1999 (v) 2.0 DTI Vectra... Help!!

I have a V-reg 2.0 DTI vectra (x20dth engine) Bought it for cheap price from local auction with 176k miles on it. It was running well when I bought it, but...

First thing I noticed upon picking it up was the speedo and rev-ometer are not working. The speedo has a 'vibrating' needle (constant hopping up and down about qtr inch) sitting at 0 mph. It stops doing that approx 10 seconds after switching the ignition off. I've been told -as there's no speed sensor on the gearbox- that the ecu regulates the speed/speedo from a sensor in the abs unit and that I could have a faulty abs unit or even faulty ecu... Anyone help on this please?...

Secondly, after noticing a massive oil leak (I.E.-the whole of the engine and under the car was smothered!!!) I investigated and in doing so removed the EGR valve and 2 sections on the front of the engine. In doing that I had to remove the fuel injector pipes as they loop over the top of the ecu and removed all the relevant plugs etc. As you can imagine, the whole EGR section was quite badly cake'd up so I cleaned it all up and removed about 99% of the black coke before replacing it all. I also removed the vacuum pump from the right side (Looking at the engine) of the engine and cleaned that up too... only then realising the oil leak was actually from the cam cover gasket hidden behind that vacuum!!! (Doh!) Upon putting everything back together and rectifying the oil leak, the car would not start and I managed to flatten the battery trying... I noticed the fuel level was low and the car is front high on ramps so put the battery on charge and topped up the fuel by £5 (all the can could hold!) Tried again the next day and eventually it started but ran like a bucket of cr*p! It wouldnt rev proper and the engine was shaking back and forth like a looney! Switched it off, and thinking it might've been something I did-or didn't do, I completely dismanteled everthing I'd took apart and meticulously put it all back together again. It started

-eventually -and again, lots of smoke out the exhaust and still shaking and ticking over like a bucket of cr*p! Not too sure about engines-especially diesels but the next thing that happened frightened the life out of me... I tried reving it a bit and the engine suddenly went beserk! It reved up to the maximum revs by itself-only the limiter stopping it going any higher and the plumes of smoke from the exhaust pipe (Very light blue in colour) were undescribable! I swithched it off and pulled the key out but it kept running by itself! It eventually died out about 10 seconds later (After filling the entire neighbourhood in thick light blue smoke!!) The engine did run after this... same as before though and I dare not rev it but when I did...this has happened 3 times now and its frightened the life out of me each time! :-0 Had a guy from the local garage who works on these engines regular and he stood there scratching his head and asked me to tell him what it was if I get it sorted. His advice was not legal and involved me losing my no claims bonus!!! Please... anyone help with this?...

Thirdly, A local -well known- diesel company told me it could be the oil level not right causing a vacuum problem, thus the EGR valve not working properly etc etc... The smoke could be caused by the glow plugs, so I've gone for the full service, oil and filter (Bloody sump plug always rounds off!) new glow plugs-and thats where it stops! Does anyone know how to remove these blooming things?! They have so much cr*p around them that they wont pull out of the small holes they're in! I managed to get one out and its cake'd up so bad the coke is almost thicker than the thread! Can I use some engine gunk to make it easier to break this stuff up as I pull the plug out? Or will that stuff go into the fuel chamber and cause more problems than good? Or, is there a special tool I can get to pull them out without breaking them and having to take the head off to get them out?...

Sorry its a long one. I'm not a mechanic but can work my way around a car once I know what Im doing or looking for. PLEASE HELP?!

sounds to me like a possible head gaskit failer

It sounds like an astra we had in the other day, the turbo oil seals had failed and it was pumping oil vapour into the inlet manifold!! this of course runs the engine with no control, so keeps running till the engine self destructs (or you stall it!). Take off the air intake off the manifold and try and start it. If it runs OK (within reason) it's the turbo.

Des

I've heard of issues with diesels when you overfill the oil. It can, apparently, over pump into the cylinders and the car can then run on the engine oil (badly) - even with the ignition off. Of course, it can then run away with itself as the faster it goes, the more oil it pumps over, the faster it goes... until something breaks.

No idea if that's true - but it was something which I'd read about during a discussion on whether it's okay to over fill the oil.

It can certainly happen - most entertaining when it happens on the road, which is can occasionally do. Last time I heard of it on the road was an old Peugeot 205 diesel.

First problem, are all the other gauges working properly? It's most likely a wiring fault, or the instrument cluster itself. But any new instrument cluster will have to be programmed to the car (it's part of the security system) The speedo picks up a signal from the NSF wheel speed sensor.

