Ever replaced a lot and then have something else go?

Zip · 7 Oct 2009 at 07:50

Got my car on the road again after a year of iot being though about getting a un diagnosed problem fixed about a month ago

The problem that seemed like no one could solve was stuck injectors so got them cleaned, Which was soon discovered the ECU was playing up and got that changed with a second hand one
Which cost $1100 to get done.

I knew my suspension was old and one was damaged so i got all 4 corners replaced one week to the day!(1 Set of Springs and 4 shocks)
Which cost $890 to get done

All going good and just as i pulled up my drive way the other night the car started missing like mad. I thought it may have been the ECU messing up or possibly they injectors or something being faulty from the ECU or the Injectors.
Took it back to the Mechanic to find out what the problem was.

And today they have told me the Head is cracked or the head gasket blew.

So ive spent $2k on a car which is pretty much now ****ed :mad:

Joe T · 7 Oct 2009 at 08:02

Matt82 · 7 Oct 2009 at 08:12

what car is it? a head or a gasket isnt the end of the world

Zip · 7 Oct 2009 at 08:18

Matt82 said:
what car is it? a head or a gasket isnt the end of the world

93 toyota camry.

Its really not worth any more spent on it, and i lack the tools, time and knowledge to do it my self.

Matt82 · 7 Oct 2009 at 08:24

good point. if you like your camry, are you not tempted to get a newer camry and put your new suspension etc on there?

4T5 · 7 Oct 2009 at 08:28

Zip you can't throw 2 grand away because of a poxy head gasket !!!
Can't believe how expensive cars & parts are down there. If I was you I'd do it myself & learn as I went & then get an Advert up & take advantage of those Mad prices for car repairs.
If you don't fancy a head gasket then get a written off camry with a low mileage lump in it & swap them yourself it's Easy. For a bonus get a high spec one with a few other bits you fancy like Full leather & Alloys & swap them out as well.

Zip · 7 Oct 2009 at 10:56

Matt82 said:
good point. if you like your camry, are you not tempted to get a newer camry and put your new suspension etc on there?

Money is the real issue. I just doint have another 3 or 4 grand to Spend on another camry/car

malc30 said:
Zip you can't throw 2 grand away because of a poxy head gasket !!!
Can't believe how expensive cars & parts are down there. If I was you I'd do it myself & learn as I went & then get an Advert up & take advantage of those Mad prices for car repairs.
If you don't fancy a head gasket then get a written off camry with a low mileage lump in it & swap them yourself it's Easy. For a bonus get a high spec one with a few other bits you fancy like Full leather & Alloys & swap them out as well.

Well in the shower i talked my self into trying to fix it my self if its the front bank.
Its easy to get too and isnt covered by an intake manifold.

So since never doing one before can anyone point me towards a good guide and give some advice?

Tools needed Equipment, Parts to replace(Head bolts too?) any tips you only learn from doing it?

Thanks

InvaderGIR · 7 Oct 2009 at 11:00

Yes...many people know of my e36 woes!

MoNkeE · 7 Oct 2009 at 11:51

I've had quite a lot of engine work done to my car and I've had quite a few problems too! Basically I've got an MR2 Roadster, but had an engine transplant from a V6 Camry. All went fine, got the car back and started enjoying it. Then one of the drive shafts ended up popping Out, taking out the timing belt tensioner, requiring that and the drive shaft to be replaced. Got the car back after a couple of weeks, and back to enjoying it after a surprisingly one-off. The drive shaft popping out has certainly never happened to any of the conversions they've done in the past!

So there I am, off on holiday and I lend my car to a mate. He texts me saying drive shaft's popped out. Take it back to the garage and this time it's taken out the tensioner and the sump casing…… However, popping one was un-heard of, popping two meant something was definitely up. Now that we knew this, we started looking around the car. Turns out, the car's taken some crash damage to the rear drivers side wheel before I took ownership of it. Now they've obvioulsy hit it so hard it's written off the wheel, so they replaced it. But either they didn't think of checking for any other damage, or they just sold it straight on. The wheel was wonky. I mean WAY wonky, following a straight line from the wheel was actually clearing the drivers side wing mirror, rather than running parallel with the car. Turns out all 3 arms off the hub were bent and twisted and the strut itself was twisted. So all that had to be replaced. All in all, ended up costing £850 to fix…………

Then the gearbox cable broke, so that needed fixing (all under warranty fortunately)…… But hey, all working now!

