Scrap or Repair Corsa

[tony wright]

Bought a cheap (£1,250) 2009 1.2 petrol Corsa for Daughter whilst she’s back in the Uk having a baby. It seemed to be a cheaper option than hiring cars, or paying train fares as Son in laws family are spread between Glasgow and London and their plan was to sell it again in July. So we worked on it costing them about £600 for seven months driving. Car was in very good condition, especially bodywork and seemed perfect for their needs. That was until it blew a head gasket coming back from Glasgow .

They are now in a conundrum as garage refuse to do head gasket (0% compression) in case it turns out to be cracked block, warped head etc.They have recommended replacing engine with a used one from E bay or locally and have sourced a replacement for £450 + 3 to £400 labour costs. What’s putting them off though is the thought of it happening again before July as replacement engine and garage work only comes with a 2 month warranty. Seems like the Vauxhall 1.2 petrol engine is a little prone to head gasket failure, although it’s always seems the case when you google the issue specifically.

So working on figures: Scrapping car will cost them a total of £1330. This is after scrap money (£85) and returns from tax and insurance costs. Getting it repaired will cost them the same, if and I repeat if... they sell the car in July for £1,190. I think it’s doable, as previously mentioned car is generally in very good condition. But to me the biggest thing is having a car for the next 6 months as otherwise they will have to rent as and when required. Biggest issue though is they seem to be transfixed with what’s to stop the new engine blowing a head gasket again before July.

Anybody have any thoughts on best, or better course of action?

Sorry for long draw out explanation

[A1VDY]

Get another workshop to do it.
Have them pressure test the head and if it's OK then have it skimmed and put back together with a new gasket set and head bolts.
Far cheaper than a used engine plus the associated fitting costs
EDIT..its a very easy engine to take apart and reassemble.

Edited by A1VDY on Monday 6th January 19:36

[Xcore]

Chuck a c20let in it

[tony wright]

The garage we have had the car towed to is our normal Indy and they have never let us down over the last five years and the chances are there really could be further damage to the engine. They didn’t just refuse to do head gasket, but explained that if they did change it and have the head skimmed to then find out it was either warped or the block cracked they would be out of pocket as they wouldn’t expect us to pay for what would still be a knackered car. I thought that was pretty honest and could see their point.

Issue arose after Daughter carried on driving the car with no water in until it actually stopped. The Corsa has no temp gauge and they said a red light flashed once or twice, but when they checked the manual it said it was an electrical warning issue. When I arrived to tow them home I took a container of water with a glimmer of hope it might not be as bad as I expected, unfortunately I was wrong. I tried to turn engine over once water was registering, but it didn’t even crank and just whired as there was zero compression.

[tony wright]

Xcore said:

Chuck a c20let in it

Not sure if this is a thing or a joke?

[InitialDave]

Slapping a used known good engine in it probably carries the best balance of cost, ease, and not turning it into a war of attrition finding more and more knackered bits.

[tony wright]

Another question for those in the know. I ended up buying a used 1.2 (Z12XEP) petrol Corsa engine with a milage of 44k from a breaker off E bay for £350 and a guarantee of 30 days. Anyway it was fitted yesterday and car collected today. Car runs fine, although underpowered (same as the last engine) but much louder. I know the cam belt is a chain and it’s known to be loud, but this engine sounds more like a diesel than a petrol one and so much noisier than the last. So, is there anything to be overly concerned about? I’m still to leave feedback for the breakers on E bay (they have a 100% positive) but concerned the engine may not be as sound as promised on their advert. Also I’m assuming the 30 day warranty starts once the garage have completed the swop, i.e. today?

