HELP! :(

Stu08

Hi again!

Have had some problems with my car within the last half hour. Just went to pick my girlfriend up from a student night out. Started car, seemed ok. Drove to petrol station to get some fuel. Stopped at a pump, switched off ignition and went to fill up. Bloke behind counter gestured for me to use a different pump. Got back in car started it up, again seemed ok. Drove to another pump, parked up and filled up. Got back in car and started it up and there was a horrible hollow knocking noise and the car struggled a bit to start. Switched engine off and tried again. Yet another horrible hollow knocking noise, and again car seemed to struggle to start, had to hold the key to get it to fire up. Revs dropped to 500 rpm and died. Started up again and the noise was there again. Turned engine off again and checked oil, it was 3/4 up the dipstick, was at max the other day, putting it down to constant re-starting of engine and oil being in the system. Anyway, started engine again and the knock happened but settled to a happy idle. No noises on tick over, smooth and quiet! Drove into Oxford with no noises or problems. Parked up and waited outside club. Kept car switched on and kept eye on temp gauge, stayed in the middle. Drove back home, again car seemed smooth and quiet enough. Parked up at home and tested the car again by switching it on and off a few times. No noises!! Started fine. So confused!!! Any help is much appreciated guys.

MikeS

could be chain tensioner

keep an eye on it

if it does it again then get it checked out immediatly

could be a worn oil pump or it could be your chain on its way out

Stu08

I have got the car booked in with Benny at end of May to have chain done. It's odd as it has shown no other signs. Think i'm going to park the car up until the end of may now and leave it until the chain is done. Bloody thing. What would I be looking at for a new oil pump? Thanks for the help mate.

MikeS

before i bought my 2.2 the tensioner fault popped up

took it out for lengthy test drives then when i came to buy it i started it up and it started knocking / rattling from the chain area

massive argument broke out between me and seller

i eventually went back and bought the car several weeks later but i got the chain replaced by benny several weeks later

Stu08

That's the annoying thing about this. The car has been so smooth on idle you can barely hear it! Nice and smooth to drive, although i'm sure I have picked up on a very slight mis-fire. I wonder if the whining noise I have been hearing during full throttle acceleration has been the timing chain? Going to drive it home from work and leave it until I can get to Benny and get the chain done. How common a fault is the oil pump?

Stu08

Hmmmmmmmmmmm...........still no noise. Keep waiting to hear it. Car running fine, still smooth and getting around 32 mpg with a bit of round town driving and dual carriage way. dunno.. Just thinking, if it is oil pump failure will it have done the damage already? Booking it into Vauxhall, they can look at it. Any ideas as to what they will charge for new oil pump and fitting?

damian1978

I got a quote of £285 + vat + labour from VX for an oil pump.

Speak to AtomX on this forum, he supplies an improved (modified) oil pump and it's more reasonably priced than VX. He's supplying me with one for my 2.2 vectra.

Hope you get sorted!

Stu08

:thumbup: thanks for that mate. have sent him a pm. Am just going to bite the bullet and replace both the oil pump and timing chain kit. Can't see it being anything else hopefully!