Help - Car Broken

thehullram

Will try and keep it as brief as possible.

I have a 2008 Seat Ibiza. 1.4l Diesel ecomotive.

Had no issues with it and it had a full service just before Christmas.

On Thursday night I was driving home (had already driven 30 miles) when the oil light came on and started flashing. Within 300 yards the car started to lose power and had come to a grinding halt within 1 mile of the oil light coming on.

When breakdown arrived he said the engine had seized, probably due to an oil pump faliure.

Got it towed to a garage who said that they wouldn't even bother starting to look at it and would suggest a new engine. they are quoting c.£2500 to do this.

Does this seem reasonable? Can anyone suggest any other reasons why this has happened? Is oil pump faliure a regular problem?

Any advice greatly received.

Thanks

motorguy

thehullram wrote: »

Will try and keep it as brief as possible.

I have a 2008 Seat Ibiza. 1.4l Diesel ecomotive.

Had no issues with it and it had a full service just before Christmas.

On Thursday night I was driving home (had already driven 30 miles) when the oil light came on and started flashing. Within 300 yards the car started to lose power and had come to a grinding halt within 1 mile of the oil light coming on.

When breakdown arrived he said the engine had seized, probably due to an oil pump faliure.

Got it towed to a garage who said that they wouldn't even bother starting to look at it and would suggest a new engine. they are quoting c.£2500 to do this.

Does this seem reasonable? Can anyone suggest any other reasons why this has happened? Is oil pump faliure a regular problem?

Any advice greatly received.

Thanks

I've seen it happen before. How many miles is on it? Has it been serviced in conjunction with the manufacturers recommendations?

The flashing oil pressure light is a bad one - it is driving on that has done the harm. My SIL's Beetle did it one day but luckily they stopped quickly. It still cost £600 to sort out though.

If its definitely definitely definitely seized then a new engine is the answer. Try breakers yards but you shouldnt be looking at anywhere near £2500.

thehullram

Thanks for this. There is 70,000 on the clock at the moment. The car did less than a mile from when the light came on to stopping.

Joe_Horner

thehullram wrote: »

Thanks for this. There is 70,000 on the clock at the moment. The car did less than a mile from when the light came on to stopping.

But that's a mile with NO lubrication. You may as well be driving without any oil in it, apart from a bit of splash lube which won't really protect anything - especially in a diesel where bearing loads tend to be high.

A mile is more than enough to destroy big ends, main bearings, pistons and rings. It will also do no good (though possibly not terminal damage) to the bores, crankshaft, camshaft and valve gear.

thehullram

I understand that, but thought the oil must have been low, not broken. There was a service station 2 miles away when the light came on and was trying to get there. Is a flashing light any different to a constant oil light?

Thanks

red_eye

motorguy wrote: »

I've seen it happen before. How many miles is on it? Has it been serviced in conjunction with the manufacturers recommendations?

The flashing oil pressure light is a bad one - it is driving on that has done the harm. My SIL's Beetle did it one day but luckily they stopped quickly. It still cost £600 to sort out though.

If its definitely definitely definitely seized then a new engine is the answer. Try breakers yards but you shouldnt be looking at anywhere near £2500.

engine from brakers with unknown history could end up costing more then a recon

red_eye

thehullram wrote: »

I understand that, but thought the oil must have been low, not broken. There was a service station 2 miles away when the light came on and was trying to get there. Is a flashing light any different to a constant oil light?

Thanks

flashing light is probably the pump losing the will to live, the light it an oil pressure warning light it comes on when the oil pressure drops.

fivetide

thehullram wrote: »

I understand that, but thought the oil must have been low, not broken. There was a service station 2 miles away when the light came on and was trying to get there. Is a flashing light any different to a constant oil light?

Thanks

Your manual will tell you. Some manufacturers will use an amber light to warn of low oil and red to stay "stop and switch off".

Worth reading these things as (hindsight being 20/20) you could have walked or caught a bus to the garage then taxied back with some oil.

It might well be worth finding out what happened to the oil that should be in there though. Has it leaked somewhere? Or did the garage who serviced it in December put the right stuff in etc etc

motorguy

red_eye wrote: »

engine from brakers with unknown history could end up costing more then a recon

Yes though the trick is to get as much information as possible about the engine. Ideally see the car it is coming out of.

Yes there is risk, but at the end of the day, reconditioning an engine is an open ended job onces you start as you dont know what you're going to find.

motorguy

red_eye wrote: »

flashing light is probably the pump losing the will to live, the light it an oil pressure warning light it comes on when the oil pressure drops.

Yes, flashing light means 'stop now'

mattyprice4004

I have no idea why people keep driving when the oil light comes on - just stop and then call the AA / RAC or call a taxi to a local fuel station.

Oil is pretty important, if the light is on.... STOP!