Hi all,
Took my astra 1.7TD to my local garage never used them before but a neighbour said they were reasonable for price so I took it to them.
They told me it needed a pressure test on the head. Turned out it was cracked so I agreed to have a reconditioned one for £300 fitted. It also needed a new exhaust (middle & rear), new radiator, second hand radiator fan, cam belt, radiator temp switch & thermostat. Also anti-freeze, head gasket, new set of glow plugs, fuel filter & fan relay. The cost inc labour came to £1345.44 inc vat. I had to sit down for a while! I agreed to pay £400 then and £100 per week until the bill was paid. I thought that was good of him.
He lent me a car for the duration of the work (about 1 1/2 weeks) which was fine with me. When the work was completed I noticed a small fuell leak on the small rubber terminator which I took back and he replaced there & then. On driving it around it seemed to lack power. It's been a week and it still seems sluggish uphill with the van empty. It was definately better on the inclines before. Feels like a non turbo van now. I noticed when I first test drove it after thye work that the oil & filter hadn't been changed. Thinking it wasn't a good idea to have dirty oil around a new head I asked why that hadn't been done. He said it didn't need to be and it wouldn't hurt it at all.
I've noticed that the temperature rises up almost to the red if I'm idling or after climbing hills. I took it back yesterday about this. He said the radiator fan would cut in at 105 degrees. To prove it he revved until it did. It was well into the red by then and had been for a minute or so. I said wouldn't that warp the head or do damage? He assured me that this was normal for the vauxhall lo-blow engines and I could ring vauxhall to find out if I was unsure. He had spent a while before telling me that it hadn't been serviced for years by the look of it.
Can anyone here give me advice on the sluggishness and temp rise? Is it really as he says normal? Never noticed the gauge moving before, it seemed to always be just above 90 degrees.
Thanks very much and sorry about the manuscript.
David