hey
some of you might remember this thread;
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=111205

anyway...it turns out the mechanic I ended up getting stuck with (due to none open on the day the car broke down) has been pretty hopeless. took about 2 weeeks (!!) to work out it was the aux shafted, swore replacing it would fix it no worries at all mate, I had recently replaced the dizzy with a ebay (presumably made in china) special, which he claimed was responsible for ruining the aux shaft.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/21 ... 30830.jpg/

830$ later, the car was back, running. the guy didnt change the oil, so it looked like metallic paint... and had put the dizzy back in the wrong spot, so timing was off (heaps retarded, I don't think he knew how to get it into diagnostic mode). I flushed the oil a few times, and organised to take it back to get the timing fixed.

So the guy f**k around for a week trying to set the timing correctly, including me showing him how to put the car into diagnostic mode and actually see what it was. Gets it set properly, takes it for a test drive, then rings me up to say it has broken down again... "timing has skipped another tooth".... W T F?

So... the aux shaft is damaged again - to a lesser extent than in the pic above, but still f**k I guess... not sure, going to check it out in person tomorrow. but if it skipped timing, its rooted I am guessing. So now he thinks its the oil pump seizing up causing the dizzy gear to strip on the drive shaft...has anyone heard of this happening before?

so... feeling pretty p****d off right now (really want the f'ing car BACK!). I was close to just getting another motor in it before I spent 830$ to fix the current one, which now appears to still be broken. Has anyone run into problems with a mechanic like this before? ... does he have any responsibility to fix it again for free or something, considering his diagnosis was "this will fix it"? The problem is, it doesnt go and is stuck at his shop... what to do about it!!!! Arrghhhhh

what would be the best way forward from here?
a) another cheap car (~2000 max, im a student with almost no income at the moment)
b) attempt to fix this... another oil pump?!!?
c) swap an engine into this... I am thinking minimum 1-1.4k including 500-600 labour?
d) does anyone want to buy an EL 5spd to wreck? good tyres on 17" rims, t5 etc.

throw the engine and drop another one in with a genuine bosch dizzy, do not use that mechanic anymore he sounds useless! Too bad you dont live around here i would be more than happy to help and get you access to all the tools to get the job done for you for next to nothing

...try and find another running EL motor. Keep your current motor if you want and pull it apart to see what was the cause of the initial problem...if you can be bothered slowly build the old motor up to running standards or else just throw it out.

You should be able to get the motor for around $500 and maybe a days worth of labour to put it in.

that a bodgy a*** mechanic you got there mate,

*uck him off and go to the wrekcers and ask them how much it will cost for them to drop a new motor in, up here its 700 exchanged no matter what condition.

but that mechanic is useless like tits on a bull

Wouldn't take more then a day for a half decent mechanic to swap engines. I would deffinanlty sue this guy, especially if he suggested the eBay cheapy he's blamed for rooting the shaft

Wouldn't take more then a day for a half decent mechanic to swap engines. I would deffinanlty sue this guy, especially if he suggested the eBay cheapy he's blamed for rooting the shaft

I'd report the guy to fair trading to at least get a refund. You shouldn't have to pay for him being useless.

If he didn't fix it you shouldn't pay

as far as I know theres 2 reasons the AUX shaft fails..
1. when the timing chain tensioner is released, if its not reset it puts massive strain on the side of the bearing causing it to wear into the block...possibly leading to aux gear mis-alignment and wear...
2. the dizzy/oil pump drive gear is not the correct type and wears out the aux shaft gear rapidly...happens when dizzy is fitted to an AU block

there is also 2 things that need to be addressed to help prevent it from happening a second time..
1, the oil needs to be flushed out when the shaft has been changed, unfortunatly the fine metal particles have already been circulating through the engine wearing bearings ect, but still best to get that oil out asap.
2, is never re fit the same dizzy even if the teeth look ok, i guarantee it will happen again..

if you are running a aftermarket dizzy, fit the drive gear from a genuine dizzy...

yep the gear looked fine on my dizzy when it had stuffed the aux shaft, but i threw it when i put the dizzy into my next engine and used a genuine bosch one off an ef c.a.s

also if there is heaps of strain on the timing chain and its worn out where the aux shaft goes into the block it will wear the block uneven, so imho throw the engine borrow a engine crane and replace