Mechanic and advice needed -to fix Rover 75 in North London -Friern Barnet N11 ,
 

I need some help fix my car I wonder if you can help me with that (or advice me what to do)

I have a lovely Rover 75, 2.5(1999 - petrol)

I am not sure what is wrong, but last time I saw an error on the screen began with Jim........ (?!). then switched off and later when i tried to start the car there was a bad noise, coming out of engine area (but outside main engine- perhaps under starter motor, like some kind of chain or belt is running loos (a noise like some metal chain loosen and running to each other!) ..

It used to have an issue with the fan (only 3rd speed was working) but now its broken down, perhaps a issue with Cam-belt (timbelt) as AA suggested when they took it to my place (its on the road -outside my house and not running/ + ran out of battery..)

I live in North London -Friern Barnet N11, I am looking forward to fix my car with an affordable option as soon as possible ..

Do you have any suggestion for me ?! Please do let me know, thank you very much-

Farad.

Did this noise come on as you where driving or as you tried to start it? have you any idea when the timing belt was last changed?

Thread moved to appropriate forum. Re-direct left in old. May get better coverage in here :Holly2:

Hello Farad,

I'm sorry to hear of your breakdown. Let's see if we can help.
Does the starter motor run normally? In other words, is the engine being turned over or is it the starter making this noise?

The key to this is careful diagnosis. It's easy to guess at the worst possible scenario, but we have very little to go on at the moment. Particularly this:

The breakdown services usually offer an opinion, and they're often wrong. I saved a colleague's VW Golf which was condemned with head gasket failure. It was nothing of the kind, and the car lives to this day. So whilst you shouldn't rule out anything at this early stage, it would be unwise to assume the worst. Besides, the cambelt is at the opposite end of the engine to your reported source of the noise.

Buy or borrow a smart charger and connect your battery to it immediately and leave it there for at least 24 hours. If you delay, your battery may never recover and that will be another unwelcome expense.

Simon

Yes, Starter is OK
 

Hello and thanks for your time,

Yes I heard the noise when I was driving (the engine was overheated too -as I explained there was an issue with fan as well), But I switched off the running engine to make the engine cool (with noise started just for a few seconds PLUS saw the red error on the screen (which started with these letters; Jim ...... ..... [?] -but could not read the rest.. ) ,
then after a few minutes I tried to turn the engine on but didn't start and the BAD noise was coming out while starting.. ,
AND Starter is fine, working ..

And I really do not know when cam-belt was changed if it was ..(because it is 70,000 mile - and previous owner told me I did not have any issue for few years apart from radiator which changed..)

Thanks. farad

Thanks
 

just to give some more info,

Starter's motor definitely working fine, and the noise it's not from the starter itself (although it might be from the connection that chains/connects starter to engine ( *sorry- I do Not know the technical terms of it in English)

there was something else might help you to help me to find out what is the issue;
AA, told me there is no compress pressure on engine and that's why it is cam-belt! Although I started for 2 second and he heard the noise with no any other diagnostic checks he suggested cam-belt and he seemed too confident!!
But i did not believe him as he had less than 2 seconds to suggest the cam-belt and it is very bad news!

And then he advised me to get rid of the car for free, because it would cost 2 or £3000 as I have to change the engine and cam-belt for this particular car is somehow very hard and costly to change and it costs more than the car itself.
Now, I asked a local garage ( it is 100 meter away from my house in friern Barnet ) to see my car, But it is now 10th day that he promises to come!, Today again he said he will come tomorrow but i dn't know if he can make it..!
And thanks for the suggestion/ I will try to recharge the battery to avoid more cost..

I would be grateful if you have any advice..
Thank you.
farad

Drop kenton a pm good bloke and he is your way Borehamwood

Also,

Do you think, There would be any use if I could find the error message on the screen (appeared just before that noise began with Jim... .... ..... ) to find out the issue ?

(2 minutes before engine breakdown, first I saw this on screen; Overheating Engine - But I saw that error two minute later (started with J - which I could not read the rest.. perhaps JIM... .. Or JAM! ... ..

Again thanks for your time and avice

Thanks for the extra information Farad. I think seancar's advice is your best bet. See if Kenton will come out to have a look at your car and tell the local garage not to bother (they're obviously not interested anyway).

Let us know how you get on.

Simon

Learnt a very good lesson not long after I bought my first car back in the day: Never believe a single thing the seller says. :getmecoat:

Go over the car like a rash and carefully check all the paperwork instead. ;)

Then get it serviced as per the manufacturer's recommendations if you have any doubt that it hasn't been done, or hasn't been done correctly.

What your seller neglected to tell you is that belts need to be changed every 90,000 miles or 6 years, so on a 1999 car they should have been done twice by now.

Sounds like the AA man could well have made the correct diagnosis, but as Simon says worth getting a second professional opinion and also see if it can be repaired economically.

PS The exception to the rule I once bought a car from Terry at TSAutos. Needless to say exactly as described and it is still going strong.
.