Astra diesel - no start - help!!

Wife drove my car yesterday and when she drove back into the drive I could
hear the car screeching. When she switched off the engine and tried to
restart there was no movement from the starter. All warning lights
illuminate and extinguish as normal while turning the key but nothing on the
last movement of the key when starter should engage.
No fuses blown - any ideas?
If it was just the starter motor any ideas on the screeching noise?
We are in a real pickle as our second car is in the bodyshop to repair
accident damage for a week!

 

Don't want to be the bearer of bad news but it sounds very much like the
engine was seizing up and when you stopped it one of the pistons has locked
in the barrel hope I am wrong but I have heard it many times the piston gets
a hot spot and starts to melt then it grabs you could be lucky and only need
a new piston and the barrel honing out.

Cheers Ernie

 

Why would a seized engine prevent the starter relay engaging ???
He said "Nothing happens when he turns the key" - ie I would assume no click
of the relay, no dimming of lights, nothing ...
..

 

Thanks for your thoughts. There is no dimming of the lights when trying to
start the car, infact there is no noise from the engine bay what-so-ever.
Not even relays clicking.
Cam belt is unlikely to be the problem as mine is an Astra model G with a
chain. I think squeal was from snake belt on frozen water pump as I see
dried whitish anti-freeze deposits around pulleys on engine and spray around
it.
So there must be 2 problems at least.
Chris

 

If it was just the starter motor any ideas on the screeching noise?

Could it have been caused by the starter motor being partially engaged to
the flywheel? Perhaps that's why it's not making any noise, the solenoid is
knackered.

 

It Says the lights Extinguish that could be the starter engaging

Or another thought I have had is the starter was engaged all the time and it
was the starter seizing up that would mean the starter is burned out and
would cause the same problem

Cheers Ernie

 

Try shorting the solenoid the main live terminal on the starter to the
small wire on the solenoid you should get a good spark if you don't or get a
very small spark the starter is burned out

Cheers Ernie

 

My first thought from what you wrote was alternator belt slipping (screech),
not charging the battery properly leaving it unable to start the engine (but
the lights would dim), so dunno!