Could Really do With Some Advice Please

gravitytolls

Thanks GS. It's the 2.0 non turbo diesel. TBH, we've been really pleased with it, new battery ensures it starts first time every time - the new battery wasn't upsetting at all, as she was still using the original 14 yr old Nissan battery (they don't make 'em like that any more), she seats all the children with seat belts, and enough room for all who need boosters to have them, as well as adequate boot space for a pushchair and shopping. Not to mention the money she saves us in folding the seats for tip runs and collection of building materials for the house etc.

I guess it's not just the cash, but who's doing it I'm worried about - any problems and I'm not sure how I'm going to deal with it.

Ah well, you live and learn.

Conor_3

gravitytolls wrote: »

I guess it's not just the cash, but who's doing it I'm worried about - any problems and I'm not sure how I'm going to deal with it.

My parents rent a house in a small village that's attached to a garage who is an independent Citroen specialist. They use the bloke for all their repairs. I really wish they wouldn't as whilst he is good with Citroens, he's absolutely abysmal with everything else. He must have cost them a fortune over what they needed to pay to do jobs.

Maybe, like them, you need to find someone else. For example, the radiator debacle. One of the first things I would have done was a sniff test to see if the headgasket had gone. I certainly wouldn't have signed it off as repaired until I had. Running a car without the thermostat in is a bodge - the problem is still there.

Your friend is obviously a fitter and not a mechanic. The difference is this: A fitter simply fits parts he's told to by the mechanic who diagnosed the problem.

Some fitters get ideas above their station and think they're mechanics but come unstuck because they miss out fundamental fault finding steps, simply replacing part after part until enough has been replaced that the fault gets cured but it is by chance it gets fixed, not by design. Sound familiar?

Take the car to another garage and ask them to check the cambelt timing and to do a sniff test for possible headgasket failure. It'll cost you an hours labour - two at most if the timing is out.

Motmac

Conor wrote: »

My parents rent a house in a small village that's attached to a garage who is an independent Citroen specialist. They use the bloke for all their repairs. I really wish they wouldn't as whilst he is good with Citroens, he's absolutely abysmal with everything else. He must have cost them a fortune over what they needed to pay to do jobs.

Maybe, like them, you need to find someone else. For example, the radiator debacle. One of the first things I would have done was a sniff test to see if the headgasket had gone. I certainly wouldn't have signed it off as repaired until I had. Running a car without the thermostat in is a bodge - the problem is still there.

Your friend is obviously a fitter and not a mechanic. The difference is this: A fitter simply fits parts he's told to by the mechanic who diagnosed the problem.

Some fitters get ideas above their station and think they're mechanics but come unstuck because they miss out fundamental fault finding steps, simply replacing part after part until enough has been replaced that the fault gets cured but it is by chance it gets fixed, not by design. Sound familiar?

Take the car to another garage and ask them to check the cambelt timing and to do a sniff test for possible headgasket failure. It'll cost you an hours labour - two at most if the timing is out.

I'm inclined to agree.the original problem sounds like it was the head gasket and so should have been checked out properly.a block test would have quickly confirmed this from the start and probably saved a few quid.
Now what needs to happen is the head neads to be removed and crack tested at a machine shop,because if thats cracked its a waste of time changing the gasket.this could be the make or break of the engine as i wouldnt have thought second hand heads for these are that easy to come by tbh.
There really is only one way to do the job and thats properly.all the bodges need to be un-bodged and put right, including the cam timing...it aint going to be cheap but its all about how much you value the car really.