What's My Best Option?

[Sanchez 0]

Hi,

 

So carrying on from my previous thread here the problem has been diagnosed as piston rings with the possibility of the engine being worn. This was done by pressure testing the cylinders for leaks and I was given the news today. This was probably the worst case scenario for me really as it's the most costly and technical no doubt. Going forward I'm looking at what options I have.

 

I'm assuming that to get the work done to repair the car would cost a decent amount of money. Could anyone give me a ball park for replacing the piston rings, cylinders etc. This would also include the head gasket, timing belt and valve stem seals. If the head is off then I suppose it's best to just get it all done at once as most of the work is already being done, the parts cost very little don't they really (I mean the belt and seals etc)?

 

I'm going to look at the cost of the car in a basic way, if it's more than half it's value in a good state then I won't bother as honestly I was going to get a new car after Christmas.

 

My other option is to buy another bottom end and have this fitted. How much would I be looking at to get this kind of work done? Typical amount of hours, say?

 

My final option I can see is run her until I can get a new car sorted (hopefully this won't take too long, maybe 2 months to find a decent example vRS) and then sell it as it is. Is the car likely to last this long in it's current state? I suspect this is likely to be the best option sadly, a I love the car (who's 20 in December).

 

So which option is likely to be the best or do I have any other options you can think of?

 

Thanks.

[MerlinGTI 3]

You may as well just run it into the ground if your getting rid in two months. I would expect a garage will charge loads to rebuild and engine, probably around a grand parts and labour. Your right tho bits wont be too costly (175 is at a guess) and if your a bit handy with a spanner nothing you need doing is that hard really.

 

Head gasket set £35

head bolts £40

conversion gasket set (bottom end) £35

timing belt kit £45

water pump £15

main shells £30?

Big end shells £30?

Possible crank regrind £40?

Head skim £25

piston rings £35?

 

Hmm maybe i under estimated parts costs, and labour for that matter. Im merely guessing those parts costs tho

Edited October 14, 2009 by MerlinGTI

[Tom Fenton 1,563]

I suppose it depends how handy you are with the spanners. If you can remove and strip the engine yourself, then it is not a costly job for someone else to remove the liners, have them honed, fit new piston rings, then put it back together.

However whilst it is in bits, it is then usually worth replacing the bearings, possibly the oil pump, then what about rod bolts, etc etc, basically where do you stop?

From having done an engine for a lad off here last year, the main cost is the parts, closely followed by the time spent stripping and cleaning everything ready for reassembly. If you can do the "donkey work" yourself then obviously this will save you some cash.

 

However if the car is generally otherwise tidy, then a recently rebuilt engine is a very strong selling point when you do come to sell it.

[Tom Fenton 1,563]

PS Merlin your costs for bearings and rings are on the low side. Also don't forget thrust washers, possibly rod bolts, and oil pump.

[MerlinGTI 3]

Christ ! Its not till you start a list you realise how much stuff there is and how expensive it is! I have no shame in admitting im useless at estimating job cost/ time it all seems so easy in my head lol

 

note to self : double time and cost for true figures

[Sanchez 0]

Sadly I'm not handy with the spanners and I can't be without the car for long enough to learn either unfortunately. Is it likely that everything will need to be replaced if the piston rings are shot? It it worth just having the head removed to find out the extent of the damage? I'm guessing just replacing the piston rings would be a cost venture too?

 

I can't warrant spending anywhere near a thousand pounds on a car that's probably only worth a grand tops really. £500 I'd have probably gone for it but not a grand. Not that I'm surprised at the cost really. I could supply a lot of my own parts as my sister's brother owns a motor factors but it's not going to knock £500 off the cost.

 

Thanks for the replies so far guys

[DrSarty 100 1 Cars]

Another option, based on getting a new car in 2 months is to buy just a cheap engine or bottom end.

 

I have a 144k 1.6 that's only just blown a head gasket. You could have the engine for £20 (plus courier from Cornwall) and then just do a head gasket replacement using either your head or the one you'll get with the bottom end.

