Mechanic says I need new engine, Astra

Dylan97 · 16-09-2018 01:10AM #1

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 · 16-09-2018 11:17AM

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 · 16-09-2018 12:12PM

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 · 16-09-2018 12:16PM

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

OldMrBrennan83 · 16-09-2018 12:17PM

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

Bigus · 16-09-2018 12:18PM

Camshaft bent more likely

begbysback · 16-09-2018 12:20PM

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

Akrasia · 16-09-2018 12:21PM

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 · 16-09-2018 12:24PM

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 · 16-09-2018 12:41PM

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 · 16-09-2018 12:44PM

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 · 16-09-2018 12:45PM

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 · 16-09-2018 12:46PM

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 · 16-09-2018 12:49PM

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 · 16-09-2018 12:54PM

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 · 16-09-2018 12:59PM

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 · 16-09-2018 01:04PM

keepalive213 wrote: »

Did you drive it to the garage in question

Ye I drove it to them.

Dylan97 · 16-09-2018 01:07PM

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 · 16-09-2018 01:09PM

They've prob made a mistake

You won't get any comeback

Dylan97 · 16-09-2018 01:13PM

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

Akrasia · 16-09-2018 02:07PM

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 · 16-09-2018 03:40PM

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 · 16-09-2018 08:45PM

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 · 16-09-2018 08:52PM

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

PixelTrawler · 16-09-2018 08:56PM

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 · 16-09-2018 09:02PM

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 · 16-09-2018 09:03PM

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 · 16-09-2018 09:16PM

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 · 16-09-2018 09:25PM

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 · 16-09-2018 09:45PM

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 · 17-09-2018 12:09PM

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 ?

Mechanic says I need new engine, Astra

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