Garage problems - Advice ?

[mayfield4]

Hello,

First post here, and i've come begging for advice.

12 months ago my car was fitted with a new engine, plus all the trimmings, water pump, head gasket. etc etc - costing me £3700.

Last week i noticed the coolant tank was empty. I googled, and many suggested head gasket failure IF there was a creamy sludge in the oil.

I've checked the oil and the creamy sludge is there. Am taking the car back on Monday, my question is - is it reasonable to expect the garage to rectify this problem free of charge, or would i be expected to pay. The engine was fitted at the end of May 2013, and since then i've done just 7 thousand miles.

Any advice greatly received. I don't really know what my rights are and if i should expect to get more than 7,000 on a new head gasket.

Thanks everyone.

Edited by mayfield4 on Monday 23 June 13:30

[Roo]

What warranty did they put on their work?

[johnny fotze]

IMO it's down to you. A gasket either seals or it doesn't so it's unlikely the garage would have fitted the engine thinking 'that'll go in a year'.
Also, it's either gone big time, or you might reconsider the frequency of your checks.

[Limpet]

Although coolant loss and "mayonnaise" are head gasket symptoms, the diagnosis needs to be confirmed. For example, some engines have oil coolers that break up and allow coolant and oil to mix which gives the same symptoms.

If you've only done 7000 miles in 12 months, it suggests the car perhaps does a lot of short journeys. This can also cause mayonnaise in the oil, it never gets hot enough for any moisture or condensation to boil off. Combine this with a small coolant leak from a weeping radiator or hose, and you have the same symptoms.

The bottom line is, you need a competent diagnosis of the issue. Any mechanic worth his salt will be able to confirm or rule out the head gasket within 10 minutes. your first port of call should be the garage who supplied and fitted the engine.

Also was it a "new" engine, "reconditioned" engine or "replacement" engine? They all have different legal meanings.

[mini1380cc]

Roo said:

What warranty did they put on their work?

This. Fitting a new engine has no bearing on the life of a head gasket. That would be down the the manufacturer of the engine or gasket.

It just sounds like bad luck which can happen with car ownership.

[ajb85]

Perhaps take it to an independent garage and have it pressure tested. As has been suggested; contrary to horror stories it's not uncommon for oil and water to mix, however if the coolant tank is bone dry then this would concern me. Any spluttering on start-up? Were the heaters blowing hot before the coolant disappeared? And finally what car is it?

[mayfield4]

Thanks for the replies. 2 yr warranty and it was a brand new engine, zero miles usage and mint.

The guy who said reconsider the frequency of your checks, do you mean i should check the coolant level more often? It's not something i look at every day, but i regularly lift the bonnet to put screenwash in as i live near loads of trees and bird muck, so i do see it every 2 weeks or so, hence the reason i noticed it was extremely low 2 days ago.

[vtecyo]

What car was / is it?

[mayfield4]

ajb85 said:

Perhaps take it to an independent garage and have it pressure tested. As has been suggested; contrary to horror stories it's not uncommon for oil and water to mix, however if the coolant tank is bone dry then this would concern me. Any spluttering on start-up? Were the heaters blowing hot before the coolant disappeared? And finally what car is it?

Cheers for this - the coolant tank was bone dry. I did a 50 mile journey, got home, and when i pulled up and turned the engine off, i could hear a fan running under the bonnet, very quietly, and not something i could notice when driving. Not sure about the heaters blowing hot because it's not been cold here so i've not had the heaters on for months. I've filled the coolant back up straight away, and yes it splutters a bit on start up and there's a bit of exhaust smoke for a few seconds. It's a Vauxhall Astra 1.4 SXI.

[Limpet]

There are various tests that a properly equipped and skilled mechanic can perform to find this fault very quickly.

I would make the supplying garage aware of the issue immediately, and give them the opportunity to inspect the car, diagnose what's wrong with it, and then discuss the way forward from there.

[mayfield4]

Limpet said:

There are various tests that a properly equipped and skilled mechanic can perform to find this fault very quickly.

I would make the supplying garage aware of the issue immediately, and give them the opportunity to inspect the car, diagnose what's wrong with it, and then discuss the way forward from there.

Do you think it's worth safeguarding the chance of being ripped-off by getting it pressured checked elsewhere before i take it back to them?
There's a possible scenario that they claim the head-gasket has blown because the car overheated due to a leaking hose, but if i can eliminate any leaking hose stories by letting someone else test it, then surely they have fitted a duff head gasket.??

[mini1380cc]

mayfield4 said:

....., then surely they have fitted a duff head gasket.??

A brand new engine comes pre-assembled. Unless it was bought as a "short engine" which means it wouldn't come with a new cylinder head. I think these days a new engine comes as a whole unit therefore there would be no reason for the garage to touch the head gasket.

Is there a reason you think the garage would have had the gasket out?

[mayfield4]

All i know is that on the bill, i was charged for a new head set, engine, water pump, seals, dipstick, oil and coolant - so i'm guessing it wasn't pre-assembled.

[funkyrobot]

mayfield4 said:

Thanks for the replies. 2 yr warranty and it was a brand new engine, zero miles usage and mint.

The guy who said reconsider the frequency of your checks, do you mean i should check the coolant level more often? It's not something i look at every day, but i regularly lift the bonnet to put screenwash in as i live near loads of trees and bird muck, so i do see it every 2 weeks or so, hence the reason i noticed it was extremely low 2 days ago.

Straight to the garage that fitted the engine then.

Don't let any other garage touch or try to fix anything. It'll potentially ruin your claim, if there is one.

[andy-xr]

And put some more coolant in before you drive it back to them

[funkyrobot]

andy-xr said:

And put some more coolant in before you drive it back to them

And keep an eye on it.

[Easternlight]

Sorry to hear your troubles OP but £3700 for an Astra engine

[mayfield4]

Thanks for all the replies.

Garage have confirmed blown head gasket and there is coolant mixing with the oil and turning it sludgy. They've stated that this is unacceptable after just 7,000 miles on a new engine, and have offered to do the repairs free of charge to me. It won't cost me a penny.

Result !!!

[Sir Bagalot]

Great result.

But.....

I would have questioned the wisdom of spending £3,700 on a replacement engine for an Astra 1.4

[Prizam]

Sir Bagalot said:

I would have questioned the wisdom of spending £3,700 on a replacement engine for an Astra 1.4

Or spending £3,700 on an Astra 1.4