Need help.

swcde1

:cry: I am new to this forum and need some help. I have a 2001 2.2 SRI150 Vectra - and guess what - the cam chain snapped. The car has only done 46k and I have changed the oil about every 7K. When I took it out it seemed OK apart from being snapped and was covered in oil. The engine appears to turn over by hand with no resistance. What I cannot tell is if any internal damage has been done to valves ect. I was backing out of the drive when it snapped so only low revs. Can anyone tell me if this does damage the valves or not.

thanks

Clint.

vocky

you will have damaged quite a few valves, another member did exactly the same thing and he had to replace all the inlet valves :cry:

make sure the valve guides are ok or it will burn oil

swcde1

🙂 Thanks for the reply. I stripped it and found two inlet valves bent. Probably could have changed them myself but would not be sure if there was any cracks or distortion. Have put the head in for repair to a local specialist company. I asked a few guys at work and found someone who had a relative at Vauxhalls who got me the cam chain modification kit which includes sprockets, chain, lube nozzle, chain guides, tensioner and all the bolts. cost was £73-80 inc. the VAT. Not sure what the full price would be. Still cheesed off with Vauxhalls though - I bought this car new and it was serviced by them but never re-called or anything. They wont be servicing it anymore !!!! Still love the car though and as long as it runs OK will be keeping it. All the postings on this web were a great help.
Thanks

Clint.

Andy

sorry to hear about your chain snapping mate but glad you are getting it sorted.

i'm geting mine done soon, got all the bits here ready. they cost me just shy of £200 for the 2 chains, gaskets and crank bolt.

vocky

the z22se is a good engine, it's a shame the early chain kit lets it down

but once it's back together the new chain kit should last 100k 🙂

swcde1

Up and running again !!

:lol: Just a final update. I got the head back from the specialist and they had repaired and overhauled it. It came back with new head gasket set and new bolts cost £346. The only other thing I had to buy was a new crankshaft pulley bolt £3.25. Total cost then £420. It was not too difficult to do but some of the nuts and bolts are pretty dammed akward to get at.
I felt sure I waas going to snap a bolt when following the sequence given with the head bolts but did'nt. The Haynes book was very good for this job. The only bit that confused me was when you put the new chain on and align it with the coloured marks on the chain and sprockets it then tells you to turn the crankshaft through two full revolutions and check if the valve timing is correct. This does not mean that the coloured marks will line up again - they don't !!! I put it on and took it off three times before realising that all though the coloured links no longer line up the sprockets are in the same position ! What I did was line it up as it tells you with the coloured links and the crankshaft at top dead centre (woodruff key in crank shaft facing vertically up) then mark the cam sprockets with a scribe (keeping clear of teeth area) by scratching a mark on the sprockets in line with the horizontal edge of the cylinder heard. Now when you turn the crank through two full revolutions bringing it back to top dead centre the marks on the sprockets should reappear in the same place but the coloured chain links won't be in the same place. Another tip I picked up was to turn the engine by putting the car in fifth gear and turning the hub with a screw driver in the disc vent slots. This way even if you get it wrong you cannot apply enough force to damage anything as you turn the engine. Check it turns completely loose before putting the plugs in and using the starter. Started second flick and is smooth.
Could not have done it without the help of this forum. Thanks to all.

Clint.

Andy

glad you got it sorted.

i have now had my timing chain changed so i got peace of mind now.