 

This would get you motoring again for about £150 I reckon.

 

I'm only offering because you have a screwed bottom end and I have an engine I don't need which would take just one day to put right, swap and fire up again.

 

[MerlinGTI 3]

Just rings is a reasonably easy job to do at home, but you will still need a new timing belt, water pump, head bolts, head gasket and of course the rings.

 

Thing is tho it isnt untill you strat stripping stuff down that you realise how much other stuff is fubar.

[Sanchez 0]

Thanks MrSarty but this is again something I would have to get a garage to do as I don't have the time/experience/tools to carry out such work. I'm guessing a Garage would want a decent amount of money to carry this out too.

 

I'm sure too that once you replace one thing, then another needs doing. The list would be never ending, I can see it already.

[DamirGTI 345]

Id pour some ceramic crap (stuff like "Slick 50" .. might be useful in this case scenario..) inside and drive it until it really goes bad ...

 

.. and then , if you say that you're not as good with tools , ditch the engine (sell what ever you can from it - head , block , pistons etc.) and find a good un second hand one ... 8v's can't be that expensive

 

I guess it depends on how long you've planed to keep this car , anyhow you'll never know whats inside the engine and what will need to be replaced until you strip it down and start measuring parts , then , once you're in there it'll be bad move just to replace the piston rings and leave the rest alone ...

 

Damir

Edited October 14, 2009 by DamirGTI

[GLPoomobile 958]

Most appropriate course of action (in YOUR circumstances):

 

continue to drive it until you get a new car

accept that it's value has now taken a beating

spend no more money on it

sell it honestly to an enthusiast who can easily fix or replace the engine (but don't get taken for a mug. You know what the problem is, you know 8v engines can be had cheap, so don't let a potential buyer tell you it's worse than it is and have them knock you down too far on price)

 

That's my opinion anyway

[Galifrey 1]

No members nearby that can help you do an engine swap?

[Sanchez 0]

GLP, I was starting to think the same as you in all honesty.

 

A guy at work has just carried out an engine swap on his Vectra GSI and seems happy to carry out the work for basically nothing, or at least very little. I was thinking that in that case I might be best to source a good bottom end ASAP so that he could carry out the work next weekend while I'm away in Paris.

[M@tt 77]

Well if you're mate can't do it for what ever reason and you can get all the bits together i'm sure i could swap the engine over for you on a Sunday, i'm only in Eckington up the road

Edited October 15, 2009 by M@tt

[DrSarty 100 1 Cars]

I might be best to source a good bottom end ASAP so that he could carry out the work next weekend while I'm away in Paris.

 

My offer still stands. I'm sure Colin will put the engine onto a pallet for you and lash it down. You just get a courier to collect it and Robert's your father's brother. £20 gets it.

[Sanchez 0]

I got the car back yesterday from the garage and they've completley cleaned out the breather system and the car is running a lot better. No smoke at all so far which is certainly a vast improvement and back to how it used to be. I suspect the problem isn't as bad as I was led to believe.

 

I'll be flushing the system with some Wynns this weekend and adding some decent oil and new filter etc. see how this works out and take it from there really. Not really had chance to see if it's burning oil but I'll take a look this weekend along with everything else.

 

Again, thanks for everyone's help, advise and offers to help me out, it's been much appreciated.

 

Daniel.

[DamirGTI 345]

Try one of those 15W-40 "high mileage" oils , they say that these ones contain extra additives to slow oil consumption a little bit ..

 

Damir

[Sanchez 0]

Try one of those 15W-40 "high mileage" oils , they say that these ones contain extra additives to slow oil consumption a little bit ..

 

Damir

Other people have suggested this too. I might also try one of the Wynn additives and see it this helps at all.

[pablo 0]

then straight onto pistonheads

[JimLad 1]

What exactly were the pressure test readings? They should have given you a value for each cylinder. Post them up and members will be able to confirm how bad it is or isn't.

 

Possibly the garage was just looking for work or something?

[Sanchez 0]

I'll have a word with the garage after the weekend and get them to give me the figures and post em up.