Car is Broken?
14 September 2003, 02:16 PM
#1
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On the way to Northampton today my car started to rattle from under the engine 
I did not have any check lights come on but it kind of sounds like a belt hitting against something as it goes around
The car was towed to the dealers
ANY IDEAS????
I did not have any check lights come on but it kind of sounds like a belt hitting against something as it goes around
The car was towed to the dealers
ANY IDEAS????
14 September 2003, 08:04 PM
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Its a 99 (I think) UK turbo.
Runs on Optimax (most of the time)
Serviced last week at Wilsons in Romford. Oil Pressure went down to 6.0bar when pre-service it was at 7.5bar.
Engine mods include induction kit/PPP to about 250bhp.
He didn't get the CEL come on though.
[Edited by Chungster - 9/17/2003 12:33:31 PM]
Runs on Optimax (most of the time)
Serviced last week at Wilsons in Romford. Oil Pressure went down to 6.0bar when pre-service it was at 7.5bar.
Engine mods include induction kit/PPP to about 250bhp.
He didn't get the CEL come on though.
[Edited by Chungster - 9/17/2003 12:33:31 PM]
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15 September 2003, 10:11 AM
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mate, hope you get this sorted with minimal effort.We saw you drop back and I instantly thought the worst, we were really giving it some through MK, I almost hit top speed a couple of times
I've heard a couple of scoobies making that noise before and the upshot has always been a new engine
The noise was like someone smacking the side of the engine with a hammer, a seriously un healthy clanging!Let me know what the dealer says?
P
15 September 2003, 02:46 PM
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Sounds like someone has left a spanner under my bonnet
15 September 2003, 03:17 PM
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Indeedy. Getting them to admit it after the fact though would, I suspect, be more than a little difficult.
Anyway, we're getting ahead of ourselves. We don't even know what the problem is yet. With a bit of luck it'll be less serious than some of us are fearing...
Anyway, we're getting ahead of ourselves. We don't even know what the problem is yet. With a bit of luck it'll be less serious than some of us are fearing...
One could be considered accidental, two unfortunate, but three ? What on earth are you doing, running 95 RON on an import or something?
15 September 2003, 07:16 PM
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greasemonkey,
the first motor i cant talk about,its a very sore point the second one blew because i fitted a mocal oil cooler kit and did not know (or was told) that i had to uprate the oil pump the third one, the same!! lack of lube! the car has now been traded in and the guys who have it have now worked out what the problem was !!!!!!! they are fitting a new motor WITH a uprated oil pump! or they might take the cooler off,
needless to say i am being SUPER CAREFULL with my new scooby ra
(and who works on it) and it like my last one will be run on optimax and millers booster!
cheers robinh20
the first motor i cant talk about,its a very sore point
the second one blew because i fitted a mocal oil cooler kit and did not know (or was told) that i had to uprate the oil pump the third one, the same!! lack of lube! the car has now been traded in and the guys who have it have now worked out what the problem was !!!!!!! they are fitting a new motor WITH a uprated oil pump! or they might take the cooler off,needless to say i am being SUPER CAREFULL with my new scooby ra
(and who works on it) and it like my last one will be run on optimax and millers booster!
cheers robinh20
16 September 2003, 05:39 PM
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There are a number of possible causes, not least detonation, and general wear and tear, but it would seem most likely that your car is a classic example of the "My big end went just after I got the car serviced" trend.
There is lots written about this already so hitting the Search button will give you plenty of extra reading matter. Suffice to say though that there is a theory held by a number of people here that a "quick" oil change (just draining, fitting new filter, refilling and starting back up) can cause a transient breakdown in oil film in the bearings. They start to pick up, and once the damage is done, it's only a matter of time before one fails.
This is why "extended" oil change procedures like the one detailed here are recommended, as the aim is to minimise any oil supply disruption, and remove the load from the bearings until it is resumed.
Bit late now, but did you ask the garage before they serviced the car whether they followed this sort of procedure?
