Mechanic says I need new engine, Astra

Dylan97

So i brought my 2006 opel astra 1.4 club down to get the timing chain done today, car has 145km on the clock, got a call back from the mechanic saying when they pulled the engine out that my crank was bent and that I would need a replacement, says he might be able to get me one in one or two days from a scrap yard.

Is this a common thing ? i know the astra engines aint great but I thought I would get a few opinions on it, few people said they have never heard of it before and once the cars engine works I shouldn't be replacing it.

waiting for him to get back to me for a price,
thoughts on this any one ? any one ever have a similar experience ?
all help would be appreciated.

Squidgy Black

Labour and the cost of a replacement engine aren't worth it for an 06 astra.

Scrap it and pick up something else would be my recommendation.

Dartz

How'd it bend a crank? That takes a lot of effort - like, hydrolocked cylinders and conrods of unobtainium effort.

Was it running fine before going down for a chain replacement?

keepalive213

Did the old chain break? Too old to fix scrap it

OldMrBrennan83

Pulling a fast one to try squeeze a few more bob out of you. Tell them to put it back as it was.

Bigus

Camshaft bent more likely

begbysback

Same engine as vectra ? I've a 07 one there with engine cracked - you can have it for 100 bucks

Akrasia

Why did the chain need to be done at 145km?

Anyway, the car is worth less than a grand, getting an engine from a scrap yard is another lottery that could have you in and out of the mechanic for months. Not worth it

listermint

Timing chains do need to be serviced can simply be the tension guides etc . Or entire replacement.

What made you bring it in for that work ?

Was there a knock was the engine acting up need more detail.

If indeed it is gone then knock it on the head scrap it and move on. Not worth a repair whatsoever

bazz26

begbysback wrote: »

Same engine as vectra ? I've a 07 one there with engine cracked - you can have it for 100 bucks

The Vectra was never sold with a 1.4 litre engine.

Dylan97

They said it needed to be done as it had 145km, feel now they were lying to me from what others have told me, no knock on the car at all just went it in to get the chain done as they said the last time I was down it needed to be done.

Think I'll scrap it so.

OldMrBrennan83

Dylan97 wrote: »

They said it needed to be done as it had 145km, feel now they were lying to me from what others have told me, no knock on the car at all just we t it in to get the chain done as they said the last time I was down it needed to be done.

Think I'll scrap it so.

So they've basically had you scrap a good car? Or pay them a mint to get it back to the way it was.

Dylan97

And ye was working fine before i sent it down for the chain replacement, the odd time it would start up and knock off but other than that it worked fine .

Dylan97

Patww79 wrote: »

So they've basically had you scrap a good car? Or pay them a mint to get it back to the way it was.

Ye seems that way, getting them to put it back together and I'll see where i go from their

keepalive213

Dylan97 wrote: »

Ye seems that way, getting them to put it back together and I'll see where i go from their

Did you drive it to the garage in question

Alanstrainor

listermint wrote: »

What made you bring it in for that work ?

This is the real point here...

You brought in a car that was perfectly running for a service item recommended by the mechanic. Then they call and say the engine is dead and the crank is bent? Wtf. What did they do? Did the go replacing the chain and messed up the alignment meaning all hell broke loose when they started it? It sounds to me like they have made a major mistake here and are putting it on you OP. I'd want a really good explanation from the mechanic.

Dylan97

keepalive213 wrote: »

Did you drive it to the garage in question

Ye I drove it to them.

Dylan97

Alanstrainor wrote: »

This is the real point here...

You brought in a car that was perfectly running for a service item recommended by the mechanic. Then they call and say the engine is dead and the crank is bent? Wtf. What did they do? Did the go replacing the chain and messed up the alignment meaning all hell broke loose when they started it? It sounds to me like they have made a major mistake here and are putting it on you OP. I'd want a really good explanation from the mechanic.

Exactly my point I feel as though they made a mistake as the called me at five oclock saying they just pulled the engine out and noticed it.

Whole thing sounds fishy to me to be honest, I'll be going down tomorrow getting my car back and if it doesn't work I'll be taking this further.

Henryhill2

They've prob made a mistake

You won't get any comeback

Dylan97

Could some one explain to me what exactly the crank does ?

