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Newbie with 1.7TD cam belt fail.....

11K views 28 replies 6 participants last post by  Galahad 
#1 ·
hey guys, im richie from sunderland, got a 1.7 TD astra van (mk3) and a problem.

driving home and the engine died. have since looked and the teeth on the cam belt are shot and its snapped a couple cam lifter covers.

will it be cheaper to put in a new engine? if so, any idea where i can get a replacement? looking everywhere for a matching engine but cant find one. not willing to pay £200 either for 1 either.

im in north east, can kinda travel, cheers all!
 
#5 · (Edited)
if its the low blow engine you've got, then they tend to just break the rockers and not bend the valves. i'd recommend doing a compression test just to make sure, then stick a set of rockers in it. petrol rockers will fit (from a 90's vauxhall 1.2, 1.4 or 1.6 8 valve engine) and are much stronger in design, and more plentiful too. then just stick a belt on it and away you go

edit: and the MK4 is the 1.7 CDTI and dont really lend them selves to fitting in a MK3, and are rubbish anyway. if you wanted a different engine, then i'd put an isuzu 1.7 TD in it. they are bullet prof, and the best diesel for older vauxhalls.
 
#7 ·
from memory... o/s wheel off, slacken alternator belt and PAS belt and remove, undo bottom pulley bolt and remove, then air box out, turbo inlet pipe off, few M6 bolts to take the top half of the cover off, few more to take the bottom half off, then your there. alternator shouldn't be in the way at the back.
 
#9 ·
fair dos, if he doesnt already know about them only breaking rockers, then tell him to check, and do a compression test. could save you loads of cash. cambelt: <£20. set of rockers: £20. simples :) lol, torx bolts are fine... if you have the right socket lmao
 
#15 ·
MK4 Astras DID come with the Lowblow 1.7 TD GM engine, with the notoriously unreliable pump with the electronics.

The reason you're finding it tricky to get an engine, is many MK3 Astras end up as donors for the MK4.

Later MK4's had the Isuzu 16v Turbo Diesel.

Cavalier is no good as all Cavaliers were either non turbo GM diesels (early) or TD Isuzu engines which will require a bit more work than you're probably happy to pay.
 
#23 ·
#26 ·
Im not very clued up when it comes to vehicles but ive been told the Turbo is on it's way out. Its smokes very heavily from the exhaust when the engine is running. It is still driveable but may be best to tow away as dont know how long the Turbo will last.

Vauxhall 1.7 Astra Merit Van Spares or Repair on eBay (end time 22-Aug-10 21:44:07 BST)



thats what ad says. looks better nick than my van!
Well assuming the van sells for less than £200, its got "WIN" written all over it. (well, technically its CNJ Decorating but!).

Smoking heavily worries me, but, so long as you don't hammer the hell out of it, it'll probably be alright, just don't be tempted to thrash the hell out of it.

Ideally when you're driving it, you want to drive it out of the boost zone, so when your turbo would normally kick in, you want to be changing gear to lower the revs. You can do a steady 50-55mph in fifth gear in that van without going into the boost zone. Give the turbo as easy a time as possible and theres every reason it'll get you home.

Secondly, that van will have a Catalytic converter, between £27-£50 depending on the size scrap value.

Scrap up north is typically better than down south, we're getting £135 per tonne, Astra MK3 van is just slightly shy of a tonne by about 20 kilos, so up north its probably £150 per tonne or thereabouts.




And the coup de grace is the Cavalier GSi/Calibra 16v Alloy wheels that are starting to fetch good money as they get rarer, so if the van stays below £230 sale price, you'll get all the bits you need for nowt, and its got half a tank of diesel that'll EASILY get you back 135 miles doing around 50-55mph.
 
#25 ·
im thinking that. i got mine off ebay about 4-5 weeks ago @ £500 :shock:

but ide be looking at £200 EASY for the repair on mine (belt is £71 at local motor factors), plus the floors behind the seats both need alot of welding like for MOT in november, so...

i could seel the wheels off that ebay one too, get a few quid back.

ive have nee luck with cars mind.
 
#28 ·
well guys, i won that van, got it for £225. im just hoping now that i can get it home in one piece. im hoping this is better than my van and just changing the turbo over, is that easy, ok for a compitent novice?

if not, i think it shall be cheaper than repairing my van!
 
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