Endless problems....

[Crispy-Astra]

As title i got endless problems!!! Not sure if to keep and do the work on it or scrap, im not very confident about doing the work as i have next to nil experiance but wlling to give it a go. Right so list of problems.....Head Gasket gone - dont know how to change, I get a knocking when i put into 3rd, Smells bad when i've been for a drvie maybe burning oil? Susspention top mounts have seen better days and need replacing soon dont know how to do, get a rattling from heat shield i think, brake pipes have surface corrosion, 3 tyres need replacing, little bit of arch rust but i suck at spraying, back drivers side speaker is really quite compaired to everything else, drivers seat belt is frayed. I think thats most of them...i know most are small things but it's just the effort to do them. what does everyone think i should do? i've had the car year and half and would love a new one but funds will be very streched but at the same time i love the astra but she's causing me a bit of a headache! lol what to do...? and how to fix?

 

[KinG^Lee]

Head gasket, if u have no experience this is a garage job as it involves stripping down the block to get to the gasket. prolly looking around £400 there are a few people on here that take work on, Fennylet and RC are a few maybe pm them for a price they will be cheaper than a garage.

top mounts are fairly easy to do, get ya self a haynes manual if you have not already this will give u step by step guide.

rattling heat shield, rip it off lol.

if the brake pipes has surface rust try giving it a light key, if not new copper pipes are pretty cheap and easy enough to do your self.

seat belt can be changed

in reality your looking at about £400-£500, is your car worth spending that on? another £100 or so you could get another mint mk3.

this is just my opinion by the way, sure alot of people will see if differently.

 

[Mr Skint]

id agree with the above tbh, you may be able to knock some money if you have a mate who could help with the headgasket

 

[Crispy-Astra]

sweet man, thanks for reply, like advice on the heat shield....RIP IT OFF! lol i only got car for £400 so dunno, i'd like to give head gasket a go and if i F**k it then i'll scrap the car, simples! haha, mot is in a couple or 3 weeks so i'll see if any work needs doing, if so it'll go and i may get another mk3. My m8 said hammerite the brake pipes after getting surface stuff off with a wire brush?

 

[Mr Skint]

double post monster is back

 

[kompo001]

you could clean up the brake pipes and check how much they are pitted with rust, if too bad they should be replaced. If it's only surface rust, then cover them in grease, the MOT tester is not allowed to scrape the grease (or any covering) offf of the brake pipes.

 

[KinG^Lee]

you could clean up the brake pipes and check how much they are pitted with rust, if too bad they should be replaced. If it's only surface rust, then cover them in grease, the MOT tester is not allowed to scrape the grease (or any covering) offf of the brake pipes.

yeah i coated my misses car in copper paste

 

[Crispy-Astra]

my m8 did check them and said they were only surface, he said i will only get an advisory on it if it's just surface =D so i dont mind will do the hammerite afer

 

[bobcat]

try looking for a cheap replacment 1.4 engine could be worth ago instead of scraping her!!

 

[Crispy-Astra]

bobcat - would rarther a bigger one tbh =D something like a vauxhall omega 3.2 under there! cept that would be a pig to do as it's rear wheel drive iirc and i think most of them are auto, it's rare to find a manual. But i dunno, i wanna keep her, i think i will even if i have to run her into the ground until she down move no more

 

[astranaut]

a 1.4 replacement is pennies, get one in WHILE building monster engine, then when insurance and everything is right, put the good engine in! Thats what i'm going to do, being 19 when i ask for a quote on anything above 1.8 they wet themselves laughing and hang up lol. Plus if you have the work done, its been done, you know it won't need doing again anytime soon, you could go out and buy another car for the headgasket to go on that soon after. And it looks a tidy/solid motor to start with.

 

[Crispy-Astra]

haha, i know exactly what u mean about insurcance, i hate being 19!!! means i can drink tho been doing that since 17 my problem is down to experience and money, dont wanna pay LOADS for it to be done but want it done!!! and can anyone tell me where to get the head gasket, one thats not gunna go again after a year like the current one
cheers

 

[astranaut]

A year?!? i'd go back down the garage it was done at and have words, it should last longer than a year unless you bin driving with your foot welded to the floor lol! mines still on its original at 101000 and i thrash the tits off it!

 

[sasuke]

To be fair mate, Im getting shot of my mk3 8v first thing tomorrow. Oil pressure switch went and my pistons got, well, a little "tanned" to say the least. It's an arctic 2 so it's kind of a shame, but...... For 800 i was able to pick up a 16v, arctic 2 in next to mint condition and the hilarious thing is, it's only done 65k lol, not bad for a 12 year old car! I'd say cut your losses and work on another car!

 

[Crispy-Astra]

astranaut - was my sis's ex and his dad that did it....i think it's been bout 2 years not 1 but it should still go for more then that!!! lol

Sasuke - if i get rid of the astra i want a different car, i like them but wouldnt mind something different, as said earlier, i think if i dont have to spend loads on it i'll keep it going till it down move! haha

 

[sasuke]

That's understandable mate, I had a fiesta that gave me nothing but jip lol, me and the mrs agreed we'd probably never go for a ford unless it was RS spec

 

[Astraguy09]

Hiya, Horsham West sussex??

Im just up the road from you guy Dont panic, firstly,

a cheap head set costs about £25.00, on eBay,

with the rust, unless its made holes or sharp bits, leave it till you can afford it, or get yourself a touch up pen and just spend a little bit touching it up

If your happy to drive to southampton one weekend then ill do the top mounts for you, its not a bit job really!!

Whilst your here I can sort the 3 tyres out for a tenner each

Brake pipes been covered (cover them up must remember that!!)

Divers seat belt needs to be changed, iirc removing the plastic trim means you can get to the bolt that holds it to the chassis & popping a another bit of trim means that you can get to the other nut that holds it on, shouldn't cost more than a tenner from a scrappie.

Whilst your there pick up another speaker, or lump it really.

BTW I know the feeling, all I have wanted to do for months is mod SOMETHING on my Astra and things have been going wrong left right and centre, in the end I just bought a cheap exhaust to settle the cravings and I have cash set aside for the rest of the work required, the way I see it is things like this are there to try our patience, if we cant handle it then you might as well chuck it in for a grand at a dealership and swap cars every 3 years.

 

[AndyMan]

Check out e-bay item number 320486955584 as an example of what you can get now day's engine wise mate, i got one off e-bay for my astra sport, cost me £180.00 and it only done 52k on clock, it was a minter too

 

[Crispy-Astra]

Astraguy09 - yea am in west sussex, tbh i wouldnt have the time to get down to you and back, am a busy man and im not 100% it is top mount I got an iphase head unit yesteday....best buy ever!!! thats settled the craving for a while, only cost £60....should been £180 and it's brand new and not stolen!

Problem with doing the work is that i need the car most days, i may get another ****box to run about in until i can fix the astra...but then i dunno if i can afford to run 2 cars.....ahhh!!!! not fair, i may just go rob a bank! haha

 

[Crispy-Astra]

This is still just about on subject....if i were to do the work on the astra, what do people think of me getting a 1.25 16v fiesta P reg so 1996ish, its orange.....while i have the astra off the road? it's only £450 with tax and mot? good idea or not? wanted to see if anyone has had a fiesta liek this just as a run about car cheers