Cylinders in engine?

FairCity12

So my water pump tube broke. Long story short I have roasted 2 of the 4 cylinders in my engine - garage has quoted €1,000 to get it fixed. Something about having to take the whole thing apart & a machinist? Does this sound realistic?

Supergurrier

Seeing as they are at the heart of the engine plus labour it sounds ok depending on the engine tbh

FairCity12

Thank you. Dammit anyway :-(

newmug

A second-hand engine might just work out cheaper!

Ronnie Beck

I would say you warped the cylinder head rather than the cylinder block. 1000 is a decent price to have one off and machined. You be looking at a much bigger bill if the cylinders were damaged.

FairCity12

Realistically, it's the labour that's probably going to cost the most. Plus, I am a woman & know NOTHING about cars/engines/2nd hand ones!

newmug

http://www.iviengines.ie/index.php?page=home

Syllabus

what car is it

what is a water pump tube

why are only 2 of the cylinders affected

FairCity12

Thanks Ronnie, my Dad asked about whether it was the block or not and to be honest, he didn't mention that on the phone [the garage man] but said that 2 cylinders were fcuked and subsequently there was no compression?

George Dalton

€1000 is a bit on the high side if it is just a routine head skim and gasket replacement on a normal car. What kind of car it is? What year and engine?

FairCity12

1.4 Astra. I drove it with no water/coolant

George Dalton

Well on the face of it €1000 sounds a bit OTT. It should be pointed out that obviously none of us know the extent of the damage whereas the mechanic who inspected it should.

dgt

I think a good 2nd hand engine might be the way to go. Rings may have smashed/ pistons melted. Can get very costly very quickly

FairCity12

Thanks, can't garages realistically charge whatever they want though?I mean, they can say it'll cost X amount with labour etc? How am I to know any differently?

dgt

Last I heard the cost to fit an engine was to a Fiesta: €250, engine got for €150, €400 all in

Ronnie Beck

What year is your car OP?

FairCity12

2005

johndaman66

FairCity12 wrote: »

Thanks, can't garages realistically charge whatever they want though?I mean, they can say it'll cost X amount with labour etc? How am I to know any differently?

Your probably best to get quotes at a few garages in that case and let them know your pricing the job around. They won't be as eager to pull fast ones then and should give you a pretty competitive quote if they really want the work.

Be careful though as it is a job which can be skimped on and if it is you might find yourself back to square one pretty soon after. I've had a quite number of head gaskets go on me over the years and found that if short cuts were taken when replacing the HG then the same problem would materialise again.

First you'd want to make sure the mechanic gets a complete set of gaskets and not just the actual head gasket. Also a set of headbolts as there is only one squeeze in them.

Make sure he gets the head skimmed. In my part of the country the nearest engineering works that does this job is not too near. The skimming itself only costs about €50 I think but I can see how it bumps up the cost with time on the road and collecting it and diesel cost of course in the process.

New waterpump is essential as your own will be goosed. You'd also want to be getting the water channels in the engine and the pipework flushed out if the oil and water were mixing to any great extent. If this was the case a new radiator would also be very adviseable as it will most likely be very clogged.

Its kind of like this I'd rather spend €1k and have the peace of mind of knowing the job has being done properly following all the steps I outlined above rather than €700 and an important step bypassed.

Also, if you are due a timing belt any time soon it might be adviseable to get it done along with HG repair...a big cost of the timing belt replacement is labour and you will be avoiding this when they are doing the HG. If you are changing the belt in the Astra make sure you get the complete TB kit.

FairCity12

johndaman, thank you for your detailed reply.

Yes the water pump will be replaced as far as I know. He said that would cost €70?

From Google, it appears that even 2nd hand engines fitted can cost from €750 so I suppose €1,000 isn't a lot for a new one. He hadn't mentioned the Timing Belt, I must ask.

He did mention the skimming [or at least a machinist/shaving was mentioned!] and he said they have to send it to them & wait for its return so yes I suppose that makes sense also for added cost.

It's times like this I wish my Daddy was a mechanic!

Big Nasty

johndaman66 wrote: »

Your probably best to get quotes at a few garages in that case and let them know your pricing the job around. They won't be as eager to pull fast ones then and should give you a pretty competitive quote if they really want the work.

Good advice however you wont find too many garages willing to do that much inspection without being pretty sure of getting the job and also how would you propose getting the car around to these 'few garages' in its current state?

FairCity12

This is my problem. Car won't start. So reckon I'm pretty much stuck with it as is. My only saviour is that it is close to my place of work and he's familiar with it - I'm hoping he'll be decent and not try to rip me off in the hope of getting future business as I have been to him for a thing or 2 previously [nothing major].

johndaman66

FairCity12 wrote: »

johndaman, thank you for your detailed reply.

Yes the water pump will be replaced as far as I know. He said that would cost €70?

Your most welcome FairCity12. I think I paid about €50 for a waterpump form a motor factors some time back for a 99 Vectra but were talking two different models and not sure if hes getting it off a dealer so I'm sure €70 is in the ballpark. Anyways its a small enough part of the overall cost.

FairCity12 wrote: »

From Google, it appears that even 2nd hand engines fitted can cost from €750 so I suppose €1,000 isn't a lot for a new one. He hadn't mentioned the Timing Belt, I must ask.

I think when other posters mentioned a new engine for €1,000 they meant a new engine for your car as in a second hand one. When you think about it an engine is a pretty big part of the car and given that you might expect to pay circa €20k for a new Astra (at a guess) I'm sure you'd expect to pay Opel a hell of a lot more than €1,000 for a new one.

I stand to be corrected but wouldn't expect a second hand engine that comes fitted for €1,000 to not even have a guarntee.

FairCity12 wrote: »

It's times like this I wish my Daddy was a mechanic!

Your not the only one! It would be handy if he was a builder/ solicitor/ computer technician and all round handy man also:)

Oh forgot to mention in my previous post you'd be wanting new coolant too to complete the job

FairCity12

New coolant? Any coolant at all would be a plus - whatever was left got spurted out over the engine!

johndaman66

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Good advice however you wont find too many garages willing to do that much inspection without being pretty sure of getting the job and also how would you propose getting the car around to these 'few garages' in its current state?

I now appreciate FairCity12's car wont start as she just mentioned after my initial post but I've had head gaskets go on me and I was able to drive away with them gone for some considerable time. Granted its not the most advisable thing to do as you risk warping the head and causing further damage. You'd also want to keep a very close eye on the coolant and avoid putting pressure on the engine but I was able to drive the car in all cases for some time after the problem was diagnosed. One time I just made it into the garage in a Renault Megane and the top pipe between rad and engine burst with the pressue just as I cut the engine!

Anyways its all a bit academic as we know now that FairCity12's Astra wont start. I wouldn't see a problem with driving to other garages to get a quote if she was in a position to do so. For a garage to diagnose such a problem and provide a quote to fix based on the diagnosis, that would be generally acceptable procedure for such a problem.

lifer_sean

johndaman66 wrote: »

I stand to be corrected but wouldn't expect a second hand engine that comes fitted for €1,000 to not even have a guarntee.

Secondhand engines for Astra 1.4s post 2004 are very very hard to get, and will make 1000 euro for the engine alone, excluding labour and service parts. Also very unlikely to come with a warranty. Making about 750 sterling plus in the UK.

That engine doesn't have a timing belt, it's a chain.