unfounded as I believe it may be the timing chain I am ok with cars but this is the first V8 I've ever had to work on as a weekend spanner man

If anyone has any advice please help.

[GDPR]

Oh dear - this is not a new tale. There is a strong possibility that the water pump gear has failed and locked up the jackshaft. There will be some, if not considerable engine damage.

I'm sure that there will be many opinions on where to start, but I would remove the cam covers, and check the cam timing on both banks. If you are very lucky the cam timing will be ok, and only the sprocket dowel on the jackshaft sheared as a result.

Start there and report back, and myself or one of the other engine experts will talk you through sorting it out

Russ

[flying farmer]

As above.

I have suffered the same failure shortly after buying my 1st Stag.

Plenty of advise available here, best of luck that you haven't suffered too much collateral damage.

neil

[I am Groot]

Hi exact same breakdown happened to me and Russ helped me through what was initially a very scary complicated repair but don't worry plenty of good help on here. Neal could be correct but your temperature gauge would have risen in the few minutes before you lost drive? If not its more likely the pin holding the jack shaft has broken and that immediately stops the oil pump distributor drive and water pump and may have caused no damage. They are old it happens or maybe it had some work and wasn't tightened propearly.

[velosolex50]

Rotten luck. At least my car waited for a year or so before doing this. (30 years ago) It was the water pump gear locking up, snapped the drive dowel on the jackshaft and stopped the engine without other damage. A relatively easy fix with secondhand parts (and cleaning out the swarf), I hope you are lucky too.

[jbuckl]

As per #2

Have a look through the oil filler cap, maybe using an endoscope, to inspect the chains / jackshaft sprocket. (digital endoscopes are quite cheap <£20)

Was the water pump rebuilt recently?

Join the club.

Post your pictorial findings.

Welcome on here

Many others has this failure happen too. There are various causes & fixes.

[Paul Roberts]

You may, also, benefit from joining as a full member of the SOC. You will loose your access to the wider Forum if you don't.

That said; there are some very good people on here who may well advise you privately.

[Stagsongas]

Bakscar,

Sorry to hear this, at least my car gave me a little more time before the Water Pump did it's mischief. Sadly, the problem appears to be all too common for new owners , but take heart - you will get through it one way or another, the best route being to join the club (literal, not the siezed water pump club!)

Here's the full story of my breakdown and repair, I hope it's useful to you;

http://socforum.com/forum/showthread.php?22234-It-s-Broke-(&highlight=It%27s+Broke

Regards

Steve

[Bakscar]

Thanks to all. I will be tackling it earlier next week there was no increase in temperature as I was watching all the dials as I had only done 20 miles. Also I have done the relevant to become a member and will having many talks with many members I'm sure. Once again thanks for the help and encourament

[fussydave]

Sorry to hear this, join the club. Exact same thing happened to me on Drive It Day. Result? £4k engine rebuild. Only advise I can give is do not buy a new water pump, get an original pump overhauled if you can get hold of one or go for an electric water pump. It was a new water pump that failed on my car.

On the positive side I will know that I have a good engine going forward. Unfortunately I will not get the car back until the end of July so am missing a lot of days out.

Regards,

Dave.

[jasper]

Sorry to hear of your bad news
Where are you having the work done at ??

Sorry to hear this, join the club. Exact same thing happened to me on Drive It Day. Result? £4k engine rebuild. Only advise I can give is do not buy a new water pump, get an original pump overhauled if you can get hold of one or go for an electric water pump. It was a new water pump that failed on my car.

On the positive side I will know that I have a good engine going forward. Unfortunately I will not get the car back until the end of July so am missing a lot of days out.

Regards,

Dave.

[Nambo]

For many years, I have followed the advice given by an engineering shop, namely, buy a bottle of that stuff you add to the water system to cure water leaks. When it has been standing, you find the cork? particles have settled on the bottom, and the oily lubricant occupies the top half of the bottle. Don't shake the bottle, just pour the top oily part into your radiator, I am told it provides much needed lubricant to the water pump.

[Stagsongas]

Thanks to all. I will be tackling it earlier next week there was no increase in temperature as I was watching all the dials as I had only done 20 miles. Also I have done the relevant to become a member and will having many talks with many members I'm sure. Once again thanks for the help and encourament

There wasn't any temp. increase with mine either - the engine just died.

The thread I suggested is quite long but there's loads of useful info. in there from many people, and lots of pics from me. It should help.

In short, my Water Pump Siezed and stopped the Jackshaft. The drive pin on the JS (cog end) then sheared and the Crankshaft carried on turning until it stopped due to lack of power. Although my distributor would not rotate freely (unlike yours), it was found that the cog had 'picked up' to make it appear that it had not moved, but the confusing thing at outset was that the timing ended up around 180 degrees out due to the cog/ chain slippage. How I got away without any valve damage I'll never know, but let's hope you're that lucky too.

I'm sure you find me vowing on that thread that I'd never run another standard Water Pump, and a couple of years or so later on that's a decision I'm pleased with.

Good Luck

Steve

[fussydave]

Sorry to hear of your bad news
Where are you having the work done at ??

Hi Jasper, EJ Wards, John will be doing the work but I was number five in line when I first asked him. The car goes in on the 27/6 and hopefully I will get it back by the end of July.

Dave

[I am Groot]

If temperature didn't rise it possibly was not the water pump issue. Usually it fails first then the rise in temp causes the jack shaft that feeds oil pump water pump and distributor to seize then the pin breaks and you loose drive but it sounds like you could just have a break for another reason but don't get worried about cost staying optimistic this might be a repair for a few hundred pounds I am certain Russ would help as would myself and others if you need it