Akrasia

Dylan97 wrote: »

Could some one explain to me what exactly the crank does ?

It turns the up down movement in the pistons into roundy roundy movement in the wheels. If it really was significantly bent before you brought it in, it would have definitely noticed the vibrations as the car would be shaking like hell

Dylan97

Akrasia wrote: »

It turns the up down movement in the pistons into roundy roundy movement in the wheels. If it really was significantly bent before you brought it in, it would have definitely noticed the vibrations as the car would be shaking like hell

Thanks for that, car was dead quiet when sent in so I presume they did something when they got it, will know tomorrow and keep posted,
Thanks for the help.

TallGlass

Firstly, you don't just pull and engine out for a timing chain replacement. The costs and labour involved in that are mental.

Secondly, you don't just pull a crank out to look at it for no reason unless you suspect something is seriously wrong with the engine. For a perfectly running car going into the garage, you'd know and tell the owner if this was needed.

If it was running fine before you dropped it to them, they have made a balls of the work. Simple as that, trust me you'd know a bent crack shaft, the car wouldn't move or if it did, it would move a few rotations and spit a rod or two out of the engine.

magentis

I wonder did they find an issue at the crankshaft sprocket when they took the old chain off?

PixelTrawler

Dylan97 wrote: »

They said it needed to be done as it had 145km, feel now they were lying to me from what others have told me, no knock on the car at all just went it in to get the chain done as they said the last time I was down it needed to be done.

Think I'll scrap it so.

I've an 04 Astra Club with 235k Km on it. The chain should not need to be replaced at 145K Km normally.

Mines running on the original chain.

Dylan97

TallGlass wrote: »

Firstly, you don't just pull and engine out for a timing chain replacement. The costs and labour involved in that are mental.

Secondly, you don't just pull a crank out to look at it for no reason unless you suspect something is seriously wrong with the engine. For a perfectly running car going into the garage, you'd know and tell the owner if this was needed.

If it was running fine before you dropped it to them, they have made a balls of the work. Simple as that, trust me you'd know a bent crack shaft, the car wouldn't move or if it did, it would move a few rotations and spit a rod or two out of the engine.

Ye I figure now that something went wrong in the garage and their trying to turn it around, Thanks for the input I'm going to be better prepared tomorrow when they feed me some bull **** about it.

Dylan97

PixelTrawler wrote: »

I've an 04 Astra Club with 235k Km on it. The chain should not need to be replaced at 145K Km normally.

Mines running on the original chain.

Ye I figure they seen I didn't know much about cars and took advantage of that, I'll be getting the car back ASAP.

Dylan97

magentis wrote: »

I wonder did they find an issue at the crankshaft sprocket when they took the old chain off?

I'm not sure they just called saying I had a bent crank and that their be no point finishing the job and that I would need another engine from a scrap yard, conveniently he knew some one who might have one.

Doctors room ghost

If the car was running fine and only went in for a chain I’d say they fukd it up and invented a cock and bull story to shift blame.prob stuck the apprentice on it unsupervised and he made a bag of it.
If it was me I’d say the fukn car was fine coming in the gate and ye must have fukd it up.put it back the way it was and wel leave it at that at their cost.be willing to pay for the work you booked but that’s it

Dylan97

Doctors room ghost wrote: »

If the car was running fine and only went in for a chain I’d say they fukd it up and invented a cock and bull story to shift blame.prob stuck the apprentice on it unsupervised and he made a bag of it.
If it was me I’d say the fukn car was fine coming in the gate and ye must have fukd it up.put it back the way it was and wel leave it at that at their cost.be willing to pay for the work you booked but that’s it

Ye that's the way I'm going, telling them to put it back together and make sure it's working as it came in, Thanks for the help

Dylan97

Been told today it's the crank bearing that's egg shaped and they can't put it back together, said the engine is done, said the engine and fitting would cost 400-500,
Been messed around here big time,
Better off to scrap it and move on ?

Henryhill2

Once told the first lie you know they're not going to look after you

Trouble is proving anything

Regular occurrence in the motor trade

Asmooh

Those engines are quite cheap and replacing is only 250 or so? you have to come to northern ireland though... in the republic they will charge you triple for the same work.

