Timing belt tragedy

[John Jo Mcneill]

I’m wondering if anyone here can help? I own a Citroen ds3 1.6 hdi 2014. I recently changed the water pump, timing and drive belts and set the tensioner on the timing belt wrong. Causing the bolt to snap and belt to be thrown against the belt covers (eating right through it in some places). The car cut out right away and I lost all power, no noise from the engine but the radio was on. I got towed home on a flat bed and began unbuilding the timing system finding out what I had done along the way. I ordered a new timing kit, extracted the snapped bolt and reset the timing using the holes on the fuel pump and crack/cam shafts. I fitted the new pullys and new belt set the tensioner properly this time after studying how they worked (complete fiddlesticks). Put everything back together and when I tried to start the car it almost goes, the starter engages and it gets right to the point where it almost ignites only for there to be a single clunk sound so I stop turning the car over.

When I try to crank the car by hand it becomes tight then releases as normal then it becomes engine mount bolt breaking strength to keep on turning through the second compression then back to the east one.

Is it likely that the valves are bent?

Or is this more a piston problem?

My plan is to break it down to the head gasket to check things out

Learning hobbyist mechanic trying to pave a way forward an help would be great fully appreciated

Topic

[Dave Tidman]

Bad news is it sounds like you have a bent valve. You could do a leakdown test to verify. If a few are bent, you may be able to get the head rebuilt by a machine shop.

[Author]

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