Big end gone

[TheBeastie]

Having just got The Beastoe's smoke problem sorted (timing belt tensioner had disintegrated) and got her through her MOT disaster has again struck on my way to a RAYNET gig. Loss of power, knocking and more smoke (different through which makes a change). Had to go about half a mile to get somewhere reasonably safe to stop then called RAC. Guy said big ends (which was my thought) and called a lorry to take me home.

Really frustrating after 10 days of glorious trouble free driving. I cannot see how the two are related so must have done something really horrid in a previous life!

I am also getting oil now slowly dripping from the hand brake drum which never happened before so clearly some collateral damage too.

Is this likely to be repairable (probably by garage rather than me I suspect) or is it time to look for a new engine? Have no idea of costs but will speak to the guys who ladle out the TLC to the old girl on Monday. Any pointers though would be really useful.

Thanks

Malcy

[oakesy]

Prices for a replacement Engine can vary from suppliers or sources. Have the Garage assess the problem first if unsure? Then ask after damage report to cost replacement or repair. The oil maybe leaking from the engine via the handbrake. :(

[western]

oil from transmission brake will be from the transfer box, it can't be oil from the engine, unless it's blowing back whicle the vehicle is moving.

quickest engine fix would be a replacement short engine either from Turners or another vehicle.

[Les Henson]

Ingoring the oil drip from the transfer box, I would take an educated guess that it's not your big end/s at all (you get plenty of warning before things get dramatic/terminal). Big ends knock when under load (pulling away, putting the engine under load), and don't make the engine smoke or lose power unless the end is nigh Worn big ends will give a drop in oil pressure, so you would expect the oil warning light to let you know - especially at idle.

Sounds like the top end to me - head gasket, chipped valve, valve cap missing, etc, etc

Oil leak from the handbrake drum is transfer box rear oil seal, which might also include the bearing, but definitely not anything to do with your engine problems.

RAC/AA/Green Flag getting it right - that'll be the day!!

Les.

[Happyoldgit]

You won't know how to proceed until the old engine has been properly assessed and any rectification properly costed. If an end has gone the crank will need to be checked and measured and if the journal/s are worn it will need regrinding etc. so it's pretty much an engine strip-down anyway.

As Ralph says oil from the transmission brake is likely to be from a worn seal on the transfer box output.

What mileage has the vehicle got on it?

[lrfarmer]

big ends arent a bad job i do it on my tractors all the time if you can find some one who can regrind the crank, it's just a case of taking the engine out taking sump off and poping the crank out and down to have reground new shells and put it back together

oil pump may want looking at just incase thats corsed the problem

[TheBeastie]

Thanks for responses. The engine has 155k on the clock and I got it 5 years ago at 119k (and perhaps that was even genuine!)

If definitely had a loss of power and a going nowhere feel but will see what the garage say. Will leave them to diagnose without throwing in what the RAC guy said just in case it was a red herring. Hopefully it will not rid me of beer tokens for too long, but feel a drought approaching!