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Vauxhall Astra k 1.6cdti loud rattle

96K views 208 replies 39 participants last post by  ionutz72 
#1 ·
Hi Guys

Please bear with me as this has probably been asked many times but I don't no how to use these forums very well. Basically I have an Astra 2016 it's a 1.6cdti and if I start it on a morning it's quite but if I pop to the shop which will be 20 mins drive stop it do my shopping come back and re start it's making this terrible rattle. It sounds almost like timing chain it soon goes and is quite after. Has anybody else experienced this ? Should I be taking it back to the dealer.

Thanks
Tom
 
#27 ·
I've averaged 64 mpg over the last 7k miles of ownership. I'm hitting around 61 over the winter period and around 65 plus over the summer. Best I've ever acheived was 76mpg on a 50 mile run. I cover around 50% B roads, 40% town and 10 longer runs. I seem to acheive my best mpg on b roads at speeds between 50-60mpg. I also drive an auto, which I prefer to a manual.
I acheived 44 mpg from my last Astra J 2.0cdti auto. Same driving style and same routes. So the K is far more fuel efficient.
I'm not really an heavy footed driver, although I do put my foot down at times. Running with mich energy saver plus tyres on 16s gave me an extra 2mpg on average. They're a hard compound, last forever, but poor grip levels on ice and snow. I'm now running with GT-Radial 4s tyres for all year round use. Very happy with them for all year round use. Certainly well planted in slush and water conditions, so I'm sure they'll be ok on snow. I usually run with two sets, winter and summers. Too much hassle though having to use two sets of TPMs sensors too.
 
#28 ·
Ah good. Best I achieved was 75mpg over 1000 miles. And best I've ever got out of a tank was 730 miles. I agree best mpg is around 50 to 60 mph. That's a big jump in fuel economy to the Astra J. What fuel do you use? I used shell v power when I got 730 out of a tank. But on normal supermarket fuel still got 700+ out of a tank and 70+ mpg.

I have the stock Bridgestones on two corners and Nexen on the other two (Mrs punctured two tyres while she drove it). I'm planning to go to cross climates next.
 
#29 ·
Rob14 said:
Ah good. Best I achieved was 75mpg over 1000 miles. And best I've ever got out of a tank was 730 miles. I agree best mpg is around 50 to 60 mph. That's a big jump in fuel economy to the Astra J. What fuel do you use? I used shell v power when I got 730 out of a tank. But on normal supermarket fuel still got 700+ out of a tank and 70+ mpg.

I have the stock Bridgestones on two corners and Nexen on the other two (Mrs punctured two tyres while she drove it). I'm planning to go to cross climates next.
Supermarket diesel I generally use. I have 205/55 16s fitted now for comfort really, from the original 225's. Tyres are cheap in this size too and more pothole resilient. Although admittedly they don't look as good... :lol: I care little about that mind... :lol:
 
#30 ·
Hi I did two of these jobs over the xmas for a local cab firm that has a fleet of them, the noise is down to the plastic guides failing/breaking up and dropping into the sump leaving the chain running along bare metal I've attacted pics showing the problem. For anyone just out of warranty the labour to remove the engine and replace both chains and tensioners is 14 hours. The mileage's were 90,000 and 114,000 in the two I replaced. It's shocking how low some of the mileage's are that they're failing on.
 

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#32 ·
AutoRepairsLpool said:
Hi I did two of these jobs over the xmas for a local cab firm that has a fleet of them, the noise is down to the plastic guides failing/breaking up and dropping into the sump leaving the chain running along bare metal I've attacted pics showing the problem. For anyone just out of warranty the labour to remove the engine and replace both chains and tensioners is 14 hours. The mileage's were 90,000 and 114,000 in the two I replaced. It's shocking how low some of the mileage's are that they're failing on.
Interesting.
So is there two chains to replace & how much for the whole job including supply and fit? If anyone was to do an oil change would they find the remnants of the plastic guides within the old oil? From what you are saying, sounds like a design fault.
 
#33 ·
The second chain drives the oil pump, as for the plastic guides they were fairly large pieces so may not come out in the oil but was told by the cab firm owner one of the others that failed had went to another garage to be repaired and the plastic guide was chewed to pieces and caused the oil pump to fail. I charged £850 labour the customer supplied all his own parts from Vauxhall's was told the cost was around £600. A clutch and dual mass flywheel was fitted at the same time I'm not sure if he included that in the price.
 
#34 ·
AutoRepairsLpool said:
The second chain drives the oil pump, as for the plastic guides they were fairly large pieces so may not come out in the oil but was told by the cab firm owner one of the others that failed had went to another garage to be repaired and the plastic guide was chewed to pieces and caused the oil pump to fail. I charged £850 labour the customer supplied all his own parts from Vauxhall's was told the cost was around £600. A clutch and dual mass flywheel was fitted at the same time I'm not sure if he included that in the price.
Thanks for posting the info.
 
