Catherine41

Thanks @xman yes @thomasaspin has offered to take a look for me, I think thats the best option as its all speculation until someone actually looks at it, thanks everyone for your input and advice 😊

I've tried to post a video a few times now but it keeps saying file too large, even when only for a few seconds of video so I don't know, I guess I just need to get it to a garage to look at it and tell me if its something the original garage should cover

OK so I've attached the invoice and photo of the engine, I've also added a photo of the exhaust with the engine running, no smoke that I can see

Great! I will, I even have the video he sent of smoke coming from the exhaust shortly after the work was done so that might help too, thanks so much for your advice!

1...exactly my thoughts, he did the timing chain and had gasket and said it was all sorted, it was only when I took it back days later (because smoke coming from under the bonnet) that he said the valve seals needed doing and that would be a seperate job 2. He said it was something he just hadn't 'tightened up properly' I believe he said it was around the spark plug, maybe below spark plug, and that was what was coming up through the engine. I eventually had to get the coil replaced bacause the engine stalled shortly afterwards

Amazing! I did not know this! Thanks so much!

That's great thanks so much, I think I paid by credit card! I will post invoice and photo of engine as soon as I get home 👍

I do have the invoice, don't recall anything about stem seals but will post it on here once I get home, I did take it back to him a couple of days after the work was done because there was oil coming up through the ignition coil, he sorted this but said he thinks the valve seals need replacing and this would be a seperate job, he even sent a video of spoke coming from the exhaust which I have never noticed before or since then (there is small amount of blueish smoke) but nothing to the extent of what he 'discovered' as soon as I left the garage so I suspect he had put something in to make this happen but not sure why Yes, sorry I don't know the correct terminology

He said it was because I didn't take it to him for valve seals, I took it there for timing belt 🤷‍♀️

That's great thank you, just so I have an idea of how big a job it would be to check 👌

Thank you, I didn't know a warranty complaint was an option but I'll Look into that that's helpful to know 😊

OK thank you for your advice, I'll see if I can find a garage to check the timing 👌 do you know what the cost for this check would be?

OK thanks for the heads up, I'd expected since this was something that the garage has missed/failed to check when they did the timing belt and head gasket, that the remedial work should be covered by them, I. E. If they had done a thorough job in the first place when the engine was already stripped down, it would have only been the additional cost of the seals had they done it at the time, however following my last conversation with them it doesn't sound like something they are prepared to take responsibility for and given what you have said, it's looking like I'll probably have to try and sell it for spares/repairs and cut my losses 😔

Thanks xman, can I ask, if I hold off and wait for the original garage to look at it, and assuming it is the valve seals, how much can I expect to have to pay for this repair? My assumption is that I shouldn't be charged for the labour as this is something that should have been done as part of the rebuild initially and therefore would think parts and maybe an hour labour is very fair?

Thanks everyone for all your advice, I have contacted another garage who specialise in engine rebuilds/repairs and they have advised taht a compression test won't help so aren't prep elated to do this and advised I go back to the original garage as it's almost certainly something they have/haven't done. So I've contacted the original garage and he was very rude (it's upset me quite a bit to be honest) he said as I never took it there to have the stem seals done then he wouldn't have done this. I have said that teh advice I've had is that this should have been done as part of the rebuild and compression checks so he has agreed to lool at it in 3 weeks however I'm due to move out of the area before them which he is aware of so I'm totally at a loss, I can't force him to look at it sooner and the other garage said it would cost 1.5k to strip and rebuild everything to find the problem

Thanks, Yes I have now noticed some smoke today, not enough to notice though unless I'm looking for it

OK thank you, I'll try to find a garage that can do the compression test as you have suggested 👍

OK thanks that makes sense👍 if I'm understanding correctly, either way, it sounds like something the original garage should have checked/repaired when they did the timing and head gasket?

I've never noticed any smoke whatsoever, the only time I've ever seen smoke was when the garage sent a video of this from the garage shortly after I'd dropped the car off, I'm assuming the smoke would more likely indicate internal damage?

Oh maybe they did forget to fit them! I guess if I took ot to another garage for a compression test, they would be able to advise if it's something I should take up with the original garage, I'll have to try and find a reputable garage, something that seems more and more elusive! Any idea how much a compression test would cost?

Thank you so much for your help, I suspect it did leave the sprocket completely and the machanic that worked on it did say the damage was extensive, I actually took it back to him after the work was done as there was oil coming up through one of the ignition coils which then needed replacing, Id actually forgotten as it was a few months back now but I recall he actually mentioned at the time that there must be a problem with one of the seals and sent a video of lots of smoke coming from the exhaust (which he said was because it had been run idle for around 20 minutes) He suggested it would be a further £300+ to repair which I couldn't afford at the time and it seemed drivable but given what you have said it sounds like he would/should have known it was related to the timing work he had done and offered to rectify it 🤔

Sorry its a petrol 1.2l, I wouldn't know where to find the engine code? It was a local garage that did the work so I'll see if they will cover the repair costs, or at least partial repair costs now I know they should have checked it at them time, thanks so much that's been very helpful! 😊

Thanks xman, yes they had to replace a couple of the pistons which had bent when the belt went so sounds like they checked everything, or at least thought they did, I'm guessing you wouldnt necessarily know the seals had gone just by visual inspection, or would you have expected them to do a compression test as a matter of course when doing the head gasket?

Hi, I just wondered if anyone can give me some advice regarding what I suspect to be a problem with the valve stem seals? My timing belt slipped recently and the garage said they had to replace the head gasket also when doing the timing belt. Since getting the car back, it is struggling on acceleration, jerking as if about to stall. No smoke from exhaust that I've noticed but it's burning through oil (at least 5 litres in the last few months). Engine light has come on a few times and it was showing a code for the MAP sensor which I have recently replaced but still having the same issue. So my question first of all is, would replacing the head gasket have affected the stem seals? (As I never had this issue prior to having the head gasket and timing done) and if so, what are the chances of the garage rectifying this, e.g. is it a no brainier or would they have a case to say one is nothing to do with the other? The other question is, could the code for the MAP sensor be related to the stem seals as I'm guessing this will affect the levels of combustion gases/air coming through the sensor? If anything it is worse since putting on the new sensor, maybe because it's more accurate being brand new? I may be totally on the wrong lines as this isn't my field, I'm a nurse and need the car for work in the community so would really appreciate any advice! It's a skoda fabia, 2010 and has done roughly 95000 miles Thank you! Catherine