Faulty car repair- mechanics with an opinion?

mikey72

I can't entirely remember the engine in the 2000 berlingo, is it still mechanical injection on that year on the XUD engine? If so, there should be marks, or locking pins on the cam, the crank, and the diesel pump. They'll either align, or they won't. My money would be a tooth out on the pump compared to the cam and crank.

captainawsome

Not necessarily. Some cars have a cutout in the bell housing to lock the flywheel with the pisTon at TDC (or wherever the timing gets set on the particular engine) so the crank cannot move while timing up, if this isn't the case there should be markings on the bottom pully. Make sure they align perfectly aswel as the ones on the camshaft, like I said the ones on the cam may match perfectly but if the cranks out while they match its a waste off time. It would be very easy for the mechanic to match the cam and tell/show you it matching perfectly, while in reality it's a out as the cranks not aligned at the same time. Not saying he would but it's something you should be aware of if your not familiar with setting timing up and he's 'showing' you.

captainawsome

Mikey beat me too it. Lol

Also very true about the pump. I was assuming it is a common rail engine, but may be DI due to the age.

pitkin2020

not 100% on the engine TBH far as am aware its just the bog standard diesel

Joe_Horner

pitkin2020 wrote: »

lol engine management...its a 2000 berlingo its basic to say the least lol. The oil is no where no near the airtake thankfully as thats all near the front right and all the all is being sprayed rear left.

We only used it for 2 mornings so not a great deal of mileage and the oil was down to half way on the dipstick so I would say a fair bit has pumped out.

Not as basic as a nice, reliable, SU or Stromberg

Still, if the oil's being thrown in the other direction, then timing out is probably favourite - depending on what else he cocked up while he was in there, of course!

pitkin2020

Joe_Horner wrote: »

Not as basic as a nice, reliable, SU or Stromberg

Still, if the oil's being thrown in the other direction, then timing out is probably favourite - depending on what else he cocked up while he was in there, of course!

that what worries me :mad:

pitkin2020

Update - Well the mechanic came back yesterday and took out the lower rocker cover and replaced it with a silicon gasket. Can't say i'm impressed with that solution. The gasket he had previously fitted had blown in several places across the front and rear areas of the rocker cover. The actual gasket was twisted in some places and had even split in its short time. We have to leave the car until today so the gasket will fully cure and go off, he said 12 hours but we are leaving it 24 so there is no dispute it didn't go off.

We then moved onto the timing and he had no idea why it was driving like a bag of !!!!. He let slip that he didn't actually do the cam belt he took it to a local garage he has do all cambelts for him (hes a mobile mechanic). He then went on to say hes positive the timing isn't out because if that was the case the car wouldn't even start!!

We have had to be fair and give him the opportunity to rectify the faults, they could have been genuine mistakes but he will only get the one chance and any further costs of rectifying these issues will have be chased through the small claim courts. So today we will run the car a little and if its still running rough hes taking it back to the garage to get the timing checked. Will update again!

Thanks again everyone

s_b

find out which garage he subbed it to and go see them
i know a bloke retired now ran a garage and anything more than plug changes he subbed out when the customers toddled off
i know a bloke now wont turn any work down books it all in gets bogged down customers have their cars towed away cursing him
never understand these ways of doing business
either do it and do it right or say its beyond your remit
for your man to come and goo the gasket up with what i call a quick fix option because you aint got a gasket is poor to be unable to do an oldschool timing belt is inept,what can he actually do?

lets hope he didnt come recommended by friends

vax2002

A blocked breather will be blowing the oil out and it will soon see the gasket off as well.
I would get the timing checked as well, the belt does not need to come off to time the engine as it is a cambered cam wheel, it just gets un done, the cam rotated and a new bolt fitted and locked back up.
Should not take more than 10 minutes to time the engine correctly.
The timing on a vdf diesel engine is day 1apprentice mechanic stuff.

pitkin2020

Thanks guys,
took it for a run this morning and its not !!!!ing oil out so thats a good start but it still has no power and struggles to go uphill. When you put your foot right to the floor it makes hell of a rattle. Its going to have to go back to the garage who did the timing as I still think its out.

Can't say i'm impressed with his gasket solution either and I can see this ended only one way and I think he is seriously going to be out of pocket.

He wasn't recommended came across him online through the local facebook pages and a lot of people had raved about him, so we thought we would give him a try really wish we hadn't bothered now. Just need to find a decent mechanic in the area now as everyone we have used over the last 12 months has been pretty !!!!! and that ranges from mobile mechanics to proper garages charging stupidly high prices.