[Edited by greasemonkey - 9/16/2003 5:46:26 PM]
There is lots written about this already so hitting the Search button will give you plenty of extra reading matter. Suffice to say though that there is a theory held by a number of people here that a "quick" oil change (just draining, fitting new filter, refilling and starting back up) can cause a transient breakdown in oil film in the bearings. They start to pick up, and once the damage is done, it's only a matter of time before one fails.
This is why "extended" oil change procedures like the one detailed here are recommended, as the aim is to minimise any oil supply disruption, and remove the load from the bearings until it is resumed.
Bit late now, but did you ask the garage before they serviced the car whether they followed this sort of procedure?
[Edited by greasemonkey - 9/16/2003 5:46:26 PM]
16 September 2003, 05:55 PM
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My car was take to The MAIN dealer for the service as i would assume they do the work correctly 
Looks like i am gonna have a hard time with this one then
Looks like i am gonna have a hard time with this one then
16 September 2003, 06:09 PM
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Unfortunately, this is one of those cases where it's safer to assume nothing. We know that many main dealers do follow the longer method, but it doesn't seem to be universal. If you've got the protection of the manufacturer's warranty, it's almost a moot point (beyond the annoyance of the car being off the road), but if you haven't, it's always better to be safe than sorry.
You're in a bit of a spot really, as while we can suspect this particular oil change as a major cause of your car's failure, there are other possibilities, not least contributory damage during previous oil changes, det, rich running leading to blowby leading to oil contamination etc. etc. etc.
[Edited by greasemonkey - 9/16/2003 6:14:55 PM]
You're in a bit of a spot really, as while we can suspect this particular oil change as a major cause of your car's failure, there are other possibilities, not least contributory damage during previous oil changes, det, rich running leading to blowby leading to oil contamination etc. etc. etc.
[Edited by greasemonkey - 9/16/2003 6:14:55 PM]
16 September 2003, 06:29 PM
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Suggestion might be to ask them what their oil change procedure is (casually like !) if they just say something along the lines of, remove oil filter, remove sump plug, drain oil, replace sump plug, fit new filter, fill with oil, start engine, then they have not followed the procedures that Subaru dealers should know about.
If they say that their procedure involves the steps that have been mentioned on here before (inc fill oil fiter, leave to absorb, top up filter etc) then it would probably exonerate them.
If they say that their procedure involves the steps that have been mentioned on here before (inc fill oil fiter, leave to absorb, top up filter etc) then it would probably exonerate them.
16 September 2003, 06:51 PM
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Finding out the servicing garage's oilchange procedure now is a little irrelevant unfortunately. Even if they admit to not following the "extended" procedure, there's still no evidence to prove that this alone caused the failure.
The drop in oil pressure could be caused by a number of issues - not least a different brand/weight of oil than was used previously. This is something that should really have been raised with the garage as soon as you noticed it.
Unfortunately, you're almost certain to find yourself stuck with the bill for this, as hanging it on the garage would be a practical impossibility.
[Edited by greasemonkey - 9/16/2003 6:55:31 PM]
The drop in oil pressure could be caused by a number of issues - not least a different brand/weight of oil than was used previously. This is something that should really have been raised with the garage as soon as you noticed it.
Unfortunately, you're almost certain to find yourself stuck with the bill for this, as hanging it on the garage would be a practical impossibility.
[Edited by greasemonkey - 9/16/2003 6:55:31 PM]
16 September 2003, 07:14 PM
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These failures are a complete bastid, realy sympathize with ya.
I had an RA 96MY for 2 years and no problems.
Im just about to pick up my V5 Type R in about 3 weeks, reputed to be the mother of all "big end engines"
Still trying to convince myself its a good idea.
I had an RA 96MY for 2 years and no problems.
Im just about to pick up my V5 Type R in about 3 weeks, reputed to be the mother of all "big end engines"
Still trying to convince myself its a good idea.