Capt Doufos · 7 Oct 2009 at 12:24

Tell me about had a Nightmare 2 months:

99 Accord: Clutch went, had that replaced £490, then failed the MOT on a steering rack leak, new rack £590. This work has thrown the exhaust over the edge and now needs a new front section £150ish it also has a slow puncture no one can find.

MX5: a few weeks before MOT is due I get an ABS warning light and I tracked down which sensor was a fault. Phoned mazda for a part, no UK stock. Upto 6 week wait. MX5 parts didn't stock them either, I found a used part at a breakers they sent it out still attached to the hub! They are notoriously hard to remove without damaging them, I gave it a try anyway as the MOT was looming and sure enough the bracket broke whilst trying to remove it, £100 down the pan. The very next day MX5parts add brand new sensors to their site!!!! Grrrrr.

Anyway, I get that sorted another £150. Car is in for MOT, Cambelt, waterpump and gearbox/diff oil change. Fails MOT on emmisions, suspected CAT failure. Part ordered for next day, wrong part. New part fitted all is hunky dory, all this is on top of £600 insurance for both cars, and £300 worth of tires and an allignment! Now there is a suspect noise coming from the clutch / gearbox area.

On the plus side I have had the accord since 2001 and this is the first money outside normal servicing I have had to spend on it, so it's done well.

mjt · 7 Oct 2009 at 12:48

i replaced the 2 front springs at a main dealer

the car then failed its MOT on a shock absorber, so i had to have the front suspension disassembled yet again to replace the shocks, and they changed the arms as well. i paid for the lube too

Matt82 · 7 Oct 2009 at 12:52

i had my car on axle stands for a week a couple months ago when i decided to change the front ball joints (preventative maintenance FTL!) managed to break a cv joint in the process, and then break the replacement cv i bought as well

when it was all bolted together, that night, the alternator failed

Randomface74 · 7 Oct 2009 at 12:54

I pay [the value of my car] in repairs every couple of years.

Jez · 7 Oct 2009 at 14:02

Yes, all the time a while ago. Not so much recently thankfully as everything on my money pit is new now

whitecrook · 7 Oct 2009 at 19:49

billysielu said:
I pay [the value of my car] in repairs every couple of years.

That's quite insightful. Me too.

Zip · 24 Oct 2009 at 11:50

malc30 said:
Zip you can't throw 2 grand away because of a poxy head gasket !!!
Can't believe how expensive cars & parts are down there. If I was you I'd do it myself & learn as I went & then get an Advert up & take advantage of those Mad prices for car repairs.
If you don't fancy a head gasket then get a written off camry with a low mileage lump in it & swap them yourself it's Easy. For a bonus get a high spec one with a few other bits you fancy like Full leather & Alloys & swap them out as well.

Decided to find out if its heads or head gaskets and do them my self.

So far the engine is in pieces, Got one fuel rail off, one valve cover off, the cam cover is undone and sitting there trapped behind a million other things, the alternator is out and a fair few other things and piping. My arms are scratched to buggery from some of the small places you have to reach, You almost need a second elbow half way down ya arm!

I think im hating cars more and more every second i work on them

Bug One · 24 Oct 2009 at 15:36

It was an onslaught of things like this that finally flipped me to just going out and buying a brand new car.

I'd just had enough of things continually going wrong and figured I'd rather pay money on a small loan than randomly having to fork out money fixing things.

mattyprice4004 · 24 Oct 2009 at 15:49

My car likes to break for ***** and giggles, on a very regular basis. :rolleyes:

All part of the fun of owning a car

4T5 · 24 Oct 2009 at 17:15

rover416i said:
My car likes to break for ***** and giggles, on a very regular basis.

All part of the fun of owning a Rover

Fixed that for you.

weta · 24 Oct 2009 at 17:37

Removed