[dimtimjim]

Scrap metal prices have gone up recently (hence the sudden boom in 'post us your old mobile' companies popping up), you'd be surprised how much a whole car is worth now if you know how/where to dispose...

[James H]

Scrap metal prices have gone up recently (hence the sudden boom in 'post us your old mobile' companies popping up), you'd be surprised how much a whole car is worth now if you know how/where to dispose...

My mate's mate works for a scrapyard. Comes in very handy, nearly-free use of a low loader in exchange for some IT help and mate's rates on scrap prices!

[R94N]

Scrap metal prices have gone up recently (hence the sudden boom in 'post us your old mobile' companies popping up), you'd be surprised how much a whole car is worth now if you know how/where to dispose...

Also, more slow-moving clapped out old Transit tippers collecting the stuff.

[dimtimjim]

You're right young 'un. We did a clear out of some crap from 'er indoors mums house, stuck a load of metal stuff out of the front of the house - was gone within 2 hours. Perfect. If only the council were so prompt.

[dimtimjim]

Whoop! Will be (finally) getting my car back on Monday. Not had the new Turbo fitted which I had mentioned. It was decided that since I was already spending over £2k this 'visit' (bill stands at £2,300 so far, grrr) i'd save myself the extra £1k for the turbo - tis holiday time and all that. "Sorry lov, I spend our holiday spendo on a mahoosive turbo". Nope.

Oh well, should still be good improvements, and such a step up from the god-awful courtesy car i've had (manual windows and everything!).

[dimtimjim]

I LOVE MY CAR!!!

[James H]

I LOVE MY CAR!!!

I'll let you know about mine next Monday. MOT on Saturday... Fingers crossed!

[dimtimjim]

Sorry, was in Cheshire Cat mode when I posted that last night, had just left http://www.jabbasport.com/ and was thoroughly enjoying having my car back, running like a dream.

Good points: I'd forgotten quite how fast my car is and all the amazing sucky/wooshy noises it makes.

Bad points: The bill was a little more than they had estimated - total tab to pick up for work is now at £2,400. And, i'd forgotten quite how ruddy stiff my suspension is, great for round-a-bouts, less so for bumpy A roads.

Mint.

[MK Chris]

GAH! Mine's broked... cambelt, but the cambelt itself isn't snapped, so there is hope apparently. I was driving home the other night and it suddenly started slowing down, the accelerator had no effect... I coasted to a safe(ish) spot (safest place I could get to before it stopped completely) and turned the engine off, tried to restart it and couldn't. Called the RAC, had to be towed home. Apparently the cambelt may have jumped and apparently (can you tell I know nothing of these things?) if it has only jumped one tooth it may be alright, otherwise it has probably bent the valves and then I may as well sell it for scrap - supposedly there is a reasonable chance of the valves not being bent though because I'm told the engine would probably have cut out if they had.

Here's hoping it just needs a new cambelt...... *fingers crossed*

[dimtimjim]

Yeah, T that is correct. Assuming you have only jumped one (or two - I ran my car for nearly 20,000 miles with it two teeth out, Doh!) it should be perfectly fixable, about £200 all in. If not, yes its either 'reconditioned head' time or just fix the bent valves in your head.

Either way, i'd expect both those options to be cheaper that getting a new car, but thats something you need to look at objectively for your own circumstances.

Best o luck.

[James H]

I suppose it also depends on the car/engine. My MR2 was a non-interference engine so theoretically a cambelt snapping or jumping wouldn't necessarily bend valves and stuff.

My friend's 1.6 Megane Coupe on the other hand bent all 16 valves when his cambelt snapped!

Either way, fingers crossed for you Topher!

[dimtimjim]

My friend's 1.6 Megane Coupe on the other hand bent all 16 valves when his cambelt snapped!

The deciding factor is usually engine speed when belt snaps, the higher the rpm the more risk of bendy jazz.

[MK Chris]

Thanks fellas, got someone looking at it in the next couple of days to see what the damage will be.

[MK Chris]

Gawd - now someone else who used to work for Mercedes has said it doesn't jump, it rips the teeth out and it will definitely have busted the valves........ conflicting information!

[dimtimjim]

Was he refering to your specific engine?!! If not, scaremongering...

[MK Chris]

Think he may have been. Really really really really hope he's wrong. Really really.

[dimtimjim]

Meh.... Just done some google research for you, a whole new head for your car is less than £200 (plus about 6/8 hours labour) which is the worst case scenario.

try not to panic too much.

[MK Chris]

Thank you Timothy - I know you're in Spain now, but thank you (hopefully you'll see this when you get back).

So - just had my friend look at it and the long and short of it is this: the cambelt turns; there is pressure in the fuel rail so fuel is getting through; the coil pack sparks - but it's not a strong spark, so I'm recommended to get a new coil pack afterwards; the valves are not bent. Apparently the only other explanation is that the belt must have jumped so the timing is out - so I just need a new cambelt.

Does that make sense?

[James H]

Thank you Timothy - I know you're in Spain now, but thank you (hopefully you'll see this when you get back).

So - just had my friend look at it and the long and short of it is this: the cambelt turns; there is pressure in the fuel rail so fuel is getting through; the coil pack sparks - but it's not a strong spark, so I'm recommended to get a new coil pack afterwards; the valves are not bent. Apparently the only other explanation is that the belt must have jumped so the timing is out - so I just need a new cambelt.

Does that make sense?

I'm not Tim, but that does make perfect sense to me. It sounds like you have gotten away with it

[MK Chris]

Thank * for that - just got to get quotes and get it towed to a garage now. That cambelt hasn't been bad then - it's lasted 127,000 miles...

[James H]

Thank * for that - just got to get quotes and get it towed to a garage now. That cambelt hasn't been bad then - it's lasted 127,000 miles...

Blimey! I know cambelts last longer these days, but that's impressive. How long since it had its last belt change? And what's the car (in case I've missed that!)

[MK Chris]

It's never been changed that I know of - I had it at 40,000 miles, so I don't think the previous owner would have changed it. It's a 206 1.1. Rang a mechanic my mum knows and he said that he's never known that to happen on a Peugeot without bending the valves and that you wouldn't know for sure without testing the pressure or something... so I don't know again!

[James H]

It's never been changed that I know of - I had it at 40,000 miles, so I don't think the previous owner would have changed it. It's a 206 1.1. Rang a mechanic my mum knows and he said that he's never known that to happen on a Peugeot without bending the valves and that you wouldn't know for sure without testing the pressure or something... so I don't know again!

Yeah it would be advisable to do a compression test on it anyway, I'd imagine whoever is doing the work would do that as a matter of course though hopefully!

[MK Chris]

Turns out they are bent, poo... £350-400 all in to fix.

[James H]

Turns out they are bent, poo... £350-400 all in to fix.

Ouch. sorry to hear that!

Seems to be one of those days, my car failed it's MOT and it's gonna cost me £250 to put it all right!