If possible, any chance of a few more pics of the bottom end of the pulley? If the belt has stripped at the bottom pulley there may / should be some debris looking like shredded black rubber present - I can't se any in the first pics. Get someone to turn the car over on the starter motor and see if the front pulley / alternator belt is turning, if it is then the timing belt is gone and it is head off time I'm afraid. If the pulleys are not turning, but the starter is , then it may be a starter issue - it could be turning, but not engaging the flywheel. This would be a much cheaper fault to fix.
Gut feeling though is that the timing belt has gone, and it's a head off / valve replacement etc. Sorry, but seen it a few too many times over the years.....
Dear Shortbase, thank you so much for taking the time and trouble to reply to my posting - I'm having a difficult time coming to terms with my car having 'decided to spit his teeth out overnight'!! I don't travel many miles (3,500 approx. in the past year) and don't push my poor Alfred (Landy) very hard. I'd had to pop my sons over to an appointment - 6 miles each way - and car was fine (though has had white smoke and strong fuel fume issues from the exhaust, has lost coolant but this had almost completely resolved after head gasket sealant temporary repair which I hoped was going to keep us on the road until the MOT test on 09 September!), we got home, I parked up and there was nothing to suggest there was going to be any problem - the engine seemed to be running smoother (he'd had 2nd bottle of temporary fix that afternoon), there'd been no white plumes for some weeks (since the 1st bottle of temporary fix), the fumes from the exhaust had diminished, coolant was still in the expansion tank (though it was orange when we expected it to be brown from the additive). Engine runs extremely hot but does not overheat, apparently - had tested by computer and also had fan 'switch/sensor' replaced and double-checked that fans work. Had temperature sensor gauge replaced as gauge on dashboard did not work - gauge still does not work, hence the computer test to check engine heat! Was intending to have gauge wiring re-done when Alfred in for MOT test. Anyway - tried to start 'him' 24 hours later (Tuesday afternoon) but there was only a grinding and then whirring sound. I can only imagine that the timing belt slackened off as the engine cooled and then, when I tried to start Alfred, the crank spun and the belt teeth could not catch, as the crank spun the belt teeth were skimmed off, hence the initial 'grinding' sound - I wish I had a recording of it but, of course, it never occurred to me that Alfred would have another problem after having only travelled 12 miles! The wheels (pulleys?) at the top, above the crankshaft, do NOT turn, nor does the timing belt, but the 'accessory' belts behind the timing belt casing DO turn (water pump belt and ?). The breakdown gent said there was no spark. A neighbour removed a spark plug and said there was no oil on it - which was a good thing, apparently! We have only managed to pull back the upper timing belt cover - that was how I took the photos. We have not, as yet, attempted to remove the bottom cover but my son and I may try that today (we share a parking area and are not allowed to carry out any work on our vehicles which makes attempts at diagnosis rather difficult)!
I am SO SORRY for my longwinded reply but am trying to cover everything. I've got an awful feeling that I've caused damage to my Alfred's engine - we did have a light 'tapping' sound from under the top (rocker?) cover and were trying to diagnose where that came from, it was only very light so I thought it could not be anything too serious and that was added to my list of things to check out when Alfred went in for MOT test! I thought Alfred was 'recovering' as he'd stopped losing coolant, had no more white plumes of fumes from the exhaust, and engine ran quite smoothly, although undoubtedly not as powerful as he could have been (I thought that was just a fine-tuning-needed-at-service issue).
I and my son must try to get that bottom cover off - I wish we could see if I've caused damage anywhere else as well! I was going to have the head gasket, etc. replaced soon after we purchased the car but, after only 5 weeks, the fuel pump had to be replaced and, with wiring and other checks, the bill came to over £200! Then we had a little service and other checks done - that cost over £200 again! Then there was a problem with a gauge repair - £48 to check that as the garage who fitted the gauge 'didn't have time to check the fault'! We've not had our Alfred a year yet! - and I still have the list of repairs to have done for the MOT test!
So sorry to write so much! I must leave you in peace! Thank you, again, for your kind reply and I and my son will try to remove that bottom cover today and take some photos - WE'D like to know as well and my son is ITCHING to get his hands dirty!
Sue with the poorly Alfred!