Edited by tony wright on Friday 24th January 16:37

[littlebasher]

tony wright said:

Another question for those in the know. I ended up buying a used 1.2 (Z12XEP) petrol Corsa engine with a milage of 44k from a breaker off E bay for £350 and a guarantee of 30 days. Anyway it was fitted yesterday and car collected today. Car runs fine, although underpowered (same as the last engine) but much louder. I know the cam belt is a chain and it’s known to be loud, but this engine sounds more like a diesel than a petrol one and so much noisier than the last. So, is there anything to be overly concerned about? I’m still to leave feedback for the breakers on E bay (they have a 100% positive) but concerned the engine may not be as sound as promised on their advert. Also I’m assuming the 30 day warranty starts once the garage have completed the swop, i.e. today?

Edited by tony wright on Friday 24th January 16:37

Take a video of the engine running and send it to the breakers

Chances are, they've never even had it running and just gambled on it being ok. Probably works for them 90% of the time, you're just one of the unlucky ones.

Bad news is that they'll probably provide another, but you'll have to pay someone to fit it.

Its that, or buy a new chain kit for it - those engines are notorious for it.

[C. Grimsley]

Yes would say it may be a noisy chain kit, normally identified as very noisy when first started and usually quietens a little as oil pressure gets up.

Forgot the amount of chain kits we have fitted to them.

Carl

[stevemcs]

It would have made more sense to replace the gasket, they are relativity simple and you would change the chain at the same time. It sounds like you have gone from a blown head gasket to one with a knackered chain and are no further forward.

[tony wright]

C. Grimsley said:

Yes would say it may be a noisy chain kit, normally identified as very noisy when first started and usually quietens a little as oil pressure gets up.

Forgot the amount of chain kits we have fitted to them.

Carl

Is the car okay to carry on driving? As I said earlier it runs okay and if the loud noise wasn’t there you wouldn’t mind.

[C. Grimsley]

tony wright said:

Is the car okay to carry on driving? As I said earlier it runs okay and if the loud noise wasn’t there you wouldn’t mind.

If the chain lets go you will be in the position you was before this all started, best get it changed or repaired.

Carl

[HustleRussell]

These engines have ridiculously noisy injectors for some reason, are you sure its not just that? Injectors will be a regular and constant tick, chain is as you would expect a chain to sound- gnashy, slightly random and varying with revs

[HustleRussell]

C. Grimsley said:

tony wright said:

Is the car okay to carry on driving? As I said earlier it runs okay and if the loud noise wasn’t there you wouldn’t mind.

If the chain lets go you will be in the position you was before this all started, best get it changed or repaired.

Carl

I looked at doing the chain on one of these DIY, It's not as straightforward as you might expect- if I remember rightly the sump and oil pump have to come off for some reason?

[Jimmy Recard]

Xcore said:

Chuck a c20let in it

[Olas]

For 500 quid you can fit a red top and then sell it on eBay as a track car for 3 or 4 times what it owes you

[Jimmy Recard]

I’ve got quite a bit of Z12XEP experience. Usually they seem to run forever even with a noisy chain.

And they all have a bit of chain clatter on start up until the oil pressure builds

[Tyre Smoke]

Olas said:

For 500 quid you can fit a red top and then sell it on eBay as a track car for 3 or 4 times what it owes you

Really?

Where can I buy and have fitted a red top for £500?

[Chris32345]

If it truly has zero compression it's almost certainly say it's more then just a head gasket

[uncleluck]

stevemcs said:

It would have made more sense to replace the gasket, they are relativity simple and you would change the chain at the same time. It sounds like you have gone from a blown head gasket to one with a knackered chain and are no further forward.

Maybe if his daughter hadn’t “driven the car until it stopped running” I’d agree with you. Would you really just change a head gasket in that scenario?

It’s always so simple from a customer POV but being on the other end of the fence I can say garages really don’t want to be messing with stuff like this. I’d often get asked to “just replace the head gasket” and I’d always refuse the job. I’d only ever want to do it belt and braces and have the head checked and flat. Most of the time this would be refused as it “just needs the gasket doing” Trouble is the same gasket brigade are usually the ones where you do a bodge job and you’re then responsible for their entire motoring future problems.


Sounds like a typical eBay ‘low mileage’ engine unfortunately.