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damiane
Novice
May 16, 2013, 2:55 AM
Post #1 of 16
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Is my car ruined?
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Hello,
First time poster.
Driving along the motorway yesterday, grinding noise fronm engine, then seconds later oil-light came on and i had to stop, smoke coming from exhaust also.
The AA man came and inspected - said there is a hole in my oil sump, caused by rods in the engine breaking, hence loss of oil.
Long shot i know, but is it likely to be something that's fixable or i do i know have a scrap car?
Its only done 43,000 miles and was serviced regularly and one careful owner, so no idea what's happened.
If anyone has and idea what the best step is i'd be grateful. It's an Astra, 1.4 SXI on a 56 plate. Thanks
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HT
User
May 16, 2013, 3:10 AM
Post #2 of 16
(1921 views)
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Re: Is my car ruined?
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You'll be scrapping at least the engine. I don't know what kind of shape the rest of the car is in and whether it would be worth fixing.
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damiane
Novice
May 16, 2013, 3:29 AM
Post #3 of 16
(1910 views)
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Re: Is my car ruined?
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Thanks - rest of car is in decent condition, No damage to bodywork, good wheels and tyres etc.
New engine cost a lot i guess?
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HT
User
May 16, 2013, 3:38 AM
Post #4 of 16
(1906 views)
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Re: Is my car ruined?
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We're in the US and that car is not so i would have no idea on the repair cost or the value of the car.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 16, 2013, 3:47 PM
Post #5 of 16
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Re: Is my car ruined?
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43K, supposedly well maintained, and it chucks a rod? There has to be more to this story.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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nickwarner
Veteran
/ Moderator
May 16, 2013, 5:09 PM
Post #6 of 16
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Re: Is my car ruined?
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Did this get its oil changed as it should? Did you have oil in it when it blew? Any signs like a missing drain plug or double gasketed oil filter? You have a catastrophic failure. This sent a rod through your oil pan so basically the engine internals came apart at full speed and because shrapnel. You will need a brand new engine, this one cannot be rebuild because the block itself is damaged. You said this car is a 56? That might be a rare one to locate as parts for a 57 year old car aren't that easy to come by.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 16, 2013, 7:41 PM
Post #7 of 16
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Re: Is my car ruined?
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OP - please pardon my ignorance but what does "plate 56" mean? I don't think that indicates the year it was made or model year or is a code # for what year.
This site does catch a fair share of traffic from the UK in particular and any place possible. Most regulars here are N. American with invasive emission controls, safety mandated items and crash designs that make vehicle get far less fuel economy in comparison.
The mechanical basics of an internal combustion engine are all there so we can make guesses without good or any software help for fine details.
Nick - I doubt the "Plate 56" means it is a 1956 model,
Tom
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damiane
Novice
May 19, 2013, 3:01 AM
Post #9 of 16
(1796 views)
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Re: Is my car ruined?
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43K, supposedly well maintained, and it chucks a rod? There has to be more to this story.
There IS more to it. Thanks for the replies, everybody. I didn't realise this was an American website. The 56 plate means 2006 second half of the year.
Anyway, yeah, car was driven well. As some of you have correctly said, the engine is now completely destroyed. The workshop mechanic has said the car was probably driven without oil in it or the oil pump gave up.
Car DID have oil in it because when i pulled over after the engine died, there was oil pouring out all over the floor from under the engine. Lots of it. I never once got a warning light on the dash until just a few seconds before the breakdown.
Mystery to me. Anyway, i've gotta get a new engine and it's costing me £3500, which is about 5 thousand dollars US.
Seems really bad luck that it dies after 43000 miles when lots of my co-workers have cars that are over 100,000 miles and still work perfectly. Sigh.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 19, 2013, 6:28 AM
Post #11 of 16
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Re: Is my car ruined?
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damaine: Quote>>"I didn't realise this was an American website.<<"
It's not an "American" only website at all, just happens that most regualar techs and passers by are dealing with N. American vehicles and have more exacting info on them.
HT as said an oil warning is like your heart stopped and doesn't matter much about fine technical details - it's a fatal problem and if this warning was just a light they have been historically way too late on many for ages. That issue is common to any engine that pumps oil to survive.
Damage is done no matter whether low oil for any reason or not pumping for any reason.
Now the job is to figure out the best approach for your access to repair, parts new or used and a good mechanic still to install and make right again or you would know by extimated costs if it exceeds value of the car which still has value without an engine - do the math.
Hard part is to find a good used, whole engine with those low miles again with a good history of care that met it's demise perhaps from a rear end accident or whole remanufactured engine that here can come in what's called long or short blocks meaning with or without head(s) and swap over all the assorted brackets and stuff from the broken one.
Opinion - just my own maybe is a good original beats the redone ones for life expectancy but takes takes knowing which used ones are really good or not. It must be the exact correct one as well.
So figure out the value as it is now, the costs of alternate transportation, costs to solve the problem vs trade it for another whole vehicle now,
Good luck and hope it doesn't cost way too much,
T
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damiane
Novice
May 19, 2013, 7:55 AM
Post #12 of 16
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Re: Is my car ruined?
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I never once got a warning light on the dash until just a few seconds before the breakdown. seconds??....... just how many seconds? You can equate the oil light warning to your heart pumping. It only takes seconds without it to die.
Can't be exact, but between 5 and 10 seconds maximum.
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HT
User
May 19, 2013, 10:16 AM
Post #14 of 16
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Most engines getting ready to fail will usually give some sort of warning indication, although is may be something only recognized by a professional so you should have it checked over from time to time just for general health even though this one may have been unavoidable.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 19, 2013, 10:26 AM
Post #15 of 16
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One more - 5-10 actual seconds it probably shouldn't have blown but unknown is it may have been borderline too long before the warning light for a long time. a whole minute would be enough on most with zero oil pressure.
Your prices seem high but can't equate what might be available for here vs there and the taxes involved either. If you can get this right again at least you know the rest of the car and I guess I'd bite the bullet and do it,
T
PS: My fault on not knowing at least the plate thing. Been to British territories and some of Europe not paying much attention to car anything really....
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nickwarner
Veteran
/ Moderator
May 21, 2013, 7:46 PM
Post #16 of 16
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If the oil pump had a catastrophic failure that would account for your lack of warning and it was too late once that light came on anyhow. You threw me off with the plate thing. In the US we would've said "I have an 06 blah blah blah" not something about a 56plate. This site is US based, and all mods here are US or Canadian. So While we are always willing to help as much as possible, when it comes to vehicle specific details we have no access to info on cars not sold here and I for one had no idea your license plates had something to do with the year of the car. Very different in the US on that end.
The price you are being quoted to put in a brand new engine sounds reasonable to me. Make sure you keep any and all papers you get with this for warranty work. Also if you were to sell the car later you can prove the engine is new instead of hoping someone trusts you of it.
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