2.2 Engine siezed - how do I find benign / simple causes?

[RobFrost]

Went to start my 2.2 today, which has recently been driven and used to get the car up and down off ramps - it turned over for a moment and then siezed with a slight thud. Any checks I should to, to determine the cause?

This is not what this car does when the battery is flat - it doesn't turn at all. It didn't grind to a halt, it suddenly stopped in a "sudden mechanical interference" kind of way rather than a springy "cylinder compression" kind of way. And then it was siezed.

My drive is a very steep hill (facing uphill) so I put the car in reverse gear (turn engine forwards) and tried to roll - it would not. Normally it would roll. I put it in first gear (i.e. engine turn backwards) and it wouldn't roll either. I dropped the clutch to get half a yard momentum and lifted, which turned the engine backwards and then the car would roll. I tried the starter motor again and it made half a turn and siezed.

Last use, I started the car yesterday, drove it off ramps and say 5m up to the top of the drive. The only thing of note which has happened recently is that I turned the key the wrong way and engaged the starter at some point yesterday, but it worked fine after that.

I've not had anything off and I've not dropped any bits in.

What are the most likely causes, and what's the diagnostic process from here?

[PeterK]

Jammed starter motor / bendix ?

[Nine One One]

Rob,

Just an idea, make sure the starter is not actually seizing up on the flywheel?

We had somebody on an event that did a full days event, parked up overnight, with the exact symptoms as yours, when they went to start it in the morning. Car was towed back expecting a big bill, and it was the starter motor seized on!

[RobFrost]

Rob,

Just an idea, make sure the starter is not actually seizing up on the flywheel?

We had somebody on an event that did a full days event, parked up overnight, with the exact symptoms as yours, when they went to start it in the morning. Car was towed back expecting a big bill, and it was the starter motor seized on!

ok will do. I take it this has a throw-out gear with a return spring? Do the return springs ever break? This would make sense. I was just thinking only last week, while fixing the rear seat, how inaccessible the starter motor looked...

[RobFrost]

Right, buoyed by your very sensible suggestions it was the starter motor, I turned the engine backwards a good bit further - sufficient I thought to disengage the starter, and it started on the first turn of the key and ran sweetly - thanks for your help.

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[Nine One One]

Thats brilliant!

Part of what this forum is all about, helping one another, and sometimes it is just the simplest of things that can help.

No doubt you are now very relieved!

[Bootsy]

Thats brilliant!

Part of what this forum is all about, helping one another, and sometimes it is just the simplest of things that can help.

Amen to that

[Berny]

It,s also nice when people report back as you have done!

[RobFrost]

No doubt you are now very relieved!

Not only relieved but I can also get it on the ramps and continue with the day's work I had planned.

[neilbardsley]

Are you going to service/replace the starter motor?

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[RobFrost]

Are you going to service/replace the starter motor?

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The previous day I turned the key the wrong way and engaged the motor while the engine was running. My current hypothesis is that it may have rubbed some slight burrs up on the teeth, which will wear off with use. I'll only inspect/file/lubricate if it recurs.

[911hillclimber]

I've done that a few times over my many years with mine, engine at tick over, all's well so far.