Very scary! My car suddenly lost all power while driving at about 50mph

lesalanos

hi,

I cannot help with your problem but it may be worth starting a new thread. A lot of people will see that the thread started 3 years ago and will not read all of it

Shoshannah

anewman wrote: »

Not at all according to above post.

Someone told me they managed to have their cam belt changed at the side of the road on a Ford Sierra. I couldn't believe that, but the person who told me is trustworthy so I can only assume the Sierra cam belt is easy to swap out.

Dead easy on some of the Sierras.

Random blast from the past, this thread.

Hammyman

anewman wrote: »

Not at all according to above post.

Someone told me they managed to have their cam belt changed at the side of the road on a Ford Sierra. I couldn't believe that, but the person who told me is trustworthy so I can only assume the Sierra cam belt is easy to swap out.

It is super simple to chage. The Sierra uses the Pinto engine which is from the 1960's. Takes 10 minutes and needs only a 10mm spanner, a 13 mm spanner, a 19mm spanner and a screwdriver. There's 3 bolts to undo for the cover and two to slacken off on the tensioner. Its all there in front of you with loads of space to work unlike most modern cars that need unbelievably thin hands, the drivers wheel taking off to access from the inner wing and "Specialist tool part no..." to do.

benham3160

Shoshannah wrote: »

Dead easy on some of the Sierras.

Random blast from the past, this thread.

Old Pinto is non-interference (just fitted one in a kit-car) and it takes about half an hour to change the belt. If it snaps just line the marks up, fit a new belt and off you go again. A viscous fan spanner, (that'll send you trawling though your junk box!) helps no end when doing these engines.

Not many cars that you can do that with still knocking around now, only the mk1 MX-5, Fiat FIRE engines and random small Vauxhall engines spring to mind.

Regards,
Andy

sassy_one

Is there no power at all now?! Meaning, the battery is dead?!

If this is the case, I would charge the battery by taking it out of the car and leaving it for 48 hours on charge.

Put it back in the car and see if it'll start, don't touch the accelerator while starting it or you could flood the engine with petrol.
If it turns and does run, even for a little while, I would suspect a alternator failure.

My Mondeo had the same problem a year or so back, lost power at 40 MPH and all electrics were lost shortly after before the car came to a complete stop on side of the road.

AA attended and did some tests and found the alternator was to blame as was not charging the battery and the correct rate (Lower than it should have been)