[Welshgez87]

Hey all wonder if anyone can help, possibly anyone from the uk? Ok so in another post i mentioned my starter motor had gone ( this is what i was told by a recovery guy when my car wouldnt start) i replaced the motor myself but the car still wouldnt start, got another recovery guy out to take a look, he thought it was just a dead battery but as the car still wouldnt start he did some more tests and stuff and said that my car has no compression, and could possibly be a piston or bent valve or something! He also mentioned that the air filter box was blowing out air as well as taking it in:/ i have bo idea if this is going to be a major job or something minor, anyonr have any experiance with this and possible costs? Im in the uk and have a 2009 1.4 petrol hyundai i30 es. Any help much apreciated

[Lorian]

Dead starter motor/dead batter have quite different signs to a knackered engine.

What exactly do you see and hear when you turn the key.

Check the voltage on the battery

have you tried pulling engine management codes.

[Welshgez87]

Yes its out of warranty, the nee starter motor and the battery are both working fine, when i turn the key i just get continuos clicking. The mechanic guy told me i have no compression or its loosing compression, and that it could be a bent valve or something, i have no idea about engine codes, i have very basic mechanical knowledge :/

[Lorian]

Solenoid clicking and you have replaced the starter and replaced and/or properly checked the battery?

Look for poor earth (3 behind airbox no my car - yours may differ) or +ve battery connections next I guess.

Not sure where compression comes in to this yet, I take it the last time you drove the car it didn't make a loud bang an just stop?

i have very basic mechanical knowledge :/

Me too, but at the moment it sounds like an electrical issue.

[Welshgez87]

The recovery guy checked all the connections and all was fine, its deffo a compression problem, i was quite low on oil a few weeks back but topped it up and car was running as normal, a few days before it stopped working i did notice it was sluggish goung up inclines and didnt have the power it should have:/ and no iir didnt stop with a bang or anything, i parked up outside my house after a day out and when i went to start it up the morning after thats when it was dead

[Asterix]

Something doesn't add up here.

If the car while tying to start, blows out air to the airfilter then the starter does work.!

If there's no compression, the starter works, because he can't check without the engine turning.

But, that doesn't add up when you say all you hear is a clicking sound, that sounds like the starter is trying, but doesn't get enough power, or the solenoid is faulty as Lorian say, but you've already replaced that.

Have you checked the timing belt is ok..?

Hmm....

[eye30]

May be obvious but do you have fuel in the car?

[Lorian]

The recovery guy checked all the connections and all was fine, its deffo a compression problem

Its not "deffo" a compression problem. You need to rule out the more likely, and cost effective things first.

I doubt he took the air box and ECU off an looked at the main earths, doubt he even knows where they are, they are not obvious.
How did he check the compression when the engine wont turn over?
Did he or you try Jump starting it (connecting the donor battery -ve to your engine not battery)

[Welshgez87]

Plenty of petrol in it, half a tank nearly, the car doesnt turn over ot start at all, i turned the key to start it and it just continuosly clicks, he checked all battery terminals and connections where fine:/ he got me to try and turn it over while pressing hard on the gas, didnt start just clicking and a kinda dull thumping sound:/ he also opend the air filter and sprayed wd40 into it as i was trying to turn it over, all i know is that he said it has no compression:/

[Lorian]

WD40 into the airbox and pronunciation of a compression issue, in this instance tells us more about the person than the car.

[Surferdude]

Is it possible it's siezed?

[Welshgez87]

It might of just been air i didnt see what it was as it was dark and very rainy! If it is compreesion issue and something like a valve or piston needs to be fixed/replaced what might this cost?

[Lorian]

Is it possible it's siezed?

It has to be a possibility, but we don't really have enough clues.

If it is compreesion issue and something like a valve or piston needs to be fixed/replaced what might this cost?

Quite a lot, if this is what has happened.

How much oil did you need to add when you topped it up?

Did he take the spark plugs out?

Did he try turning the engine over by hand (using a socket and wrench) ?

[Welshgez87]

Quite a bit of oil cant say how much exactly as i didnt top it up myself, no he didnt take any spark plugs out or try and turn it over the way you said, as i mentioned ot was dark and pouring down with rain so he did what he could in the conditions

[Dazzler]

Quite a bit of oil cant say how much exactly as i didnt top it up myself, no he didnt take any spark plugs out or try and turn it over the way you said, as i mentioned ot was dark and pouring down with rain so he did what he could in the conditions

I would try and get a second opinion from another local Mechanic. Your regular guy doesn't fill me with confidence (rain or no rain) 

Big thanks to Lorian for his diagnostic efforts so far! 

