What would cause a Petrol car to start sounding like a Diesel?

chickendipperbabe

Marktheshark wrote: »

This could be the dreaded VX con rod pin failure then, is it like a cam ticking noise but deeper seated ?

That could be it - I've Googed VX con rod pin failure and haven't found much so any more info would be appreciated.

colino

Hopefully someone serviced it by mileage other than age and it just really needs decent oil and filter pronto. Otherwise there are a lot of things to go wrong with these basic engines, especially if not serviced properly. It needs looking at by a decent spanner twiddler, the internet isn't going to do anything other than rack up a huge list of potential faults.

Strider590

colino wrote: »

Hopefully someone serviced it by mileage other than age and it just really needs decent oil and filter pronto. Otherwise there are a lot of things to go wrong with these basic engines, especially if not serviced properly. It needs looking at by a decent spanner twiddler, the internet isn't going to do anything other than rack up a huge list of potential faults.

With that type of car i'd imagine it was the opposite, low mileage use, not serviced often enough, which often happens under the misguided impression that low mileage means you can skip servicing. But now we're really getting into "engine permanently damaged" by customer neglect territory.

chickendipperbabe

I'm just here for pointers really, not an expert diagnoses. We're well aware it needs seeing to by a mechanic but the garage we took it too had no clue as to what the noise could be, suggested timing chain but they were unsure and i would imagine the labor cost involved in tearing down an engine to investigate would be extortionate.

The car is serviced yearly, its only done 980 miles since the last service. The oil is perfect, looks as new / totally clean.

bigjl

One thing to remember is that is a car is rarely used then it sometimes doesn't fully warm up.

You need to find a Vauxhall specialist, from what I have always been told it is the camchain tensioner that causes the issues so if caught early you may not need to do the chain.

Though belt and braces approach would be to do both.

Autovaux have always seemed to be competitive for Vauxhall parts.

EdGasket

Maybe sister-in-law found that diesel was now cheaper than petrol and thought she'd try it.

chickendipperbabe

Just thought I would update this, the car was fixed in minutes by a local garage. I don't know specifics and I'm pretty much useless with cars anyway but apparently there was an air leak somewhere in the engine due an incorrectly fitted hose. The car now runs perfectly, no noise and higher MPG.

Turns out the noise getting worse coincided with the driver hitting a pothole at speed, probably knocking the hose that was damaged and barely hanging on completely loose.

Thanks for all the responses above.