phantom_iv

Even while it is cranking?

Thanks, will check those things. Yes, Tony was able to talk me down from the ledge, it sounds like it might not be as bad as first thought.

Thanks, Tony, very kind of you, I'll give you a call once it gets a bit darker!

It was running for a while unfortunately, didn't put two and two together immediately, only found the belt had gone later. I am wondering wether it was just a bad day and the two problems were unrelated, unless of course I've missed something in the belt arrangement (limited visibility so always possible)

I don't have it in front of me right now, but the engine has two alternators in an arrangement not entirely dissimilar to http://www.calcuttboats.com/wpimages/wp6a6b69de_06.png- as far as I can tell this belt only drove the one alternator (the nearer one in that picture, at least the belt isn't long enough to go round anything else), the second belt remained intact. Am I right in thinking that the water pump is driven by the large pulley immediately above the crankshaft? If so then this was still turning. Thanks for your offer to come and take a look, Tony, I'm down on the Thames near Staines so might be a bit far for you?

I was hoping my first post to this forum would be under better circumstances, but hey, that is life sometimes! So I have a BMC 1.8, which until recently was working fine. On its last outing it threw a drive belt from the alternator, but otherwise seemed to be going ok. So fast forward a month, replacement belt installed, turn it over... spins but no sign of ignition. Checked there is voltage across the glowplugs, checked there is fuel to one of the injectors, all good. Having read another thread on this forum I though it would be good to check if there is any smoke from the exhaust while turning over.... none. But there is smoke coming out of the air intake! Having removed the (somewhat gummed up) air filter, still definitely smoke from the air intake when it turns over. This suggests to me that something has gone badly wrong leading to the outlet valves not closing, and hence being well beyond my mechanical capabilities. Currently trying to find an engineer who isn't too busy to come out and take a look, but I'm preparing for a big bill! Should I be hopeful that there are some relatively easy fixes to these symptoms, or should I be looking towards the new engine end of the spectrum?