Smoke(Burning Smell) from Air Filter after Water Pump Change - Car Won't Start

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akalana

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Help. I had a 'steet' mechanic replace my water pump, (it was leaking antifreeze) and after he was done (we didn't replace fan belt). After he was complete, I tried to start the truck - it cranked over and made a pop sound. I noticed that there was smoke coming out of the air filter. After which, the car would not start.

The steet mechanic said it was probably the timing belt, but I wanted to make sure that were the case.

Any ideas?

It is a LR Discovery II 99 with 104,000 miles.
 
If any engine doesn't quite start up it is quite common that the cylinder that didn't quite make over top dead centre will bounce down full of smoke and blow the lot into the inlet manifold, but there's a lot of pipework between there and the air filter.

Curious.

CharlesY
 
Is it possible that when putting back the belt (fan), that he messed up the timing or are/is that completely unrelated?

If it is the cylinder (assuming in the engine), does that mean the engine is toast?

I apologize if I'm not car literate.
I did want to point out that I did replace all the spark plugs/air filter/oil/oil filter recently as well (1 week ago) - but car was working until after the water pump change.
 
that is the same disco as I have and there is no way changing a water pump can have the effect you have give,even the coils are at the back with no distributer,there is no cam belt to worry about(chain)is it turning over okay?
 
Ah - ok. The engine turns over fine. It just doesn't start, just keeps turning over. (battery and fuel pump work)

So, if the water pump install didnt affect the timing chain, then it must have coincidently went out right after the water pump installation.

I'm afraid to keep trying to start it coz i hear you can bend the cylinder??

Here is the run down of incidents that may have led up to this issue.

1. Replaced air filter (from Autozone - non stock)
2. Replaced spark plugs (Bosch plugs - dual head plugs)
3. Changed oil/filter.
4. Added old antifreeze since resevoir was low. (I know - that was stupid)

Noticed something leaking...brought back to oil change company and told them to redo the oil filter.

After completed (oil filter change again), I noticed antifreeze leaking.
Major - waterfall.

5. Engine running hot ( in red). Stopped immediately when noticed in red. Waited till the engine was cold then drove it quickly home (5 mins away). (I could hear boiling when driving home)

6. Surmised that water pump had failed, so hired 'street' mechanic to do water pump install. (1 week after driving home)

7. He installed the new water pump.

8. I tried to start truck after install. Heard single pop sound, and smoke smell of something burning coming from air filter.

9. Street mechanic says...It appears your timing belt/chain just went.

Do you really think it is the timing chain? I can't think of anything else that would do such a thing then again, I'm not a mechanic.
 
Timing chains can break, but does anyone on this list know of a Rover V8 doing that?

I think either he's fried the engine, of the asshole who did the waterpump has done something stupid.

Like put a few plugs leads back on the wrong plugs?

CharlesY
 
Try taking out all your plugs and see if water squirts out of any of the plug holes,its possible you may have a cracked liner,the swopped plug leads is possible but I wonder why he messed with them?I doubt the chain will have broke.
 
So, I wanted to give you all an update of this issue.
I towed my disco to the mechanic.
He said NONE of the cylinders passed the compression tests.
only three of them registered 100.
the rest (5) were at 0.

So...it appears my engine is fried. He changed all plugs as well.

I'm depressed and will most likely sell the truck since I see now way apart from buying an engine for about 2K and pay another 1.5K for installation at the least.

Oh well.
 
CharlesY said:
Timing chains can break, but does anyone on this list know of a Rover V8 doing that?

I think either he's fried the engine, of the asshole who did the waterpump has done something stupid.

Like put a few plugs leads back on the wrong plugs?

CharlesY
Click to expand...

I think yer right there, that would account for it back-firing up the inlet, and no never heard of a chain breaking, on any engine, worn to death rattling right through the tensioner but not breaking. Usually so worn at that stage it aint going right anyway.

A lot of alloy in that engine don't think they appreciate getting cooked.

Did you give the mechanic a hard time and he swapped your leads for badness.
 
did he say he was a mechanic or that he had slept with one?

try fitting normal plugs and ensure the firing order is correct .

it certainly sounds like he after all yer life savings 1.5k ti fit an engine!!!

is he getting the cast of Folies Bergere to entertain you while him and his trained? monkey do the work?
 
Me thinks your mechanic is talking out of his arse. I'd take it somewhere else for a second opinion, or get yourself a compression tester and check it yourself. Very easy, just screws in where the spark plugs go and turn over.

Like CharlesY says, dont get ripped off!

Rob
 
the mechanic was not the earlier one that replaced my water pump ($400)
but i decided to take it to my mechanic since all the crap these street mechanic put me through. he's a good guy, and I've been to him several times.
as far as the plugs go and leads go, he said he did replace the plugs, but not the leads. so it is possible the leads were switched when the street mechanic put the plugs in. However,
the part i'm not sure about the leads is that the car started fine after the spark plugs were changed and the leads were put back on.
if he (street mechanic) had put the leads the wrong way then...wouldn't the truck not start?
So, after the plugs were replaced, I drive to get an oil change and after oil change I noticed that temperature rising. (So i thought hm...either spark plug issue or oil change).
I drive to oil change people professionals - and say - redo it. They do, but still temperature rising. Temperature reaches red.
I stop the car, and wait till it cools. Then drive home 6 minutes away. I heard boiling on the way.
I didn't start the truck for a month and then replaced the water pump by street mechanic thinking that was the issue.
Enter the popping sound from engine. So...again I ask should I just buy new leads just remove whatever I have in case they were put on wrong and get the manual and plug the leads back again. (even after it started before?)
Also, the mechanic did put a lot of oil after putting in the plugs because he expected to see a billow of smoke after he started the truck..but no go.
Is it not possible to fry an engine so all cylinders are compression reading at 0 except 3 when driving one single time in the red?
 
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