I've just broken down and it sounded expensive

[ScarySquirrel]

Hi all,

I'm at the side of the road waiting for the RAC to turn up. I was accelerating in 2nd and something in the engine bay went. It sounded to me like a belt of some sort. I lost all power but I pu my foot down a little and it revved up a bit but something was rattling around under the bonnet.

The steering went heavy and then the engine cut out. All belts have been done in the last year or so, and the PAS pump was replaced recently.

I've only had the car for 4 weeks so I am gutted. Any ideas what might have gone wrong?

 

[mwn11]

Have a look under the bonnet?

Youl see if its the belts.

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Well the belts all look ok. I'm hoping it's nothing serious but knowing my luck it's completely screwed. It won't start now either.

 

[mwn11]

No leaks under the car or anything?

 

[Alic01]

Sounds like the one of your belts went as you were accelerating and probably took the other one with it when flailing around.

Lack of power points to cambelt and lack of power steering the aux belt.

 

[Alic01]

Well the belts all look ok. I'm hoping it's nothing serious but knowing my luck it's completely screwed. It won't start now either.

Just seen this!

Could it be gearbox, when mine went it was a pretty similar situation. Was the loss of power you described a loss of engine response or loss of drive?

 

[ScarySquirrel]

There's no fluid coming out and as I said the belts 'look' fine. I'm not great with cars unfortunately.

 

[AlanHod]

There's no fluid coming out and as I said the belts 'look' fine. I'm not great with cars unfortunately.

Right, I have had the exact same on the way to work. Exactly as you have described and it was the cambelt that failed. You cant see the cambelt without removing the cover and my aux belt looked ok. Prepare for the worst, it cost me £1070 to get my car running again (and that was a 'special' cash price apparently because my dads mate knows the garage owner).

It gutting, mine had belts replaced then failed within twelve months.

 

[ScarySquirrel]

it's being towed to the garage now. RAC man looked where you put the oil and things are still turning as they should be. He has no idea what it is.

4 weeks of ownership and the PAS pump failed, needed 4 new tyres and now this.

 

[Sargara]

Did you pay to have the belt done within the year or was it the previous owner just saying that to you to make you happy?

Its been posted alot but people tend to get the belts done on the cheap and the proper tools arent used then things like this happen

 

[JoedotwasT5phy]

Gay

Friday afternoon cars

 

[sideways danny]

if the pulleys have slipped, the cams would still turn. Sounds like bottom pulley has loosened off at a guess

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Did you pay to have the belt done within the year or was it the previous owner just saying that to you to make you happy?

Its been posted alot but people tend to get the belts done on the cheap and the proper tools arent used then things like this happen

It was done by the previous owner in March last year, at 37k miles (on 52k now), and I have the receipts for it as well.

As you say though, you never know to what standard it has been done!

if the pulleys have slipped, the cams would still turn. Sounds like bottom pulley has loosened off at a guess

I'm guessing this would be cheaper. If things are still turning but the car isn't starting would this suggest something has just slipped rather than actually breaking?

Isn't most of the cost just the labour to get in there and put things right though? Rather than the parts themself.

 

[shiwarrior]

Sorry to hear the bad news on OcUK mate hope it hasent done too much damage

 

[AlanHod]

It was done by the previous owner in March last year, at 37k miles (on 52k now), and I have the receipts for it as well.

As you say though, you never know to what standard it has been done!



I'm guessing this would be cheaper. If things are still turning but the car isn't starting would this suggest something has just slipped rather than actually breaking?

Isn't most of the cost just the labour to get in there and put things right though? Rather than the parts themself.

The starter motor was still turning the engine over on mine, but the cambelt obviously wasnt connected to the cams so werent rotating. It sounds to me like yours has done the same as mine, and the belt has let go. The RAC bloke knew straight away what had happened.

Parts and labour can be as expensive in this case, when you include a new set of valves (mine needed all 16 replacing), valve guides, rockers, gaskets, cam belt kit, aux belt kit it soon mounts up.

