So noticed some pretty weird noises from the area of the timing belt on the project car - screeching and the like. I figured I would replace the belt and castors etc along with the waterpump as part of the makeover.
Removed the timing cover and it is clearly getting mangled by the crankshaft gear. A bit split in the cover and the plastic on the inside is badly worn with signs of heat damage. Suddenly the hole in the radiator and the slight ding in the bullbar are making sense! I reckon the front end has been impaled on something like a branch and the branch has pushed the front of the timing cover in, cracking it and causing the leading edge of the crack to rub against the crankshaft gear teeth.
Funnily enough - the damage was totally hidden when the cover was in place and you had to look really closely from the outside to detect it, but from the inside it looks totally trashed. The timing belt on the other hand looks brand new (but it went anyway).
I love this project - its part forensic detective and part Top Gear
