Rare Rover 25 Diesel failure

[heightswitch]

Cannot believe it...Suffered a breakdown this morning while reversing up the drive...

Symptoms..Engine its usual slightly sluggish self on cold start..Reversed up the drive (sloped) Give it a bit of revs,,Got a metalic squeel and then the engine died..as if partially seizing.

Competition quiz for best diagnosis..

Engine now difficult to turn over,,Starter motor sound ropy but that may be because it is struggling to turn over a partially seized engine...

Clue..the same metalic noise would start if I went through a puddle but then subside as the water washed away emanating from the aux pulley area as if a dry bearing...

My diagnosis is either...

1. Seized starter motor
2. Seized alternator
3. Seized tensioner

haven't even thought of a cam belt failure yet but also possibility

Whats do the regulars think..

Not used to having to diagnose stuff onthis car since nowt ever goes wrong

N.

[Mr2Mike]

Temporarily remove the aux belt and see if the problem goes away.

[heightswitch]

Right..
update..

took off drivebelt and car started straight away..tensioner is free and works fine.

Alternator drive was seized and as such i removed it.

Got it on the bench and thought I would take a closer look. Socket on it and freed it off with a sharp crack as if it had welded itself to a face joint..

I stripped the brake vacuum pump off the alternator and withdrew the splined drive to look at the seal and bearing on the back of the alternator, spigot bearing looked ok. I cleaned the face off the mating surface on the back of the pump which looked as if it had picked up on the bearing face..I have liberally packed everything up with copperslip cleaned and re-assembled..

Everything now appears OK..and everything is free

Now I am wondering whether it will just be a temp fix due to knackered bearings in the vacuum pump or whether this is a common issue??

I will re-fit with a new belt and see how long it lasts as a repair!!

Anyone had similar??

N.

[Mr2Mike]

heightswitch said:

I have liberally packed everything up with copperslip cleaned and re-assembled..

Hopefully you put no copper grease in the bearings!

[heightswitch]

Mr2Mike said:

Hopefully you put no copper grease in the bearings!

No.
Bearings are sealed. just mating surfaces and splines.
Am more interested with the outer bearing on the vacuum pump since this looks to be the culprit..anyhow will box up and see how we go.

N.

[mattyprice4004]

My ZS diesel did this when I rebuilt the head and left it for a couple of months.

In the end I just cracked it off with a large socket and breaker bar - I was in a pretty bad mood already that day!

Still working fine 30k on, no idea what caused it.