Oh, and unless it goes to a specialist with the cam tools allow another £150 or so to get the timing set spot on or it wil be down on power.

This is assuming the cam belt has failed though!!

 

[ABOO]

Any update mate? Hope it's not as bad as you were expecting..

 

[ScarySquirrel]

It's worse. The engine is dead. Apparently there are shards of metal inside it, the mechanic thinks a valve has fallen into the pistons and has completely screwed the engine. I'm not sure if that makes sense as I don't really know much when it comes to this kind of stuff.

My options:

- Pay £300+ for them to strip the engine and confirm if it is dead or not
- Buy a new engine (how much?) and get it put in the car (been told about £800 labour)
- Sell the car for parts. How do I even do this? Would a breakers yard just buy it off me for a fixed price?

I am absolutely gutted. 4-5 weeks of ownership and it's dead.

 

[mwn11]

Try get a specialist to have a look if you can.

Was the timing out or something? or the belts slipped?


If then it is fubard its up to you.

and would probably get ripped off by a breakers.

Break it yourself and sell on here?

 

[AlanHod]

It's worse. The engine is dead. Apparently there are shards of metal inside it, the mechanic thinks a valve has fallen into the pistons and has completely screwed the engine. I'm not sure if that makes sense as I don't really know much when it comes to this kind of stuff.

My options:

- Pay £300+ for them to strip the engine and confirm if it is dead or not
- Buy a new engine (how much?) and get it put in the car (been told about £800 labour)
- Sell the car for parts. How do I even do this? Would a breakers yard just buy it off me for a fixed price?

I am absolutely gutted. 4-5 weeks of ownership and it's dead.

Try somewhere else mate, I know its a pain to transport as you cant drive it. How can they be sure whats happened without taking the head off?!

The first garage i took mine to basically told me the engine was as good as scrap, took it to an engine specialist who got the engine running again pretty quickly. Then it just needed the timing set perfect and it runs great now.

Dont give up hope just yet.....

 

[J-J]

It's worse. The engine is dead. Apparently there are shards of metal inside it, the mechanic thinks a valve has fallen into the pistons and has completely screwed the engine. I'm not sure if that makes sense as I don't really know much when it comes to this kind of stuff.

My options:

- Pay £300+ for them to strip the engine and confirm if it is dead or not
- Buy a new engine (how much?) and get it put in the car (been told about £800 labour)
- Sell the car for parts. How do I even do this? Would a breakers yard just buy it off me for a fixed price?

I am absolutely gutted. 4-5 weeks of ownership and it's dead.

You'll get a few quid in parts if you break it yourself on here, alternatively sell it as a non-runner. I has this problem with mine, was the big end shims that broke down and got into the oil. Luckily a very decent chap at the garage spent 2 days stripping it, replacing parts to then tell me it was fubard and because he couldn't fix it just pay the mechanics wage for the work done. Cost me £115 for it to be stripped, rebuilt, new cams, risers fitted etc.

He said not to get a new engine as you never know quite what you're getting when you buy them.

 

[Daz.]

Bad s**t, I'd only had mine 3 weeks went it bent the engine! dealer I got it off hadn't done the belts correctly.

If your happy with the rest of the car I'd get it towed to a specialist and pop a second hand engine in there..

 

[Da]

Loads of people on here that can help you out and I've seen engines go on here for £500 - £800.

Fitting is going to be the biggest pain, but again loads of people on here might be able to assist?

 

[shiwarrior]

Try somewhere else mate, I know its a pain to transport as you cant drive it. How can they be sure whats happened without taking the head off?!

The first garage i took mine to basically told me the engine was as good as scrap, took it to an engine specialist who got the engine running again pretty quickly. Then it just needed the timing set perfect and it runs great now.

Dont give up hope just yet.....

