skandy32 Posted April 22, 2005 Report Share Posted April 22, 2005 yo, to all you car know-alls.... i recently brought a suzuki vitara, the day i got it, i ragged it a little, you know testing the speed and offroad ability an all! anyway. sicne then it has developed a leak, oil leak. Which with my limited mechanical ability have worked out to be the oil pump (which pumps oil to the back axle). No problem i thought, keep on driving, and top it up more often than usual. even though there was now a nice clunky noise when i reved it so high (which i just asumed was the lack of oil in the engine!?) Then the other day, i started it to see a nice pretty oil fountain immerge underneath the engine on my dads drive... :"> it was the oil filter, didnt seem to be on properly. So, i brought a new one, replaced it, and brought new oil to fill it all up so the dipstick reading was ok. Should be ok yes?? no, now, the original leak is still there, and i get this really bad clunky noise when i rev it so high, it shakes the whole jeep!! and doesnt sound very healthy. Just today i started it up, works / sound ok till it is reved and i get this clunky engine noise, and i just noticed when this happens a lot of white smoke comes out of the exhaust.....!??!?!?!? I've booked it in for a service, but thats in 2 weeks, so i was just wondering if anyone on here could either say whats wrong?? or direct me to a good car / 4x4 forum, cos i cant find one!! cheers in advance, and sorry for the huge story i just want my jeep to work asap!!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trials_pimp Posted April 22, 2005 Report Share Posted April 22, 2005 You my friend, are f**ked. White smoke means you are buring water. This means that you are getting coolant into your cylinder bores somehow. Most likely cause is head gasket. But this doenst automaticly leave out cracked block, or head, ect. Running low on oil at any time of the day is a stupid thing to do. It will cause unrepairable damage to tne engine. Reving it high, and clunking. Is it a diesil? Is it a deep, or a tinny clunk??? Tinny, could just mean your tappet need adjusting, thats if they can be. Deep would normaly indicate something is badly worn, or loose in/on the engine. Seeing as you have just ran low on oil, you may have done some serious damage to the main bearings, or the crankshaft. Could be oil starvation to the camshaft, due to a faulty oil pump, or presure relif valve. Its hard to diagnose these things without hearing or seeing them. Dip your engine oil and tell me what colour it is. This could be a good indication to the problem. oil pump (which pumps oil to the back axle). Never in all my years in the trade heard of an oil pump that suplies oil to the rear axle. The rear axle on a Vitara is a sealed unit, that has oil inside it. And axles run on a different type of oil to engines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
011001000110010101110010 Posted April 22, 2005 Report Share Posted April 22, 2005 Head gasket gone. Oil and water are in the engine and being burnt. Don't drive it and get it sorted / scraped as it may be very expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Jones Posted April 22, 2005 Report Share Posted April 22, 2005 Bloody hell, im no mechanic, (But Lee is - trials_pimp), and I would hate to be in your shoes at this very moment! :) :) Jonny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Nichols Posted April 22, 2005 Report Share Posted April 22, 2005 Shitters. Sounds pretty serious Andy. Just spoke to me dad and he said exactly the same type of thing as these guys are saying. He did mention it could be something to do with your big end though... Maybe you should take it into a garage and have it checked out and quoted for or whatever... Gutted :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skandy32 Posted April 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2005 Reving it high, and clunking. Is it a diesil? Is it a deep, or a tinny clunk??? Dip your engine oil and tell me what colour it is. This could be a good indication to the problem. Never in all my years in the trade heard of an oil pump that suplies oil to the rear axle. The rear axle on a Vitara is a sealed unit, that has oil inside it. And axles run on a different type of oil to engines. ← ok, as i said, im no mechanic..... the oil is almost like chocolate.... but i'm guessing it wouldn't taste that nice! Its not deisel! 1.6petrol engine, and the clunkingness is kinda deep, but fast clunking.... if that makes sense..... so what would solve it? new engine? or just like a rebuild or something? He did mention it could be something to do with your big end though... ← big end??? explain.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trials_pimp Posted April 22, 2005 Report Share Posted April 22, 2005 The Oil is like choclate. That is Oil and water mixed together. This means that you have a Leak somwhere. Either: Oil Into water, Water Into Oil Oil and water into cylinder bore. Head gasket gone Dont jump to that conclusion to early, there are alot of ways for Oil to get contaminated with Water. Yes headgasket is the most common. Your "Big end" is just another way of saying cranksahft, and assosiated bearings. Which, from the description does sound like could be a problem. Now you have mentioed its a petrol that makes matters worse. Sorry. But I would expect some knocking from a diesil, and if its been low on oil, would amplify it, but pertols dont knock, or clunk, unless they have a serrious problem. My Diagnosis - Remeber, I cant give you 100% without looking at it. You have run too low on Engine oil, due to said leak, and the Main bearings have been excesivley worn, so you have a clonking, as the crankshaft knocks about inside the bearings. You also have a bad contamination of Engine oil, Head gasket would be the most likley cause, and this might have contirbuted to your knocking, and may have even caused th oil leak. If the car isnt worth an awfull lot, it may be worth cutting your losses and scrapping it. