Knocking engine

tdcomms

I bought an Astra 2.2 sri 52 plate about 6 months ago. It's only got 49000 on the clock but after driving it on M1 it started to knock and sound worse than a diesel! The AA man said it sounded like the oil pump. When i got it to Vauxhall they charged me for a diagostic test and told me it was the big ends and it would work out cheaper to get a new engine. £3600 supplied and fitted! I only paid £3400 for the car! Not such a good deal now i see. The car has sat outside my house for 2 months now and I don't know what to do! I've looked for an engine but the 2.2 is really hard to get hold of. I would then need someone to fit it as i wouldn't know where to start. And then there's the risk of the 'new' seconhand engine going the same. Someone told me its difficult to fit because of the aircon????? The alternative was to get a recon engine from someone like Heathrow Engines. They pick the car up and for £1200 it comes back done........except i done some research and there was bad review after bad review with all sorts of horror stories. Can the bottom end be repaired? the car still runs fine (ticks over) and the knocking sound is a lot quieter after about 5 seconds. It's not been driven since the AA recovered it. If the bottom end can be repaired does anyone know of a decent garage who would do it in my area or fairly close. I'm in Luton, Bedfordshire. And does anyone know roughly how much i would expect to pay. Obviously i wouldn't be using a Vauxhall dealer. Sorry to go on but i really need to fix this. I can't afford to sell it like it is but i also cant justify nearly £4000 from Vaux. (One more thing..(sorry) how much truth is there in that if i write to Vauxhall they may replace the engine for a discount or even free. Car has up to date service history but i bought it private, not through a dealer. Does this make a difference? HELP!

vocky

the big ends knock if run on a low oil level 🙁

vauxhall will not cover that sort of damage, they sometimes pay out for a snapped timing chain.

your best bet is to get your engine repaired, the crank may need regrinding, but you might just get away with new bearing shells.

a local garage should be able to replace them for £350 or so (bearings = £125, fitting £225)

tdcomms

thanks. i hope you're right. i'll get a quote.

Howgego

Hi I know the feeling well,
either get a new engine 750 s/h or get recon 1200 and get it fitted,
or get it repaired which is what I did, new bearings and big end £150,
not perfect but better than before maybe I should have got crank out and reconed as well if that is possible without engine strip down, if not too much more,
I paid 3600 for mine expecting it to last! ha ha!
the choice is yours
Many thanks for all your help
yours James

tdcomms

Hey James. I've still done nothing yet. If it was a £500 old astra the decision would be easy! It's just too good to scrap but £3600 for new engine from Vauxhall? Righto! When you say yours is not perfect how do you mean? Still knocking? I never let mine run low on oil but i heard that a common problem is that it starts with the oil pump not doing it's job so i may need a new one of them. How much did you pay labour? I just don't want to pay a mechanic to fit new bearings etc and then be charged labour only to be told it needs new/recon engine! Wish I'd got a 2.0 now! Engine easier to get hold of. Thanks.
Terry.

Howgego

Hi
Mine is alot better than before, makes a clicking sound on lifting off accerlerator, as the oil pressure drops with revs,
So I suppose I am sitting on time bomb, what with this and the chain issue!
But when it goes a new engine will be order of day.
I paid 140 all in for bearings and big ends + labour,
But hey it drives.
3600 sounds high for new engine? 2500 max I would say but prices are prob cheaper up north,

Yours James

Prestige engines in Midlands were very helpful.

tdcomms

Hey
Yeah, £3600 was from Vauxhall. Thing is, call me old fashoined but when i buy a 4 year old car i expect it o last longer than 6 months. I take some comfort in the fact that i'm not alone here but come on, who are we kidding. It's not as if the 2.2 sri blows you away in standard form. If it was a porsche with all the bells and whistles, you were thrashing it to death and abusing it i'd swallow it but at the end of the day it's a Vauxhall Astra! OK, I feel better now, well, a little anyway! Thanks for suggesting company in Midlands, just getting it there might be tricky.

Terry.

Howgego

Hi
If is making alot of noise then I woul suggest recon engine as new bearing on my worn crankshaft, isn't working, still making knocking noises especialy when warm,
Christmas visiting may well be find end , another RAC pick I guess!
I ought to check my oil pump as if that ran dry and died then oil presure could be low leading to knocking.

Yours James

Howgego

Hi
Vocky how long will knocking engine last if still knocking after bearing and big ends replaced?
Many thanks
Yours James

jamesjohn

hi mate, try contacting BENNY from here if you are from around midlands. He is an Engine expert and might be able to help you fixing it. Even if you are not from here but can get your car here it would be worth. send him a PM. A lot of us have had our timing chain done by him. He is very good at what he does.

vocky

might be worth having an oil gauge connected to check the oil pressure, replacing the bearings should fix the problem, but whether it cures the knocking really depends on many different factors :roll:

the crankshaft can be damaged by the lack of oil 🙁

in extreme cases the conrods stretch and eventually snap 🙁

but considering the cost of a full rebuild it can be worth changing the bearings to see if it fixes it dunno..

Howgego

Hi
bearings already changed,
Will get oil pressure checked,
Crankshaft already worn, but should not make such knocking noise from big ends / bearing surely?
I suspect oil pressure,
Yours James

AM556

You're not the only one mate. Mine is knocking just as yours is. Thinking of doing big end change myself.
Any advise or is it straight forward job??

vocky

if the big ends are knocking stop running the engine and replace the bearings or the conrod will go through the block :roll:

the faster the big ends get repaired the less damage that is done cheers..

Eagle

Mine is knocking too. But only at could engine and if there is less oil of course!
Argh. This engine sucks a littlebit?
And I know, if I would like to get this problem off i should pay about 600€ to Opel Service that they just change some "better" parts and maybe it would not knock anymore.
I am tired to get my car to opel service.

Littlebit funny that my car is driven only 150 000 and there seems to be problems with chain that should be never changed. 😃

:cry:

AM556

Eagle| said:
Argh. This engine sucks a littlebit?
:cry:

Indeed, it also squeezes, bangs and blows :roll:

AM556

update...
Sump removed today, saw number 1 cap slightly blued, removed to find bearing gone (well almost).
Crank is very slightly marked. Can this be taken out with wet n dry?
Must a slightly blued conrod be replaced? As it's a biggger job than I'd like to do myself.
Best to change all the b/e bearings I presume?
Cheers
Rob

vocky

if the conrod has dis-coloured it must be replaced, the metal will have softened 🙁

I have a spare set, but you would need to take the head off to change it 🙁

AM556

Cheers mate, not the answer I wanted but expected it.
Will go and have a read through the w/s manual posted here for inspiration and
see if I'll tackle it myself.

Many thanks for your help
Rob

AM556

Only problem I can see is the timing fixture. Is it really required?