Originally posted by zgendron:
Originally posted by Ferret II:
so I've got my heart sort of hung on it being an issue with the clutch not disengaging due to air in the system, resulting in no or much less damage than a "dead engine". I am surely fond of Ferret II!




This seems strange to me though. Even if the clutch was not fully disengaged, what would cause the engine to "die." With the clutch engaged, it means the power would go to the wheels, and the car would jerk. There was no mention of a jerking action by the mechanic.




Hi. It wouldn't have caused the engine to be destroyed but might have sounded really bad, if they'd started it in first and the clutch wasn't disengaged due to air in the system. It would have sounded like starting the car in first without the clutch in, a nasty sound. It was just something to make sure hadn't happened and caused the mechanic to think the timing chain or something else in the engine had broken. (And the fact that the car didn't jerk did weaken this theory.) Turns out anyway that the engine was flooded! How that was interpreted as sounding like a potentially broken timing chain and/or grinding valves/pistons I can't really imagine! Thanks! Lynn

Lynn '95 Contour SE MTX, electric red, "Ferret II"