Dylan97

Asmooh wrote: »

Those engines are quite cheap and replacing is only 250 or so? you have to come to northern ireland though... in the republic they will charge you triple for the same work.

Their wanting 400-500 to do it

Doctors room ghost

Dylan97 wrote: »

Their wanting 400-500 to do it

I’d tow the fukr home and use it as a hen house before I’d give them a penny.could you get it to a good indy for a trusted second opinion.somebody you know if possible.

colm_mcm

So what’ll the new (old) engine complete with new chain cost you?

OldMrBrennan83

I'd set it on fire before giving those scumbags another shilling.

Dartz

If you had a main bearing gone bad to the point where it had gone egg-shapped or spun, you'd have a sound out of the crank like there was a dozen gnomes trapped inside trying frantically to get out with sledgehammers

Here's a Scooby about to **** a rod. Did it sound like that?

Dylan97

Dartz wrote: »

If you had a main bearing gone bad to the point where it had gone egg-shapped or spun, you'd have a sound out of the crank like there was a dozen gnomes trapped inside trying frantically to get out with sledgehammers

Here's a Scooby about to **** a rod. Did it sound like that?

Not in the slightest, as I said their wasn't any noticeable sounds or performance issues when I sent it in, I had used this garage before and he recommended I get the chain done and that's how all this fell about.

Dylan97

colm_mcm wrote: »

So what’ll the new (old) engine complete with new chain cost you?

They said to source and fit 400 to 500 euro, I've got two opinions off two different mechanics and they have all said the same as the replies here, their story has changed from a bent crank to an egg shaped bearing.

I suppose if anything comes from this is a life lesson about the motor industry

Asmooh

Dylan97 wrote: »

Their wanting 400-500 to do it

thats not too bad in the ROI though.
If they not feck it up....

Alanstrainor

Asmooh wrote: »

thats not too bad in the ROI though.
If they not feck it up....

Yes. The price they are giving is surely a *we ****ed up, so we'll do this cheap* price. As that is way too low a price for a engine swap. But f*ck that, I'd consider the small claims court in this instance. Hard to prove without spending a good amount of money getting someone else to look and diagnose what happened though...

I wouldn't trust these guys with an oil change, never mind an engine swap. How much are they looking for the work carried out so far OP? I bet they aren't letting you off scot-free...

terrydel

Patww79 wrote: »

I'd set it on fire before giving those scumbags another shilling.

Preferably inside their garage.
Is it any wonder that this industry has a reputation on a par with the Nazis?!

terrydel

Name them. The threat of a court case and shaming them online might be useful to the op.

Toyotafanboi

Do not name and shame them on thread, discuss via pm if you need to.

I'm often seen as a garage defender but nobody here has even seen the car, how can we all be so cock sure they are lying?

If I had a euro for every time a layperson customer confused the words crankshaft and camshaft, i'd have enough for a few pints anyway. OP is yours a "twinport" engine, these were known for excessive camshaft wear and camshaft snapping iirc.

Ask the garage for more info, confirm if they said camshaft or crankshaft and whether it is the shaft itself or the shaft pulley that is broken, confirm what they say happened to it. Let us know.

ace_irl

If they're a SIMI garage you can lodge a complaint with SIMI they might be of some help.

colm_mcm

Lol

Dylan97

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Yes. The price they are giving is surely a *we ****ed up, so we'll do this cheap* price. As that is way too low a price for a engine swap. But f*ck that, I'd consider the small claims court in this instance. Hard to prove without spending a good amount of money getting someone else to look and diagnose what happened though...

I wouldn't trust these guys with an oil change, never mind an engine swap. How much are they looking for the work carried out so far OP? I bet they aren't letting you off scot-free...

They having mentioned, he said all in all 500 euro for the engine and Labour, I'm calling them today to find out.

They said yesterday it was the crank bearing that was egg shaped and that they couldn't put it back together and that the engine was done, so their story has changed from the crank being bent originally.

CJhaughey

ace_irl wrote: »

If they're a SIMI garage you can lodge a complaint with SIMI they might be of some help.

ace_irl

CJhaughey wrote: »

Something tells me you don't have much faith in SIMI....

:eek:

Golfgorfield

Have you considered getting an independent inspection done?