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it happens to the best of us at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skandy32 Posted April 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2005 You have run too low on Engine oil, due to said leak, and the Main bearings have been excesivley worn, so you have a clonking, as the crankshaft knocks about inside the bearings. You also have a bad contamination of Engine oil, Head gasket would be the most likley cause, and this might have contirbuted to your knocking, and may have even caused th oil leak. ← something else i have forgotten to mention.... isnt the cranksshaft to do with moving the actual viehcle? it makes the same noise when in nuetral than it does in gear, so does that make it any different? if not, i do know of a friend that has just writen off his vitara.... so i could steal his engine quite cheaply, is there an awful lot of difference between my 8valve, and his 16v? would it still fit? obviously i'd get a garage to do it..... sorry about all the questions, and i understand you can't give a 100% answer cos you aint seen it.... but your actually of more help than car / suzuki / 4x4 forums i've posted this on!! cheers :) andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trials_pimp Posted April 23, 2005 Report Share Posted April 23, 2005 The crank shaft is what transfers the lateral movement from the pistons, into rotational movement, which in turn drives the car. (through the clutch, gearbox and axle ect) The crankshaft is constantly turning, and when you put the car in gear, it turns the wheels. It would make sence that if its nakered, you will get noise at standstill, and moving. If your 2 Vitars are the same year ect, just a different engine, then you should be able to fit it. You may need to take quite a bit from his car, ie engine, gearbox, engine mounts, wiring and modules ect. this is going to be very expencive to have a garage do for you, because they will charge about £30 an hour upwards(depending on what garage you go to) and its not going to be simply lifting one out, and dropping one in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTM Posted April 23, 2005 Report Share Posted April 23, 2005 You have bought a dud mate! Worst feeling in the world >_< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali C Posted April 23, 2005 Report Share Posted April 23, 2005 I know how you feel mate, I bought a car, had it 3 days and its fooked! My garage says it might be a trading standards claim cos I got it from another garage, where did you buy yours from? Cars suck big time!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skandy32 Posted April 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2005 I know how you feel mate, I bought a car, had it 3 days and its fooked! My garage says it might be a trading standards claim cos I got it from another garage, where did you buy yours from? Cars suck big time!! ← it was a private sale, but i go to college with the girl, and our dads roughly know each other. But its not really a dud! its more along the lines of "i shouldn't have driven it with no / very little oil!!" i phoned my local garage ( two doors down from me!! thats local!! ) and persuaded them that i need it checked out badly, so instead of waiting for the 5th, i can take it in on monday.... mite even push it there! lol :turned: and im NOT scrapping it! no way, i'll just repair it or use it in its fcuked state! What would actually happen if i continued to use it?? would it just eventually come to a stand still? or is there a chance of a big bang!? cheers mr trials_pimp, as i said earlier, you've been a great help!! >_< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skandy32 Posted April 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2005 just incase you wanted to see it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trials_pimp Posted April 23, 2005 Report Share Posted April 23, 2005 What would actually happen if i continued to use it?? You would eventualy run out of Oil, and your engine would seize up. Now depending on what you are doing in it at the time - It might just refuse to start, because its siezed. If your driving, it will get louder and louder, until something inside seizes, and breakes, then you will just come to a stop. If you are hacking it, you may have parts snap, and come flying out of the engine, whcih in turn could damage the body work. It does seem like to new/nice a car to scrap. But becaurefull, make sure your local gargae wont rip you off (43% do, 56% if your a woman) and try and fit parts you dont need. As long as they are safe, you are. Also be warned about a mighty dent to the pocket, they can hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skandy32 Posted April 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2005 ok if anyone wanted to know..... got it back from the garage after they looked at it today..... i have 2 choices.... a) they rebuild the engine and replace the big end and other bits that are worn! or (Y) i find a new engine and get it slapped in.... bit of a bummer really. But cheers for all the help you guys gave... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trials_pimp Posted April 25, 2005 Report Share Posted April 25, 2005 Go with a recon engine. that way you have at least a 12 month warrenty on it. If you have the bottom end of the engine rebuilt, whats to say that something else wont break next week? It would only be worht rebuilding it, if you were doing it yourself to save some cash. Go for a recon engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skandy32 Posted April 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2005 i see your idea, but, the guy at the garage recomended a new one, or second hand engine. "the car is in very good condition except the engine" apparently. And the problem with a rebuild is i'm not up for doing it myself, and labour would cost near £500 + price of parts. He said its about 200 squids for a an enigne swap, so if i get one from ebay or whatever, could work out alot cheaper.... so here comes a 2nd engine! (Y) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trials_pimp Posted April 25, 2005 Report Share Posted April 25, 2005 Have a look in the local Yellow pages, or go to your nearest Suzuki dealer, and ask them where the nearest Enging builders/reconditioners is. They will sell you a 2nd hand engine, thats been reconditoined for a good price, and they will agruntee it. Suzuki will do recon engines aswell. ebay will give you no garuntee that an engine you buy will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.