28 replies to this topic

[bamby]

Ok last night on my way home from manchester last night (had been to see Pam Ann at the lowery) i'd pulled into a service station (if you can call it that ) to go to the loo and then on my way back up the slip road the car made a clunking noise and the exhaust light came on so we pulled over .. so long story short 5 hours later we got home thanks to 4 AA men and there 4 vehicles haha.

Took the car to local vauxhall at 3:50 am and they looked at it at 12noon ish today and the crankshaft has broken on the exhaust cycle taking the cambelt and timingchain with it ..

my question is has anyone else experienced this ...

but on the plus the mini is now taking me to uni all of this week ! hah

thanks Bamby

[WiredbyWilson]

What engine is in your corsa nick?? As if it is a 1.2 16v lump as in the mk3 corsa's then it doesn't have a cam belt so it sounds like they are over quoting.

I also can't quite see how the crankshaft breaking on the exhaust cycle would make any difference - as there is always a cylinder on the exhaust cycle - if you see what im getting at.

I have seen a late style corsa break an exhaust cam, and it was fully repairable althought the cam was about £280 from vauxhall. But we didn't need th change anything else bar the cam - it just ran like a tractor on 2/3 cylinders.

IF the crank has broken then that is a serious failure and the engine is scrap - i feel you might not have been told the full problem.

Does the car still run, or was running before you pulled over - was it like i mentioned above - i.e. running and just about pulling itself along and making a clicking noise every now and again??
The exhaust light - do you mean engine light? If so that is the engine management light and would suggest anything from a sensor not picking up (from broken cam) to dodgy emissions.

[puresmartie]

i've seen a cora cam snap in half, not cleanly, but snapped in half none the less.

[bamby]

What engine is in your corsa nick?? As if it is a 1.2 16v lump as in the mk3 corsa's then it doesn't have a cam belt so it sounds like they are over quoting.

I also can't quite see how the crankshaft breaking on the exhaust cycle would make any difference - as there is always a cylinder on the exhaust cycle - if you see what im getting at.

I have seen a late style corsa break an exhaust cam, and it was fully repairable althought the cam was about £280 from vauxhall. But we didn't need th change anything else bar the cam - it just ran like a tractor on 2/3 cylinders.

IF the crank has broken then that is a serious failure and the engine is scrap - i feel you might not have been told the full problem.

Does the car still run, or was running before you pulled over - was it like i mentioned above - i.e. running and just about pulling itself along and making a clicking noise every now and again??
The exhaust light - do you mean engine light? If so that is the engine management light and would suggest anything from a sensor not picking up (from broken cam) to dodgy emissions.

its a 55 plate corsa c (2005) the light that came on was the one that indicated the exhaust emmissions. it was firing on two (like a tractor) and a loud clunking sound so was the dicision by aa man was not to turn it on again and leave it to Vauxhall.

the crank isnt broken as thats a replacement engine job. this xplains it better than i can but ours is virtually the same Vauxcam

[WiredbyWilson]

Ok so it is the camshaft that is broken. As mentioned I have come acros this personally and the car was still ok to drive -ish....

You should be able to just replace the cam, it isn't cheap as I have already said but as for vauxhall quoting for a new cambelt - that is a pure lie as the new corsa's are run on chains.
Plus we replaced only the cam so they shouldn't have to replace the timing chain etc.

As i said i think Vauxhall are just trying to over-quote for work that doesn't really need to be done.

[davidv]

It sounds like the camshaft also to me i would get a full head and cam from a breakers yard and a new head gasket then get someone to fit it on the drive i do not think your crank has snapped that would be rare the garages are to dear with new parts labour etc...

[WiredbyWilson]

I am not sure fitting a new head is the best way to go. Plus a breakers will charge the earth for a head on it's own as i breaks up complete engine.

Fitting a camshaft is much less work than fitting a head, as all you have to do is hold the timing chain sprocket while you swap the broken cam for the new one . The cams are timed in through slots in them that sit level with the head

It is a shame you are no closer Nick as I could have done it for you.

[WiredbyWilson]

It sounds like the camshaft also to me i would get a full head and cam from a breakers yard and a new head gasket then get someone to fit it on the drive i do not think your crank has snapped that would be rare the garages are to dear with new parts labour etc...

The engine nick has is a twin-cam chain driven version - and would involve stripping the side of the engine to remove the timing chain (poxy job) and them timing it all back up again. Plus the additional costs of gaskets etc (the engine side gasket is about £50 on it's own).

See if you can find a proper old school mechanic Nick - not a "fitter" as most are nowadays.

[davidv]

There is still a good yard in Earlswood Solihull called Copes like a big field you have to take the parts of like the old days and agree on the price first without a good bit of help the whole lump may be the answer from a yard as above said many people can fit it in on a good deal best of luck with it at least you have the Mini these days its cheaper to buy a new daily car than fix it sometimes you will have to look about...

[bamby]

to be honnest the corsa is my daily drive and i need it to get me too and from uni its also owned by my mum and dad so the decision is primarliy theres

to be honnest its not the cost of the parts thats costing us its the labour at 66.76an hour+ VAt

[davidv]

Hope you get it fixed ok you have not broken it so your folks will be ok to some things do break down the labour at a garage is always the major cost i just got a 500 bill on small repairs they kept calling me with extra jobs to do get a written deal price before they start on the job i did not and payed for it got my MOT in the end i would still try local mobile mechs. to save money first there are plenty about looking for work in any area these days with good historys to check all the best davidv.

[WiredbyWilson]

All i would say Nick is don't get Vauxhall to do it!!

Shop around and find a small garage / mechanic that trades on its reputation - as they will want to do a good joba nd have you recommend them.

Put it this way my uncle charged £100 labour (works on roughly £30/£35 per hour), plus the cost of a cam to sort the corsa out that we had. No extras, no hidden parts that need replacing etc.

It seems this is a common failure - which is more worrying.

Hope you get it sorted Nick, but id be looking at a bill of £400 - £500 + VAT bearing in mind the cam will be around £300 from Vauxhall.

[bamby]

well got the car back from vauxhall last nite aT 6PM after they did a ful road test ...

needless to say it drives like it did 3 years ago when we got it

total bill was £921.86 so still not cheap but the cars back and working

[newdawn1st]

well got the car back from vauxhall last nite aT 6PM after they did a ful road test ...

needless to say it drives like it did 3 years ago when we got it

total bill was £921.86 so still not cheap but the cars back and working

Hell's teeth Nick, your right that ain't cheap, Ouch!

[bamby]

sorry !! ive just re read what i have put up and looked at my Bill from Vauxhall .. it wasnt the crankshaft in anyway!!

Its the cam shaft that has gone !!

so here is a quick blast of the bill :

vauxhall labour charge £504.56
camshaft £236.90
timing chain £39.10
slide rail £2.39
gasket £12.82
gasket £18.80
gasket £23.52
screw-torx £0.87
seal ring £15.30
chain tensioner £34.04
guide rail £3.34
rail £5.53
seal £1.20
antifreeze £7.02
10w/40w oil £16.50

bulb £7.25


total .... £929.14