sounds like its just a flat battery

 

+1 sounds to be a dead battery

 

i'll try bumping now, anyway else to check without making things worse if it is the worst case scenario?

 

car is toast, tried bumping and that just made the wheels lock up, even in 5th. No idea why this has happend though

 

Try removing the spark plugs and turning the engine over by hand (22mm socket on the crank pulley. It should turn nice and freely. If it doesn't and locks up, it's time to strip off the timing covers to check the timing.

 

will have a look tomorrow, but its definitely seized somewhere as theres no way the wheels should lock in 5th. Dont know how its happened though

 

remove spark plugs and retry on key with plugs removed, I think you will find the engine water locked

 

I agree. Beat me to it

 

Coolant entry into a cylinder when removing inlet manifold, hydraulic lock or worse?

 

whats that mean guys?

 

liquid cant be compressed. if liquid gets into a cylinder it will try and compress the liquid but cant and lock the engine (hydraulic lock or hydro lock)

take the spark plugs out and turn it over on the starter

worst case bent rod maybe best case you got lucky

 

i've pulled the plugs out and #4 cylinder was full of fluid. This is the area which had the gasket leak in the fist place, so i think it was a combination of dodgy gasket/ water leaking in when taking off manifold / rain over last few days with engine exposed.

I've turned the car over with plugs out and it turned over ok, with a gush of water out of #4 cylinder.

Should i attempt to start it now or is there a way to see if theres anymore water to come out?

 

i put new plugs in and the car started after a couple of attempts It doesnt sound quite the same as before though so im sure some damage has been done. Is there anything i can do to minimize the damage or stop the car from being totally wrecked? the car is on finance so im very tempted to do a voluntary termination and let them deal with it

 

The only damage usually done by a hydraulic lock is to bend the con rods. This will result in a loud knocking noise.

Check your coolant level before trying to start it again because it should never have filled up a cylinder!

 

check the manifold gasket is the correct one, if it is wrong it will allow water to pass from the water jurnal in the manifold direct in to cylinder number 4 inlet port

 

gasket is correct and all ok now, problem must have occurred when i took the old manifold off, or prior, as the coolant level has not moved since i have changed the gasket.

I know it could have bent the rods, but is that something i'd notice straight away? car just sounds a bit different than before im sure, maybe a mettalic juddery grindy noise, if thats a description lol.

gonna change the oil and filter tomorrow as i think some water has managed to get into the sump.

 

if you have a rod bent i wouldnt bother with an oil change. your engine is pretty much scrap

 

aye i know that mate, how do i tell if the rod is bent though? its not making any major knocking noises, just a slightly metally sound which i can notice as ive been driving the car for 4 years. dont know if anyone else could notice it tbh. I'm not going to drive the car anymore, have notified the finance company that i want it collected and the agreement cancelled.

it sounds more like a bearing problem than a rod

 

a bearing would make a rumble or knocking.

a bent rod will make the engine vibrate slightly and may not run very even at idle

 

You will have less problems fixing he car than the agro you will have with the finance company if you give the car back to them

 

i've just had 10minutes with the car, car is running fine at idle and when i rev it. Slight noise is there though.

Its giving me one hell of a noise when i turn the key though, a kind of grinding screech. sounds like the starter to me. could i have damaged the starter trying to turn the car over yesterday?

 

perhaps ...