u/Accurate_Fortune_343

I posted a few weeks back about issues with a Clio.

It appeared as though the timing chain had slipped causing a complete lack of compression on all cylinders. It died whilst not moving, so we figured it had the best chance of survival.

We hoped that it was just out of time and the valves were slightly open when they shouldn't be.

We purchased a running chain kit, but once fitted and the timing set correctly there was still no compression.

By this point we had taken a fair amount apart, so we decided to take the head off to inspect further.

Once out it was evident that the 6 inlet valves were all bent but the exhaust valves appeared ok. The valve seats looked undamaged.

We decided to replace all 12 valves, so ordered 12 valves, 12 stem seals, head gasket set, head bolts etc.

We spent far too long building the head, testing, taking apart, cleaning, putting back together, measuring tolerance changing, tweaking until it all passed a liquid test and all met spec for clearance.

Installed HG and rebuilt,

Reinstalled new timing chain, we also had to install a new lower sprocket as the old one was too worn and a new tensioner and guides. We also did the small oil pump chain too.

All back together and it worked, done a few miles today with no issues.

It took 35 days to sort but that was around other things, so adding up the hours, I reckon it took 7 days of actual time. Learned a lot though.

Some interesting things...

The HG in the car was dated 2016 but the car was a 2014, so this had already had some kind of failure previously.

The chain was stretched but not as much as ones people showed on videos. The bottom sprocket was really worn, so I presume that was the main cause of the issue. One guide was partially broken but still fully functional. The tensioner was suspect, it wasn't smooth and would sometimes stick.

Changing the bottom sprocket isn't as easy as it looks, we had to take the sump off and drop the oil pump to allow the chain to come off, not a massive job but not that easy when you have the engine supported on the sump and no upper engine mount in place.

Hopefully will give a new lease of life to what would otherwise have been scrap.

We are a bit further along with the attempted rebuild of the 0.9 tce engine.

The timing jumped and bent all 6 inlet valves.

Not sure what caused the chain to jump, it was stretched but not as much as some of the ones I've seen on videos. The tensioner didn't seem to be working properly and seemed to be sticking. The bottom sprocket was worn.

Bottom sprocket and oil pump were a bit of a pain to change - had to undo the oil pump from behind the sump.

Head is now off and valves removed, valves were noticeably bent but removed easily from the guides. No sign of any damage to guides or valve seats.

Ordered gaskets set, stem seals, head bolts. Already have the full chain set.

Not done this before, any advice?

I'm going to lap the valves with some fine paste. Clean up the surfaces and then essentially put it all back together. Once the cylinder head is rebuilt. I'll refit that and put the camshafts back and the chain back on, set the timing and then test for compression.

Anything to watch out for?

2014 Clio, just purchased a couple of weeks ago by a young driver and broken already :(

I'm trying to help him out.

He went to move the car forward this morning to open the boot, the car didn't sound quite right, as he left his foot off the clutch there was a noise and the engine cut out.

On trying to start it again the engine just turns over easily so sounds like no compression. It sounds almost like when a starter motor solenoid sticks.

On taking the oil filler cap off, I can see the chain going round when starting is attempted, so it hasn't snapped the chain.

There are no funny noises etc when it spins over, but no firing either.

My diagnosis is that the chain has probably stretched and the tensioner has slipped putting the timing out. This has probably caused some damage(the noise he heard).

Does this sound correct? He doesn't have the money to replace the engine.

My plan is to take off the timing chain cover and inspect the chain and the timing. From there I can take the rocker cover off to inspect further.

Would bent valves cause total loss of compression? How much of a job am I looking at to replace? Is there likely to be further damage?

Slightly odd event today.

One of the big delivery companies was delivering a package to our house today in a plain white van.

It pulled onto our drive and the driver jumped out, the van started to roll down the drive. The driver managed to jump back in and stop it.

He then started it back up and moved it onto the road and turned it round.

He got out, walked round to the back and got into the back to fetch the package. The van started rolling backwards gathering speed, at the last moment the driver jumped out in-between his van and one of our cars, squashing his legs between his rear step and our rear bumper.

My daughter heard this and saw the van against the car. The driver got it from between and hobbled round to the front and moved forwards. He then got out again and was rubbing his legs. My daughter didn't know at this point that he had been hit by his van.

He got back in the back and found the package.

He didn't seem able to speak much English and was talking in another language. He managed to ask for some water. Which my daughter got for him.

Another van came down to deliver another parcel and whilst my daughter took this in the injured driver drove off.

So, we have full video coverage of this from 2 cameras. We have his registration.

The car isn't worth a huge amount, the corner of the bumper has a scuff from this and you can feel that something inside (crash bar possibly??) has been pressed into it giving it a few bumps. It isn't huge damage, but I'm worried incase there is any hidden damage.

I phoned the courier company to report it and to ask for details of the driver (and to ask them to check that the driver was ok). They promised to get the local depot to call me straight away. By the middle of the afternoon they still hadn't phoned so I called again and was told the same.

It barely seems worth going through insurance, and my daughter is worried that it may affect her insurance (her car, her policy, first year of driving). However I feel bad ignoring the fact that there might be hidden damage.

The car was also shunted forward, so I don't know if that would cause any damage to the handbrake or gearbox etc.