Engine seized because of Intercooler cleaning.

nathal

Active Member
Oct 20, 2008
100
0
i have just cleaned out my intercooler as it was filled with oil. I use paraffin to clean it out.

Started ok after that nut when i got down the road i revved which activated the turbo. It must have sucked up the paraffin. The car revved hard and burnt off the parraffin.

the car then stopped and wouldnt start, the car seems to have seized.

why would it have seized?
 

nathal

Active Member
Oct 20, 2008
100
0
diesel 110 tdi

wont start or move as if its a jammed starter.

wont crank or turn over
 

nathal

Active Member
Oct 20, 2008
100
0
a pint or so.

took of bottom hose of intercooler to let it run through, but obviosly not all got out.
tried moving the car in 2nd gear but wont budge, could the timing have jumped a notch.

how is it possible to hagve seized
 

nathal

Active Member
Oct 20, 2008
100
0
I mean, i tried pushing in 2nd to see if it would turn the engine and it wouldnt budge .
in the worst case, how much would it be for conrods and the like, or can they be bought separately
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,370
26
Gloucester
how is it possible to hagve seized

i dont think parraffin is igniteable on compression so will act similar to water and stop the piston compressing

with the momentum of the crank and the flywheel etc still pushing in behind something has to give and it's usually a rod bent firstly and if heavy pressure will snap and find a way to make daylight in the block with residual damage from engine unbalance

piston damage
block damage
cylinder bore scored
combustion chamber damage
valves bent

no end of possible damage to be caused and lock a motor up

last time i had a rod go it let loose its bottom end knocked twice and then wedged into the side of the block without any damage - surprisingly though it was strong enough to locke the engine/box and rear axle and gave me a 70mph handbrake turn which was fun holding on to :p

here's an example to make ya day - sorry

IMG_2672.JPG
 

nathal

Active Member
Oct 20, 2008
100
0
the engine is still holding the oil. will be checking in with mechanic later on to check the damage.

could you put a price on an 02 110tdi se 82k on clock with engine trouble.
 
Mar 15, 2008
616
0
Hatfield, Herts
A little bit of paraffin in diesel is OK - in the olden days (upto the 90's I think) paraffin was added to diesel to stop it freezing in cold conditions - too much and it'll act like water and destroy your engine on compression as Flapper says above :(
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,370
26
Gloucester
the engine is still holding the oil. will be checking in with mechanic later on to check the damage.

holding oil still is a good start but a proper inspection is your best bet but might have to strip it a bit to get right in
personally i would crack out the injectors or glow plugs and try and empty the cylinders first to see if it can get it moving at all

sending some good luck :mojo: and praying to the great god pirelli for ya :)

by the way you are not the first or the last to do similar so don't take it to heart too much - man made it therefore man can fix it
 
Last edited:

kewe

Active Member
Jun 20, 2001
814
6
Edinburgh
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holding oil still is a good start but a proper inspection is your best bet but might have to strip it a bit to get right in
personally i would crack out the injectors or glow plugs and try and empty the cylinders first to see if it can get it moving at all

sending some good luck :mojo: and praying to the great god pirelli for ya :)

by the way you are not the first or the last to do similar so don't take it to heart too much - man made it therefore man can fix it

Sorry to hear about this, I would be needing sedated if I had done this to my own car mate! :cry:

Fingers crossed it ain't too bad!
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,370
26
Gloucester
i have heard of a local dealer (not vag) replace a brand new engine from water inhalation

then proceeded to test drive it without emptying the cooler

then ordering a new engine again when they got towed back in :p
 
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