im just waiting to save money to pay a mechanic to look at the job as i dont have the skills. im still trying to get my head around how this could of happened. when me and chris got the sump off there was loads of putty squeezed round the sump so it looked as thougth someone had , had it before. do you reckon this could have anything to do with it. possible repair job?

Hi Jack, I still can't believe this either! I had 5 ½ years of trouble free motoring with the car, and it seems like that has come back and bitten you on the arse in a big way! The timing is unbelieveable, if I'd kept the car a week longer, would it have happened to me?

I am truly gutted for you and I hope that it doesn't cost too much to fix and you get the car back on the road. It's a great car and I really cherished it, I know I've said it before, but there were no indications of any impending doom on the horizon!

I spoke to my dad who used to be a rally driver and built and maintained his own cars, he said big ends used to go all the time before baffled sumps were invented and that a big end going is usually down to oil starvation and it only needs to be starved of oil for a second and then it's too late, he said you start to hear what sounds like a tapping noise, like the tappets are getting louder and unless you recognise it and turn the engine off immediately, it's too late and the tapping gets louder and louder until the big end goes.

If that's the case here I don't know what might have caused the oil starvation. The oil and filter were changed only 1000 miles ago at the pug dealer (I can email you the invoice if you like). Can the oil pump fail on these engines? Could the new oil filter have had a defect? I don't know.

I can tell you that the sump has never been off (to my knowledge) in my time owning the car.

Like I said, I am genuinely gutted for you and I hope you get it fixed soon and doesn't cost too much.

Marc.

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RED SEAT Leon Cupra R 225, 55-reg, 19k miles
BLACK 306 GTi-6,V-reg, 81k miles - Now Sold
RED 205 GTi 1.9, E-reg, 92k miles - Soon For Sale

Jack,


Just seen this - didn't realise you had just bought the car, not good, I feel for you

As for the reason for the big-end failing - in my opinion it's not something that just happens, and I wouldn't say these engines are prone to it. However, there's no obvious reasons for yours going.

At the end of the day, the ONLY reason a big-end can fail is through metal to metal contact with the crank journal. What normally stops this? The oil. So, the reason for failure WILL be something oil related - my best guesses would be:

1. Poor quality oil has been used, with insufficient film strength, or a good oil has been used but it has broken down or become contaminated, and has lost it's film strength / lubricating properties.

2. Low oil pressure - possibly caused by a blocked oil pump pick-up, or by excessively worn big-end / main bearings. The oil pumps on these don't fail, and they have a very well designed oil control system - so supply / starvation isn't normally the problem - it's normally caused by the pressure being lost further down the line. Sometimes the oil pumps lose their drive from the crank - but this is only an issue on the early engines which had a friction driven sprocket. Your engine will have the later key-wayed sprocket, so this won't have been the problem.

I have done a quote for you for both options - replacing the crank / bearings in-situ, and replacing the engine - will email it over shortly.

I have a good engine here, and I have a crank I could prepare ready to fit - so it could be sorted quickly either way, could book you in anytime from next Monday onwards.


Cheers
Rich

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Contact Details:

rich@lynxpowerengineering.co.uk
07732 822546

cheers everyone for advice and help, i think its just a case of crap luck. cheers for the quotes rich it is much apreciated, but i only just brought the car so im a bit stuck for cash and my dad friend said he would either help me fit and engine or help rebuild it. yeah i did notice when i drove it 10 minutes b4 it completely went there was a slight knocking sound so i pulled over but then it went away, but then it obv come back.

hopefully i will get it back on the road for christmas, as im having to resort to the bus and walking for the time being ( and i hate buses) i tried getting insured on my mum or dads car but as im only 20 and my no claims are on the 306 ive been quoted nothing less than a grand. also temporary insurance doesnt seem to be out there for under 25s.

by the way rich just looked at that supercharged 306 you told me you were doing on the phone, looks awesome! wish i had more money and would get that done haha!

cheers

cheers chris much apreciated,
my dad friend gave me a quote, but to rebuild was about 900-1000 quid so i think this is around what im gonna have to pay which is a big kick in the balls. so dont look like its gonna be on the road for a long time with aprenticeship wages .
the car isnt really worth anything at the moment is it?
just that i cant afford to buy or replace and engine, and was thinking of selling so at least i got some wheels.
will replaceing the engine devalue the car alot?