As for the other problems. The engine is running on oil. Disconnect the main inlet hose going into the manifold, and check to see if it's full of oil. If this is full of oil, then chances are the bad idling is the engine struggling for air, due to the intercooler sitting full of oil and blocking the intake. If the engine starts and idles fine with the hose off, try gently revving the engine (but beware if the intercooler is full of oil, it'll likely blow it out).

The EGR system/inlet manifold do tend to get coked up a bit on these engines, and is not something to generally worry about. But a faulty EGR system won't cause any of the problems you've mentioned. The glow plugs, on that engine they're not really needed, except in really cold weather. They certainly aren't the cause of your current problems.

Thanks for replying, your time is much appreciated... sorry I didnt get back sooner-I couldn't access the google groups! Anyway... The local garage (watsons diesels in wimbledon-london) have had a look at it. They say there's no compresion on number 3. Could be head gasket, or its possible that something could've fallen inside the inlet section when it was all off and could be stuck holding a valve open... They said without taking the head off to investigate they couldnt really be definative. One thing all seem to agree on is the injector seals need replacing (apparently causing the smoke) so I'm thinking have it done, but they want about =A3600 in labour alone to do this! (Then gotta add price of gaskets and parts etc-looking around =A31000- car aint worth that!) I did timing belt and tensioner and pulley on my mondeo last week (I've swapped engines on one once) so I think I'm capable of taking it apart and looking, but I'm a bit iffy about putting it back together again as the whole timing thing in the haynes manual suggests several different specialist tools to do it. I like a challenge but thats iffy for me! Any furthur ideas would be great. Thanks again :-)

Thanks for replying, your time is much appreciated... sorry I didnt get back sooner-I couldn't access the google groups! Anyway... The local garage (watsons diesels in wimbledon-london) have had a look at it. They say there's no compresion on number 3. Could be head gasket, or its possible that something could've fallen inside the inlet section when it was all off and could be stuck holding a valve open... They said without taking the head off to investigate they couldnt really be definative. One thing all seem to agree on is the injector seals need replacing (apparently causing the smoke) so I'm thinking have it done, but they want about =A3600 in labour alone to do this! (Then gotta add price of gaskets and parts etc-looking around =A31000- car aint worth that!) I did timing belt and tensioner and pulley on my mondeo last week (I've swapped engines on one once) so I think I'm capable of taking it apart and looking, but I'm a bit iffy about putting it back together again as the whole timing thing in the haynes manual suggests several different specialist tools to do it. I like a challenge but thats iffy for me! Any furthur ideas would be great. Thanks again :-)

Thanks for replying, your time is much appreciated... sorry I didnt get back sooner-I couldn't access the google groups! Anyway... The local garage (watsons diesels in wimbledon-london) have had a look at it. They say there's no compresion on number 3. Could be head gasket, or its possible that something could've fallen inside the inlet section when it was all off and could be stuck holding a valve open... They said without taking the head off to investigate they couldnt really be definative. One thing all seem to agree on is the injector seals need replacing (apparently causing the smoke) so I'm thinking have it done, but they want about =A3600 in labour alone to do this! (Then gotta add price of gaskets and parts etc-looking around =A31000- car aint worth that!) I did timing belt and tensioner and pulley on my mondeo last week (I've swapped engines on one once) so I think I'm capable of taking it apart and looking, but I'm a bit iffy about putting it back together again as the whole timing thing in the haynes manual suggests several different specialist tools to do it. I like a challenge but thats iffy for me! Any furthur ideas would be great. Thanks again :-)

Thanks for replying, your time is much appreciated... sorry I didnt get back sooner-I couldn't access the google groups!

The other gauges semm to be ok... The feul and temp are ok-its just the speedeo and revometer. I'll check the wiring from the wheel for the speedo-if thats ok and I end up buying a new set of complete clocks (Or a second hand set from scrappers) will that need to be programmed to the ecu?

