Garage ruined engine when car took in for MOT

Richard53

forgotmyname wrote: »

Is it just me or is that animated engine picture relaxing and mesmerising?

There's an animation going round of a cutaway V8 doing its stuff at a similar speed. I have been known to stare at it for half an hour.

Iceweasel

Here you go - animated engines:

http://www.animatedengines.com/diesel.html

For those with time on their hands there is a link to 507 'mechanical movements'.

Enjoy.

Mercdriver

Strider590 wrote: »

It ain't about the engine, it's about how it looks.

You said something that WAS sporty, not something that LOOKED sporty. A Clio 182 IS sporty. There's quite a difference.

System

sartois wrote: »

She basically took a working car in excellent condition (as far as I can tell) to the garage for a service and MOT and now the engine has (from the sounds of it) blown, and there is nothing she can do apart from ask nicely? Ouch.

Cambelt/chain failure in MOTs is not the MOT test centre's fault, neither is any other mechanical failure that happens during the test, and every single MOT centre will have notices stating it is your responsibility to ensure that your cambelt/chain is in good condition precisely because if you don't change it when you should then an MOT is where it's likely to go pop.

The MOT centre owe nothing, there is nothing she can ask, they don't have to offer her anything.

Joe_Horner

Tarambor wrote: »

Cambelt/chain failure in MOTs is not the MOT test centre's fault, neither is any other mechanical failure that happens during the test

Not necessarily true.

The test manual is quite clear that testing stations carry the same liability for cars on test as any other mechanic would doing the same task under a consumer contract without a disclaimer against liability.

In other words the tester is expected to maintain reasonable diligence and skill and, if he doesn't, he can be liable for the results.

The risks of the emission test are well known within the trade and amongst armchair experts on forums but (believe it or not) is not common knowledge with the general motoring public. That's why the government leaflet on the subject advises that the tester will actually ask you about the car's history.

Just putting a poster up and assuming someone will see, read, and understand the implications may not meet the requirement for reasonable diligence if they were later taken to court over damage.

Chrysalis

found a few videos on youtube of this issue.

Seems its quite common, I am amazed for this reason that

(a) mechanics running these tests are not standing by to react if it occurs so they can recover it before gets out of control
(b) the manufacturers dont add some kind of safety mechanism that detects the behaviour and stops the air intake.

JP08

Nice really big diesel runaway from an episode of Scrapheap Challenge. Starts at around 22 mins.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGQnKmW0yBs&list=PL31gVHGyyau00QsO_qWhVcTikVnOxjXSG&index=6

JP08

Iceweasel wrote: »

Here you go - animated engines:

http://www.animatedengines.com/diesel.html

For those with time on their hands there is a link to 507 'mechanical movements'.

Enjoy.

A nice site. Still doesn't explain to me why the "push" comes from in a Wankel engine drives the rotor in the right direction ... never have been able to quite figure that one. Yes the fuel/air mix goes bang. And all the gases heat and expand. In a conventional engine cylinder you can see that the piston as the only moveable part has to go down. But why does the rotor go clockwise (in the animated diagram one anyhow) ?

AdrianC

JP08 wrote: »

A nice site. Still doesn't explain to me why the "push" comes from in a Wankel engine drives the rotor in the right direction ... never have been able to quite figure that one. Yes the fuel/air mix goes bang. And all the gases heat and expand. In a conventional engine cylinder you can see that the piston as the only moveable part has to go down. But why does the rotor go clockwise (in the animated diagram one anyhow) ?

Because it's already going clockwise - the starter motor started it spinning. Yes, if it was stationary, it could go either way - but the explosive forces just push it to continue in the direction it's already rotating. The ignition timing is also set so that the push starts to happen JUST after the combustion chamber volume starts to increase from minimum.

JP08

Ahh - obvious really. Helps to be thinking about the dynamic situation, not the static one at the start of the power stroke ...