ILoveConvertibles
New member
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2012
- Messages
- 26
- Points
- 9
Hello everybody, after 3 years of career, my beloved Punto convertible (176C), had a disastrous failure just a week ago.
Luckily I was nearly home: the engine stopped at a corner, last one before parking, I restarted the engine, parked the car, and went home.
After some hours, I had to go buy a thing, so I went out, started the car, but after a second it stopped running.
I thought was low fuel, so I reached first petrol station with my tank, filled with 5 lt. of unleaded and came back.
I realized after filling, that I had half tank of fuel, so fuel was fine. Tried to start again, and the engine runned. Reassured by that, I switched off and went home.
I tried to start it again a couple of hours later, everything seemed fine, but as soon as I released the gas pedal, the engine died.
In the following days, obviously, the battery died. I asked to borrow a jump starter from a local garage to try start my car again: nothing to do.
They picked up the dead body with their truck and started working on it.
The following morning, they called me and told me that the failure was likely to be cam belt that jumped one or more teeth, maybe by itself, or maybe because of the seized water pump. I was aware it was leaking, since I spent 3 years on putting in water every 2-3 days. They told me that compression in 3 out of 4 pots was dead, so valves were gone, hit by the pistons.
They quoted me something like 700 GBP for having the car running again, but refused to do the job because the car is too old and not money-worthy.
I called another mech that is from my country and usually assists me when I have very little money to spend in the car. He told me was going to be expensive as well, but I know him very well, and usually have better price.
How much could be wise to spend to have the engine refitted? The biggest trouble is that i am pretty sure that also the heater matrix is leaking, because of the stench that feels the car every time i turn the heater on, so should be replaced as well.
Even if we found an agreement, and I pay him back 200 GBP per month, I am pretty sure I will end needing 5 or 6 months to have the job paid, but I can't stand having a new engine and risking the head gasket to blow because of a ****ty heating radiator. I don't want to scrap the car because it has new roof, new clutch, suspension arms, brakes and full exhaust pipe, and also because there are less than 600 still running, and becoming a classic.
I could find a suitable engine for 80 GBP more or less, + 65 of shipping, but the seller told me it requires the head to be grinded and new gasket. But if it's a good engine, replacing head gasket, water pump and timing belt could give it a second life.
Does anybody know a car mechanic around Milton Keynes, that does good jobs at good prices? I am desperate to have my car running in max. 2 weeks, since I have to do a small trip next month, and, most important thing, I am freezing my face going to work with the bike (for example: tomorrow I have a 6.00 AM start, forecast is rain, and I will have to remember a spare pair of socks to avoid freezing when working)
Luckily I was nearly home: the engine stopped at a corner, last one before parking, I restarted the engine, parked the car, and went home.
After some hours, I had to go buy a thing, so I went out, started the car, but after a second it stopped running.
I thought was low fuel, so I reached first petrol station with my tank, filled with 5 lt. of unleaded and came back.
I realized after filling, that I had half tank of fuel, so fuel was fine. Tried to start again, and the engine runned. Reassured by that, I switched off and went home.
I tried to start it again a couple of hours later, everything seemed fine, but as soon as I released the gas pedal, the engine died.
In the following days, obviously, the battery died. I asked to borrow a jump starter from a local garage to try start my car again: nothing to do.
They picked up the dead body with their truck and started working on it.
The following morning, they called me and told me that the failure was likely to be cam belt that jumped one or more teeth, maybe by itself, or maybe because of the seized water pump. I was aware it was leaking, since I spent 3 years on putting in water every 2-3 days. They told me that compression in 3 out of 4 pots was dead, so valves were gone, hit by the pistons.
They quoted me something like 700 GBP for having the car running again, but refused to do the job because the car is too old and not money-worthy.
I called another mech that is from my country and usually assists me when I have very little money to spend in the car. He told me was going to be expensive as well, but I know him very well, and usually have better price.
How much could be wise to spend to have the engine refitted? The biggest trouble is that i am pretty sure that also the heater matrix is leaking, because of the stench that feels the car every time i turn the heater on, so should be replaced as well.
Even if we found an agreement, and I pay him back 200 GBP per month, I am pretty sure I will end needing 5 or 6 months to have the job paid, but I can't stand having a new engine and risking the head gasket to blow because of a ****ty heating radiator. I don't want to scrap the car because it has new roof, new clutch, suspension arms, brakes and full exhaust pipe, and also because there are less than 600 still running, and becoming a classic.
I could find a suitable engine for 80 GBP more or less, + 65 of shipping, but the seller told me it requires the head to be grinded and new gasket. But if it's a good engine, replacing head gasket, water pump and timing belt could give it a second life.
Does anybody know a car mechanic around Milton Keynes, that does good jobs at good prices? I am desperate to have my car running in max. 2 weeks, since I have to do a small trip next month, and, most important thing, I am freezing my face going to work with the bike (for example: tomorrow I have a 6.00 AM start, forecast is rain, and I will have to remember a spare pair of socks to avoid freezing when working)
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