The local garage (watsons diesels in wimbledon-london) have had a look at it. They say there's no compresion on number 3. Could be head gasket, or its possible that something could've fallen inside the inlet section when it was all off and could be stuck holding a valve open... They said without taking the head off to investigate they couldnt really be definative. One thing all seem to agree on is the injector seals need replacing (apparently causing the smoke) so I'm thinking have it done, but they want about =A3600 in labour alone to do this! (Then gotta add price of gaskets and parts etc-looking around =A31000- car aint worth that!) I did timing belt and tensioner and pulley on my mondeo last week (I've swapped engines on one once) so I think I'm capable of taking it apart and looking, but I'm a bit iffy about putting it back together again as the whole timing thing in the haynes manual suggests several different specialist tools to do it. I like a challenge but thats iffy for me! Any furthur ideas would be great. Thanks again :-)

Thanks for replying, your time is much appreciated... sorry I didnt get back sooner-I couldn't access the google groups! Anyway... The local garage (watsons diesels in wimbledon-london) have had a look at it. They say there's no compresion on number 3. Could be head gasket, or its possible that something could've fallen inside the inlet section when it was all off and could be stuck holding a valve open... They said without taking the head off to investigate they couldnt really be definative. One thing all seem to agree on is the injector seals need replacing (apparently causing the smoke) so I'm thinking have it done, but they want about =A3600 in labour alone to do this! (Then gotta add price of gaskets and parts etc-looking around =A31000- car aint worth that!) I did timing belt and tensioner and pulley on my mondeo last week (I've swapped engines on one once) so I think I'm capable of taking it apart and looking, but I'm a bit iffy about putting it back together again as the whole timing thing in the haynes manual suggests several different specialist tools to do it. I like a challenge but thats iffy for me! Any furthur ideas would be great. Thanks again :-)

Thanks for replying, your time is much appreciated... sorry I didnt get back sooner-I couldn't access the google groups!

The other gauges semm to be ok... The feul and temp are ok-its just the speedeo and revometer. I'll check the wiring from the wheel for the speedo-if thats ok and I end up buying a new set of complete clocks (Or a second hand set from scrappers) will that need to be programmed to the ecu?

The local garage (watsons diesels in wimbledon-london) have had a look at it. They say there's no compresion on number 3. Could be head gasket, or its possible that something could've fallen inside the inlet section when it was all off and could be stuck holding a valve open... They said without taking the head off to investigate they couldnt really be definative. One thing all seem to agree on is the injector seals need replacing (apparently causing the smoke) so I'm thinking have it done, but they want about £600 in labour alone to do this! (Then gotta add price of gaskets and parts etc-looking around £1000- car aint worth that!) I did timing belt and tensioner and pulley on my mondeo last week (I've swapped engines on one once) so I think I'm capable of taking it apart and looking, but I'm a bit iffy about putting it back together again as the whole timing thing in the haynes manual suggests several different specialist tools to do it. I like a challenge but thats iffy for me! Any furthur ideas would be great. Thanks again :-)

Usenet preceded google groups by several years....;-)

The gauges will have to be programmed. But it's not quite as simple as getting a replacement instrument cluster from a scrappy. The security settings have to be reset before the instrument cluster is removed from it's existing car, and then reprogrammed once it's in the new car. But you won't be able to adjust the odometer to match it to the new car. It may be possible to reset the security once it's in the new car, but you'll need the 4 digit security code for the old car (you can alter the security code, once it's been reset).

The special tools aren't necessary, but they will make the job easier. I know we chanaged a short block at work, and the mechanic never used any of the special tools that I know off, but I was of on holiday when he done it. You've just got to think logically about what he special tool actually does and then work a way around not having it (things like a couple cable ties to hold the timing chain onto the sprockets so the timing position doesn't get lost).

Since you've lost compression on a cylinder since cleaning the inlet system, it's most likely somethings jammed a valve open. I'm not entirely sure if these engines have hydraulic tappets or not, but it may be possible to compare the valve clearances, to see if anything obvious is wrong, before removing the cylinder head.

I've still got a cope of vauxhall TIS at home somewhere, if I get time I'll dig out, as it has far better instructions/diagrams than any HBOL (Haynes Book Of Lies) ever will..

If indeed something solid had jammed a valve open, you'll still need to remove and replace the valve- since it will now be bent- this is an inference engine.

Tim..

Thanks again for replying-and so soon! :-)

I think for now I'd just like to get it running (and probably put it straight back through the auction I bought it from!) It's currently in pieces with the egr and the cam cover off... I put the fuel pipes back on to see if it would start so as to rule out the turbo being a problem, but it wouldnt start and the battery is now on charge (again!) I can just see inside the inlet bit with a torch and when the engine is turning over, I can see at least one of the valves moving. Dont think that helps much though as there's 4 in there! Thanks for your help and suggestions guys, been great help. Not too sure where to go from here though. any diesel mechanics near chessington in surrey want to earn a few quid???..... Dont want to scrap it-its a cd model, dont want to leave it to rot coz its too nice looking and cant sell it as it is coz its f***ed!!! DOH!! :-P