Vecra engine: Clattering sound, advice needed

[bass2rez]

Hi Everyone,

My other half has returned home from a trip to the shops saying the car has gone wrong, a 1998
Vauxhall Vectra 1.8i petrol. She said the car made a bang noise, and the engine started clattering, about a mile from home. When I went out to examine the car, cooling fluid was pouring out from under the car. I switched on the ignition and saw the temperature gauge on maximum.

I decided to leave the car a couple of hours to cool down, then filled the cooling fluid up, noticing that the water is pouring out of the bottom as fast as a hose can fill it up, and then started the car, and the accompanying video shows what noise the engine is making, basically, a terrible clattering noise:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GegPRiP6bcs

Does anyone have an idea what has gone wrong, and is it terminal? I suspect something has gone at the bottom end, but I am no expert, and so I thought I'd see what others thought.

The car has been fine up until now, and has only recently had a full service and I checked that the oil levels and water levels were correct, so there has been no indication that this was going to happen.

Best Regards,
Steve

[DrDeAtH]

sounds like an old truck diesel... best advice is... its f*cked. either bin it, or if the car is good, change the engine. I think you need to look at what the cheapest/best option is, although spending no money isnt an option....

[wackojacko]

New engine.


Has it got oil in it ?

Cambelt tensioner ok ?

check for holes in block as it may have sent a rod through the coolant journal / through the side of the block.

[stevieturbo]

No idea without seeing it.

But that's an impressive racket it's making and still running !!

[Mr2Mike]

At a guess I'd say the water pump has failed in a big way. Since this is driven from the timing belt I strongly suggest you do not start the engine whatsoever until this is checked.

[bass2rez]

wackojacko said:

New engine.

Has it got oil in it ?

Cambelt tensioner ok ?

check for holes in block as it may have sent a rod through the coolant journal / through the side of the block.

Yep, I've just been out to re-check and the oil is at the full level on the dip stick. The cambelt appears okay too, as far as I can tell.

I fired up the engine again briefly, same clattering sound. I'm surprised the engine fires up with no difficulty, which makes me wonder if the engine itself is still okay.

Could it be the water pump thats exploded..? Water pours out from the offside of the engine, below the cam belt area. Would that be the water pump location? Could a destroyed water pump make this sort of noise?

[bass2rez]

I took a long time writing that last post and in the mean time, MR2Mike has replied saying the same as I was thinking, that it could be the water pump. Alas, I did re-start the engine.. so it is best to not do that and get the car to a garage? Does the fact the engine starts easily mean the engine itself might still be okay?

[wackojacko]

tt I didn't read the Temp gauge bit.

This would point towards the water pump maybe the pinion gear as struck itself a hole in the waterpump ... pissed the water out although it literally must have been on the edge of seizing if that clatter was from to much heat.

[bass2rez]

Thanks for all your help and suggestions so far, everyone. The more I think about it, and the more suggestions on here are indicating, it does seem likely that it's the water pump. I'm surprised it can make that much racket, but the fact that the engine has all its oil and will run properly despite the clattering indicates to me that the engine itself is okay (I hope).

I was thinking of trying a mobile mechanic to come out and check the car tomorrow, as it is going to be difficult to move the car to a garage. Anyone know a good mobile mechanic in the Sandhurst area? DnA Autotec appear in a quick google search and have two good reviews, so perhaps I will try them, unless anyone has a suggestion in the mean time.

Cheers,
Steve

[andym1603]

I agree that it sounds like the waterpump has failed big time, could be the bearing. Watching the video it looks like water getting flung about a couple of times.
The pump on these engines is inside the cambelt cover and is driven by the cambelt. I would not run the engine
incase the pump siezes or shears the shaft this would be terminal.
Can you not take the top belt cover off, you should be able to see the pump then.
HTH
Andy..

[bass2rez]

P.S. I can't believe I spelled Vectra wrong in the title. And I can't correct it. Oh well.

[bass2rez]

I intend to get the car looked at tomorrow, so will post up more info as I discover it. Thanks for all the help, and the suggestions on where to focus attention, it really is much appreciated.

Cheers,
Steve

[powerstroke]

bass2rez said:

I intend to get the car looked at tomorrow, so will post up more info as I discover it. Thanks for all the help, and the suggestions on where to focus attention, it really is much appreciated.

Cheers,
Steve

I guess the bearing has colapsed in the water pump so the timeing belt is slack
the timing is now out so the valves are kissing the pistons or its the empeller hitting the housing, you might be lucky and get away with just a belt, tensioners and WP.. !!!!

Edited by powerstroke on Tuesday 26th April 09:11

[bass2rez]

I got the car recovered to my local garage this morning and they said they will check to see what has gone wrong. I hope the sound wasn't the pistons hitting the valves, that sounds disasterous :s

[stevieturbo]

bass2rez said:

I got the car recovered to my local garage this morning and they said they will check to see what has gone wrong. I hope the sound wasn't the pistons hitting the valves, that sounds disasterous :s

If it was, it would be virtually impossible for the engine to still be running.

And despite the noise, you seem to suggest the engine does actually run fairly well ?

[bass2rez]

stevieturbo said:

If it was, it would be virtually impossible for the engine to still be running.

And despite the noise, you seem to suggest the engine does actually run fairly well ?

The engine certainly did fire up a couple of times when I was trying to diagnose the problem, rather misguidedly.

The garage has come back to me this evening saying the issue was the water pump, that they have fixed this and replaced various other belts and a pulley, and that we are lucky and the engine runs okay. I owe them £350, and I can collect the car tomorrow morning.

I am surprised at this, as I did think the car sounded as if it had terminal damage. We shall see when I go and collect tomorrow morning, and how the car behaves. I will update the thread when I know more.

Cheers,
Steve

[Zad]

Might also be worth educating the other half that when your engine goes BANG, dumps it's bodily fluids and overheats, it is possibly time to stop the engine.

[bass2rez]

Thought I should post an update for this thread. I would have updated sooner, but I was camping all the long weekend at the BTCC at Thruxton, and I couldn't get any mobile internet signal there.

The garage has managed to fix the car by replacing the water pump and cam belt. £400 in total for the repairs. What had happened was that the propeller part of the water pump had fallen off, leaving the rest to rattle around and it is quite incredible that the cam belt didn't jump a tooth, or even worse, the water pump fall completely out. We were very lucky and the car is okay. The Vectra lives to drive another day.

Thanks for all the replies and assistance with this.

Cheers,
Steve

[Munter]

That's great!

I thought it was a dead un!