OK I'm not going to name names or start a witch hunt as this is still being looked into. I just wanted to know what other people on here would do or think about my situation.

Basically I have an MY96 uk turbo. I've owned it for the last 4 and a half years and its been really good to me until earlier in the year when it was crashed into in a car park ever since then things have gone from bad to worse!

The week after I got it back from the bodyshop the gearbox let go.

Then the week after I got it back from having the gearbox sorted I discover the head gasket had given up! It wasn't a dramatic failure just spat about a litre of water out after a enthusiastic run. It only did this twice before I stopped driving it and looked into what caused it.

I booked it into a well regarded subaru specialist to have the headgaskets done and after a long wait and a new clutch and flywheel (not to mention a big bill) I got my car back

The garage was not local but I took there because of their good reputation. So on my drive home, obviously driving very steadily as I didn't want to upset anything, a couple of times when pulling up to a stop at junctions I got a burning oil smell.... I thought well the engines been out so maybe its just some oil on the exhaust etc etc.

When I got home I checked all around the engine no sign of oil anywhere. great I thought it's burnt away that should be it.

I did a 15min journey to the shops. And noticed burning oil smell again. This time I stopped the car and got out to have a look around, no sign of any oil and no smell at the front of the car???????

I drive home from the shop and phone the garage. Am told just gaskets etc settling in. Fair enough.

I did the same journey and back the next day again noticing the odd smell of burning oil when pulling up to stop.

I park the car up in my garage (I only use it at the weekends) and left it for the week.

The following friday night I go to get it out of the garage. No sign of oil leaks all levels are fine. I start the car and to my dismay notice a knocking that quickly died as the cars starts up....... I move it onto drive and shut it off. The next day I start the car to go to the shops and again knocking on start up that quickly died down. I get about 20-30yrds down the road before realising that the engine sounds like a bag of nails!! I turn around and go home.

I phone the garage who arrange for the car to be recovered back to them.

I am then told its the big end gone!!! I am now left awaiting the desicion as to whether it was anything to do with them or just "coincidence".

I'm in a right of dilema because the bills from the last couple of problems have left me totally broke so if it starts to cost anything I'm well and truly buggered.

The whole not knowing what will happen is doing my head in.

So if it was you what would you think/do about it?

Ade

Sorry for the novel but just don't know what to think about it all.

 

MAJOR bummer,

Stick with it.

Brian

 

I had this and a whole lot more with an Evo I owned a while back - must have spent the amount of the car again getting it tuned up and repairing it when it went wrong (which it did very often).

I got rid in the end and went back to Scoobs again - but I've been broke ever since cos of that car. I'd see what they say, but have it checked over by at least 2 different garages to get the best opinions as to what condition it's in.

If there's any doubt in your mind as to how reliable it is, there's nothing worse than keeping it IMO, you'll get in it each day as I did with my car and think there's something going to go wrong - it then ruins your whole driving experience and therefore the point in having the car in the first place for me.

Hope it gets sorted for ya instead though mate and you get to keep your pride and joy as well as your bank balance

 

a very similar thing happened to me when i had my head gaskets changed on my old classic. smell of burning oil i mean. looked and could see no oil but did go away after a while. they had my car for a month and i kept asking how much is this going to cost. about £700.00 he said. but when i went to pick the car up the bill had jumped to £1200.00. he said there were other things that needed done while the engine was stripped down. this was at wincanton motor services. not slating the garage though will pay whatever for my baby. nasty shock though.

 

I think i'd put it in the hands of a solicitor now, or at least consult one. A quick letter now may show the garage that you mean business and if it is their fault they should be more likely to pay up or chip in with the cost.

Chris

 

Well I think we all agree that a body shop can't have done anything that would effect the internals of an 8 year old engine to make it spit the big end - unless they were taking it out and thrashing it to death every day while "fixing it"

It seems it's just at the age where it needs some work - and unfortunately for you it's major stuff. Still once it's done it's done Stick with it now (you can't afford not to! ) or give it to me free and I'll promise to look after it

 

I'm not wanting to get all serious with solicitors or anything yet. I just wanted to know if this sounds related to the work they've done or is it just coincidence? Never since I've owned it has it rattled knocked or anything.

I really am just after someone who knows the car/engine better than I do to advise if it is likely that this

A. a result of a mistake during the head work (Gasket misalgined, debris in oil channel??????)

B. Just old engine therfore should expect failure even though no sign before hand?

Ade

 

Doesnt sound to me like its related to the work they have done just bad luck, sometimes these things just all happen at once

 

Did you check the oil level before and after the problem. Or whether there was water in the oil, can happen after head gasket failure. Could even cause "hydraulicking" in a cylinder which would damage the big ends.

The story about Gaskets "settling" is nonsense. Newly installed gaskets just should not leak if fitted correctly. Just wondering if the oil level was low after they completed the head gaskets job. Or whether oil was leaking out of the cam cover gaskets onto the exhaust at a fast rate.

Sorry about all your problems anyway.

Les

 

Yes. When I picked the car up was told to check the oil and water before driving for the first few weeks (unfortunatley didn't get that far) but checked before I drove and both were fine. When the gaskets went the only symptom was the pressurised water spitting out of the overflow. I had the temp go slightly up (needle midway between middle and top) once, but none of the water in the oil type of thing.

The thing that I just have problems with is that it has never made any hint of knocking noises whilst I've owned it, then within 140miles of steady driving after the engine work (with the burning oil thing) the bottom end goes.

I must admit that after the very short drive when it was knocking horribley I didn't check the oil. I just called the garage and they arranged for it to be collected.

I'm just not very good at accepting coincidence as a reason. If it is then I'll have to live with it, but I just wanted some feedback from people more knowledgable than I to help put my (very overactive) mind at rest.

Ade

 

I understand just how you feel Ade, I would be the same too. Don't know whether it would show on the mileometer, but could a mechanic taken it out for a good thrashing after the head gaskets were done? That's been known in the past too.

Hope you get satisfaction from them anyway.

Les

 

I would hope not the place in question have a superb reputation on here so I wouldn't have thought so. But me being a bit cunning zero'd my turbo timer (blitz top end one) So had a record of whatever peak speed was reached when I picked it up. And can report that it was fine.

Just got to wait and try not to think about the worst case. (which is very difficult when I've only got my company car to drive).

Ade

 

Thank you for not jumping in and naming the company


By all means ask for advice here ademid, but due to potential libel issues until you have sorted it out please could you not name and shame and that also rules out subtle hints as well



Thanks
Sam

 

Nightmare, I would not have thought the two were related unless it was run with no oil. My big end has just gone (MY98 with 104,000 miles) and it's going to cost £2500 to fix.