#35 ·
Hi because this was my first post on this forum (or any forum) it's not allowing me to reply to any inbox messages but to everyone asking feel free to copy and paste it elsewhere if it helps anyone. I struggled to find any info online before doing my first one regarding labour times and timing tools etc.
 
#36 ·
AutoRepairsLpool said:
Hi because this was my first post on this forum (or any forum) it's not allowing me to reply to any inbox messages but to everyone asking feel free to copy and paste it elsewhere if it helps anyone. I struggled to find any info online before doing my first one regarding labour times and timing tools etc.
Great cheers.
I wonder if these issues may have been caused by low oil levels? As a lot of these engines tend to use a little oil. Which I always make sure mine is topped up to the correct dipstick level.
 
#37 ·
Wow, if it takes this long to do this job, i fully understand why vauxhall would deny any of these claims.

Will certainly take this up with the insurance company that my used car had a 1 year warranty with.

Will probably wait a month or 2 and claim the noises just started, to avoid them saying that this is an existing fault that they will not cover then :)
 
#38 ·
astraowner said:
Wow, if it takes this long to do this job, i fully understand why vauxhall would deny any of these claims.

Will certainly take this up with the insurance company that my used car had a 1 year warranty with.

Will probably wait a month or 2 and claim the noises just started, to avoid them saying that this is an existing fault that they will not cover then :)
I'd have thought if the guide had worn off or broke the noise would be permanent. An intermittent noise may be due to a tensioner issue, which I doubt Vaux would do anything about.
 
#39 ·
Boroboy said:
I'd have thought if the guide had worn off or broke the noise would be permanent. An intermittent noise may be due to a tensioner issue, which I doubt Vaux would do anything about.
I bet they will tro to squirm the way out of it in any case.

Just strange what the chain is then hitting, if all the plastic is stille intact.
 
#42 ·
AutoRepairsLpool said:
I've got another one coming in Wednesday I'll post a before and after video once it's repaired there's a huge difference in the sound especially on start up.
Is the parts you put in upgraded, compared to the ones from the factory or will you need to replace them again and again ?
 
#44 ·
AutoRepairsLpool said:
They're genuine Vauxhall parts supplied by the customer and I can't see any difference in them at all. Was told by the owner Vauxhall wanted £3000 to replace them. It's shocking how bad they are.
So nothing's changed with them sadly.

Wonder why they were doing so poorly and had to be sold to the french.

My previous car had a change interval on the cambelt that was 150.000 kilometers, and a "rebuild gearbox" interval of about 100.000 km's

My wifes Corsa 1.0 has had its chain changed under warranty at about 20.000 miles and at my expense at about 40.000. (Yes we use the correct oil and yes we get it changed according to specs).

Worst part about this is that it's probably a problem that could be fixed with a guide that was a little thicker or made from a little bit more durable plastic...The production price would have gone up by maybe a pound, and all of this could have been avoided.
 
#46 ·
AutoRepairsLpool said:
I've notice with the corsas it's the chain that's at fault they stretch really bad to the point the tensioner fully extends and can't take the slack up anymore l. I've got a customer just like you she's on her second set and she never misses a service.
Makes you wonder why Vaux fit chains? The cambelt kits now seem reliable, when changed on a regular basis. You'd have thought that a timing chain would mean an extended period without replacement. Whole point of fitting one.
 
#47 ·
AutoRepairsLpool said:
I've notice with the corsas it's the chain that's at fault they stretch really bad to the point the tensioner fully extends and can't take the slack up anymore l. I've got a customer just like you she's on her second set and she never misses a service.
What i find most appalling is that they have not done anything to remedy this. My dad's old 2005 Corsa C had this problem and my 2012 corsa has this problem, and the chain the previous owner had put in, in 2014 under warranty had this problem.

That no one at vauxhall sat down and thought "Hey, we are changing a lot of these chains under warranty, maybe we should redesign them and make them stronger".

In the past, chains were sold as "Lasts the entire life of the car normally".

The chain i had put in was done at an independent garage and he said that i could get the original one from Vauxhall or he could get a kit from SKF.

When asked if the SKF kit was better his answer was "Well it can hardly be any worse, right" :lol:

When i had mine changed it was because it got so slack that it jumped a tooth or 2. It did a bit of rattle under startup, but not while driving and i did not think that 30.000 was enough for it to be slack again. Luckily they just took off the chain, put on a new kit and started it right up, no damage to valves and whatnot.
 
#48 ·
Boroboy said:
Makes you wonder why Vaux fit chains? The cambelt kits now seem reliable, when changed on a regular basis. You'd have thought that a timing chain would mean an extended period without replacement. Whole point of fitting one.
Yup, belt is quiter and nowadays can be made to last a lot longer so really no reason to go for a chain.

On my old Zafira the interval was 150.000 or 6 years. All 3 belts (from new, the one at 150.000 and the one at 300.000) was ok and the last one, which i got changed, the mechanic said that in reality there was probably alot of kilometers left in it. Did not look worn down in any way according to him.
 
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