Fix or chop

[tyred]

As a teenager I changed engines in a MKV Cortina and a MKI Golf.

Older and wiser, cars have become less DIY friendly and the garage floor is no longer as comfortable as it once was, I'd be inclined to farm something major like that out to someone else with better tools and facilities.

I'd still be more inclined to keep repairing rather than bin or replace for the reasons outlined by Drago.

 

[MrGrumpy]

My days of crawling about are nearly over. Brakes/discs etc I can manage and simple oil changes but my days of ripping engines out especially once you buy all the tools are costly .

 

[Juan Kog]

My fixer-up , I should have it ready for an MOT after the weekend.

 

[JoeyB]

I'd speak to another garage, maybe even an independant specialist. We've had a couple of Minis (currently have an R60 Countryman) and I've had countless BMWs (still own an engine swapped E30) so vaguely familiar with these issues.

My understanding of the issue was the chain guides wear down allowing the chain to slack and cause the rattle. So I guess if you're going in to fix it, you will need to replace the guides and chain as a minimum.

I guess for me I would want to know the cost of the job, the value of the car when fully up together and the value of the car with known fault. Then you can weigh up which route will leave your wallet in slightly worse shape. Obviously factor in any other known issues with the car.

My general approach is to fix before flog, but I do have a garage full of tools and carry out all my own work.

 

[HMS_Dave]

I believe my Peugeot 207 has the same engine. The prince engine. Mine has been rattling for years. I do my own DIY and have considered replacing the chain which comes as a kit and you have to snap the plastic tensioner pieces together around the chain before feeding the whole lot down cavity before bolting it all together. But for over a year now ive been hardly using the thing and am considering not getting another when this goes bang so there is little motivation. These engines while powerful for their displacement are a big sack of rattly shite if you ask me....

With such a job on an older car (8 years is apparently ancient these days) you're never get your money back but environmentally it is worth it.

EDIT: Another thing about these engines is the vacuum pump which is driven by the cam can seize due to oil feed hole getting clogged, which locks the cam, often shearing the sprocket bolt which destroys the timing which then causes the pistons to smash in the valves...

Talk about a house of cards engine construction!

 

[Drago]

As a teenager I changed engines in a MKV Cortina and a MKI Golf.

Older and wiser, cars have become less DIY friendly and the garage floor is no longer as comfortable as it once was, I'd be inclined to farm something major like that out to someone else with better tools and facilities.

I'd still be more inclined to keep repairing rather than bin or replace for the reasons outlined by Drago.

I briefly dated a lass in the REME. She drove a Volvo 740 with a Rover V8 conversion she'd built herself. Made me feel a bit inadequate!

 

[tyred]

I briefly dated a lass in the REME. She drove a Volvo 740 with a Rover V8 conversion she'd built herself. Made me feel a bit inadequate!

I really admire people the people who do those type of conversions and years ago I used to think about modifications like that myself.

Now I just wouldn't have the inclination as I drive so little these days and never drive fast so have no need for a big engine.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Will be getting a repair done, priced by two

I believe my Peugeot 207 has the same engine. The prince engine. Mine has been rattling for years. I do my own DIY and have considered replacing the chain which comes as a kit and you have to snap the plastic tensioner pieces together around the chain before feeding the whole lot down cavity before bolting it all together. But for over a year now ive been hardly using the thing and am considering not getting another when this goes bang so there is little motivation. These engines while powerful for their displacement are a big sack of rattly shite if you ask me....

With such a job on an older car (8 years is apparently ancient these days) you're never get your money back but environmentally it is worth it.

EDIT: Another thing about these engines is the vacuum pump which is driven by the cam can seize due to oil feed hole getting clogged, which locks the cam, often shearing the sprocket bolt which destroys the timing which then causes the pistons to smash in the valves...

Talk about a house of cards engine construction!

The repair cost is not huge assuming nothing else is found . Financially it’s not quite a basket case but recon engines run to about £4K !! So you can see how it can quickly go south !

 

[Drago]

You don't need a recon engine if itngoes down that road. A used one with good compression and a bit of warranty will be much cheaper.

 

[oldwheels]

It's a huge improvement on the original Minis, most needed welding for their first MOTs. You would be lucky to get 80,000 miles out of most cars then.

My mini I had for 5 years with no problems and the picture shows it had a lot to cope with. That is why I swapped it for an Austin A60 with sills made from tinfoil.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Made contact with the garage , timing chain was stretched. Variable timing pulleys ok , so new timing chain and associated pulleys fitted. Oil and filter being done. Mechanic wants to keep it till tomorrow and fire her up again to make sure noise is gone completely! Anyway nice bill for my laddie :-)

 

[gbb]

It's a huge improvement on the original Minis, most needed welding for their first MOTs. You would be lucky to get 80,000 miles out of most cars then.

1976 i brought a 1959 mini, so already 17 years old and bodily it was a bit rusty but solid enough.
1977 i had a 1965 mini i really quite good condition bodily, already 12 years old.

Dad brought a brand new one circa 1978...it was rotten in 6 years.


One factor i just thought about. Years ago, it snowed...the roads got snowy, i remember the late 70s, snow all over the roads.
Gritters, when did they really start widely salting roads ?

Countering the above, i did buy an Austin 1100 once, rotten but it was old, equally i brought a mini van once, the headlamps were held in by tape.

Austin, Leynads were funny things, they fell apart quickly sometimes....but often lasted forever, sometimes a lot longer than their more 'exotic' foreign counterparts

 

[Chris S]

1976 i brought a 1959 mini, so already 17 years old and bodily it was a bit rusty but solid enough.

You were lucky. The first (1959) Minis had a panel welded upside down. Instead of deflecting water away from the body it directed it into the cabin!

 

[gbb]

You were lucky. The first (1959) Minis had a panel welded upside down. Instead of deflecting water away from the body it directed it into the cabin!

Although mine did suffer from engine stoppage if you drove in the rain, water came through the grill, showered the spark plug or leads , engine stopped. You could buy a guard that bolted to the rocker cover that solved it.
When I see minis now I think, how did I ever drive in them ..tiny.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Always quite fancied a Cooper original or a GT1275 with loud exhaust twin pipes out the back :-) . Modern cars just all look the same these days, certainly far more reliable for sure but don’t have character!