Vectra 2.2 03reg questions (sorry)

[PeterC]

Firstly I hope you and your families had a good Christmass. I wish you a prosperous new year.

My fun started at 02:00 on Christmas day !.

Well the stepson drove over a concrete block on the motorway. It has bent back the aircon radiator and the water rad behind it. Funny thing is apparently the sump got missed and the bumper only has a small dent. Being impatient and not ringing me til later he carried on driving untill his wife persuaded him to stop at the sight of all the red dashboard lights !.

The rad definitely leaks. Now one person has told him the cambelt has gone, another said no way. The engine turns but will not start. It sounds as though its spinning quite freely almost as though there is not compression in the way (like when I turned my 2.0 carlton engine with the plugs out).

So if the belt has snapped it has to be a non-interference engine to still spin. Am I right and how can I tell if the camshaft is rotating.

I suppose we will have to replace the rad and drive it a lot to discover if it was overheated. Is that about right ?.

Book value is £960 private ave - £1160 private good. I can see the repairs getting up to the the value - am I right ?. He might be terminally in love with it like me and my Carltons so I cannot comment !.

What obvious problems / signs are there to look for before spending out on a new rad.

One thing I noticed was a lot of secondhand radiators on ebay for this car (2003 2.2 aircon). I wonder if that means there are a lot of scrapped vectras because of bad engines (or preferably loads of engines available !).

I suspect that this engine is similar to a Carlton engine ?. Thats why I am asking here. He has more money than me so I think one of you experts could invite yourself along profitably btw.

[kevinfourlegs]

Ditch the veccy and get a Carlton, its a no brainer 

[melinx]

So if the belt has snapped it has to be a non-interference engine to still spin. Am I right and how can I tell if the camshaft is rotating.

It may be possible to see the camshaft through the oil filler hole  

Do a compression test; if the compression pressures are significantly below the specified figures the engine is well wrecked

[PeterC]

Thanks Melinx. Now you mention it I can remember seeing the camshaft and some rockers like that years ago. I will have a look (fingers crossed).

His brother has jumped on it but says the oil is contaminated with water cos its black !. Tell me I am right that is old oil and would be cream coloured if it had water in it ?.

Kevin I am ashamed to say that he is not related to me genetically so unfortunately he lacks the finess and sensitivity to realise what is pure and good in the world. He does not even drink Marstons Pedigree let alone any other bitter. In fact I wonder about his orientation, I try not to lose sleep over it and his mother seems relaxed about it - OK I know he is married but he does not drink alcohol. That cannot be right  .

[kevinfourlegs]

I also abstain from drinking alcohol. Haven't touched it in over three years. It doesn't go well with my medication.

If oil and water mix then the 'liquid' will most certainly not be black, but more of a creamy colour.

[melinx]

His brother has jumped on it but says the oil is contaminated with water cos its black !. Tell me I am right that is old oil and would be cream coloured if it had water in it ?.

Unless its fairy new, engine oil IS black and yes it would look creamy(especially on the inside of the oil filler cap) if it had water in it.

[Mitch1965]

2.2 vec-c's are chains not belts.(not very reliable either) Trouble is he's probably cooked the engine if its run dry of water.

[kevinfourlegs]

The engine oil in mine is a lovely golden brown colour. It was changed back in October. My previous Carlton's oil was never black.  I've had dark brown, but never black in any of my vehicles.

Must be a dirty engine in the veccy.

[PeterC]

2.2 vec-c's are chains not belts.(not very reliable either) Trouble is he's probably cooked the engine if its run dry of water.

Yes I am thinking cooked.

I will look again to see if its obviously a chain engine, looked down the oil filler cap to see - nothing like an engine !!!!.

Dragged the rads off. the aircon one was still under pressure so better built than the water rad that it was pushed into.

Brother decided to change plugs so I left him to buy some. I removed the old ones (AC delco 3 pronged) oily but not eaten away. I put in the Champions he bought (30 years ago I had more luck with NGKs on motorcycles - how about nowadays ?). The plugs were oily and smelt to me of WD40 (not really oil or petrol). With a torch I looked down onto top of pistons (I assume !). First and Fourth were oily on top (possibly like the crud I have wiped out of previous engines - I guess 2 pot aircooled so 30 years ago !). Other two pots were dirty (dark grey possibly) but looked dry.

WTF has replaced the distributor ?, pity as its so easy to get to on a transverse engine. I only wanted to find something that spins with the camshaft (cannot even see if it has a camshaft(s)!).

Tried to start. Flat battery again (brother has been cranking it to buggery) so used my jump starter that santa just brought me  (my new toy). Spins and maybe coughed a bit. Perhaps the headgasket is gone in the oil to pot manner. Oil is still dirty black not grey/creamy. If I get the truthful answer I might find that the oil is ancient and so thin it can get past the piston rings !.

Think I will cling to my own car (see other threads).

[Mitch1965]

Only real way to see if chain has gone is to remove cam cover & try spinning it, maybe do a compression check too. If the chain has gone then you wont get half the compression or the cam won't move. Been a while since i looked at these lumps, so unsure now how the chain cover comes off , sorry. The coil pack, just ensure thats plugged in, sorry if this is "sucking eggs" but have seen folk forget to re-connect these up.

[Pedro]

2.2 petrol I'm assuming. Not the best engine n the world, the 2.2DTi diesel is far superior.

Vectra B - bag o'sh*t cars. Scrap it, it's worthless.

Vectra C - damn good car, maybe worth getting it sorted.

[Land-Barge]

If he's run it with little or no water in he's probrably fried the piston rings and now there's no compression, time for a new motor

[PeterC]

Lads got another engine. No idea of its past. Apparently he got a mechanic to look at the car but he cannot recite the diagnosis !. But I suspect poor oil then cooked and then cooked again. Lets hope the "newer" engine is OK and that he does not want me to help him fit it !.

[PeterC]

Update (if your interested). Surgeon says compression tested 2 cylinders bad, 2 very bad. Signs of water on plugs so I reckon head is either wrped or very warped  . Anyway lower mileage engine going in.