[Welshgez87]

He wasnt a local mechanic, just a recovery guybwho came out to help try and get it started, although im sure he has a good knowldge of cars i am taking it somewhere for another opinion, i was just wondering how much its likely to cost me if a valve is bent or the engine is siezed or something like that

[Dazzler]

He wasnt a local mechanic, just a recovery guybwho came out to help try and get it started, although im sure he has a good knowldge of cars i am taking it somewhere for another opinion, i was just wondering how much its likely to cost me if a valve is bent or the engine is siezed or something like that

How long is a piece of string? Depends how much damage is done and who fixes it... 

Not cheap = several hundred pounds to a thousand or more! 

Most mechanics charge like wounded bulls these days, unless you know an "old school" one!

Obviously the cost of parts can also vary depending on the source. 

[Welshgez87]

Ok so what would be the best/worst case scenarios? Im hoping its not to bad or expensive to fix :/

[Surferdude]

Ok so what would be the best/worst case scenarios? Im hoping its not to bad or expensive to fix :/

Honestly?
I doubt you're going to get those figures here simply because I'm not aware any of the members have had to rebuild (even in part) an i30 engine.
The symptoms you describe fit what happened when I got a belly full of water in my rally car's engine.
Lot's of clicking but not turning over - because it was seized  water in the combustion chambers and two bent con rods.
If the battery was at fault the clicking wouldn't continue. They'd gradually fade out.

[Welshgez87]

I know no one can give me a price, what i ment was whats the best i can hope for with regards to damage and what would be the worst thats been done to my engine?

[Phil №❶]

You need to approach this problem logically.

1 determine if the engine can rotate, remove spark plugs & rotate engine using a wrench on the crankcase pulley. If you can rotate 1 full turn without any obvious mechanical obstruction, then suspect an electrical problem. If not, then it is an engine problem.

Engine problems could be,

bent valve interfering with piston. Fix valve.

engine seized, no rotation at all. Replace engine.

engine hydrauliced = fluid in combustion chamber, coolant or other liquid, can not be compressed so appears as if engine seized, if so, removing the spark plugs will show fluid exiting and give you a clue. Repair problem.

Check that camshaft rotates when engine is rotated, most unlikely to be a timing chain issue, but still should be checked.

Check all electrical connections, both + and -, check battery voltage, you will need help to find your problem.

Good luck.

[Dazzler]

I know no one can give me a price, what i ment was whats the best i can hope for with regards to damage and what would be the worst thats been done to my engine?

It could be something very small and only cost you a few pounds (but I doubt it) or a new engine (worst case scenario)

Even the cost of a "new" engine could vary enormously depending on whether you can source a good second hand one and get it changed over by a sympathetic mechanic or new one from Hyundai replaced by a dealer. Maybe 1000 V 3000 pounds. Depending on the general condition of the car, a brand new motor would be hard to justify, cost wise.

[cruiserfied]

You seriously need to get a proper diagnosis of failure.
The current diagnosis of no compression is not even close to verified. I dont care how knowegable the recovery guy says he is it sounds to me like he has NFI.
Get the vehicle to a reputable workshop, preferably Hyundai,  pay them an hour or two for diagnosis and quote on repairs then go from there.

[Welshgez87]

Cheers for all the help and advice guys, il let you all know the outcome  as soon as its in the garage . Thanks all

[Dazzler]

Cheers for all the help and advice guys, il let you all know the outcome  as soon as its in the garage . Thanks all

We are a sympathetic lot on here, so I'm sure we are all hoping for a positive diagnosis and a cheap and easy fix. 

[omegaspeedy]

If air is pumping out air box, it's got to be the head gear is not aligned properly with the crank and the inlet valve is open for a duration of the up stroke of the piston. Hope it's not a bent or stuck valve but start with the timing marks and check they are where they should be.

[Welshgez87]

Sorry i have no idea how to check any of that:/ as ive said i have basic mechanical knowledge, i know where parts are and what they look like but as far as going to check them for faults and problems is prob end up doing more damage lol

[Lorian]

If air is pumping out air box, it's got to be the head gear is not aligned properly with the crank and the inlet valve is open for a duration of the up stroke of the piston. Hope it's not a bent or stuck valve but start with the timing marks and check they are where they should be.

You are missing the point that the engine isn't turning over, so if air is coming out of the airbox.......

[Welshgez87]

Ok so i just went to the car to get some things out that i left inside it, key fob wouldnt unlock the doors, had to open it manualy, put key in ignotion turned it on, nothing came up on the dash at all, headlights wont even come on! A neighbour came over with a bit of metal wire to test the battery for me and it has no power in it at all! He also said i should check the connections myself but with a completely dead battery i still wont know whats causing my problems:/

[Lorian]

Good job it was dead, testing it with a bit of wire.

Got a charger, or have any of the neighbours?

Or jump leads?