I'd agree with you mate, engine specialist sounds like a good bet and I agree with the option of maybe somebody on here could help out too, obviously if i knew about cars, and you managed to get an engine at a good price id fit it for a pint down the pub!

 

[ScarySquirrel]

I don't know of any engine people around here. The garage I took it to are a Renault specialist so I do trust their information.

I've started a thread asking if someone could help me fit a new engine. But I'm concerned about actually finding a decent one, and also about the whole idea of putting a different engine in the car.

How much could I sell it as a non-runner do you think? I just posted here - http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=362119&page=35, and Revels thinks I'll only get 2k for it.

I really don't know what to do.

 

[.GAZ.]

There's a engine for £450 i'll get the link, get it to Fred and get him to do the work.

 

[ScarySquirrel]

There's a engine for £450 i'll get the link, get it to Fred and get him to do the work.

I'll contact Fred to see how much he will charge.

Is £850 for a 182 engine on 49,000 miles with service history to back up the mileage good? It seems quite high so I might try and knock him down on price.

 

[sideways danny]

I'll contact Fred to see how much he will charge.

Is £850 for a 182 engine on 49,000 miles with service history to back up the mileage good? It seems quite high so I might try and knock him down on price.

fitted, that's not a bad price if it includes a new cambelt and aux kits. For just an engine, that's about double what it's worth

 

[Tunst]

if u decide to sell as a non runner let me know.

 

[Little Richie]

Not wanting to concentrate on the worst case scenario but I manged to get about £2500 by breaking my Ph1 after writing it off - I only had 3 wheels, no front end and no engine or gearbox either. You'll have a lot more you'd be able to sell.

Stripping them isn't as daunting as it sounds. You just need a good weekend (bank holiday preferably), good weather (or large garage) and somewhere to store everything that will be dry and prevent damp. The hardest part is keeping up with all the posts/PMs you'll get asking for parts.

As mentioned though, try and get it looked at by someone who knows what they're doing and the news might be better than you expected. Also depends on how long you were planning to keep it, if it was supposed to be a long term car then investing £1200 or so would make more sense than buying another for £4000. If you were only looking to keep it for a shorter period then I would cut my losses, get back what I can from selling parts and buy another.

Again, not wanting to concentrate on the worst case scenario but I can only speak from my experience.

 

[mat-nos]

you sould be able to get a new engine, get it fitted, change the belts/tensioners/water pump, set it up and service it for £1200 ish.......

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Thanks for the advice all. I plan to have the car for a good 3-4 years, and I love the thing so I want to keep it if possible.

The garage quoted me £800 roughly for 14 hours labour to fit the engine. I'm going to see them tomorrow to find out exactly what this covers.

I then need to source an engine.

 

[sideways danny]

The garage quoted me £800 roughly for 14 hours labour to fit the engine.

I'm doing one this week for £300 labour

 

[ScarySquirrel]

I'm doing one this week for £300 labour

Do you work for/own a garage?

 

[sideways danny]

I'm freelance/self employed

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Shame you're not a bit closer really. So £800 is taking the piss a bit then?

 

[MikeB]

£800 is a bit excessive to be fair.

 

[barker22]

Shame you're not a bit closer really. So £800 is taking the piss a bit then?

please don't pay this for labour, it will make me sad :dapprove:

 

[ScarySquirrel]

So I'm now thinking that I could probably get a new engine for £400-500 and get it fitted for about £300-400. I also need to factor in the cost of towing it from the garage it's at now to wherever the work will be done.

I'm going to be busy ringing around tomorrow.

What is involved with fitting the new engine?

Fitting, new aux, cam kit, new fluids, anything else?

 

[sideways danny]

bear in mind a garage has overheads that i don't, as I'm mobile, so prices are higher for a reason, but I can't see much justification for anything over £500 for labour

 

[sideways danny]

Also, remember that you will definitely need to do a cambelt and aux belt kit on any different engine. To not do so would be insanity