Engine blown up in France! Need help identifying stuff

[Weebl]

Hi all, sorry tale I am afraid, driving back in my Octy Estate today there was a hissing noise and the temp light came on and it beeped at me.

Pulled over and had a look and it seems the water pump has let go, and after my dad drove up and recovered me back to his house I also have zero compression with the engine spinning freely on the starter with almost no resistance.

It is a 1.6 Ambiente with an engine code of AVU.

Looks like I need a new lump, does anybody know which engine codes will fit in this car (if any other than AVU) and does anybody have anything for sale, I obviously have to get back to the UK and sort my life out but I am looking to pick up and drive it over to France ASAP.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Thanks.

[Browny_37]

To me it sounds like the headgasket has let go, but i maybe wrong.

[Weebl]

To me it sounds like the headgasket has let go, but i maybe wrong.

I think you are right, it probably cooked when it emptied it's water all over the N10. I thought about getting a new pump (it is definately the water pump as well, it is running out of it) but I reckon though that by the time I have skimmed the head and block and put a new gasket on it won't be right, and a new lump is cheaper and more reliable.

Skodas are pretty thin on the ground around here though and I will need a VW or Audi donk I think. I am just trying to broaden my options when searching for one by seeing if any other engine codes are compatible.

[cheezemonkhai]

If you find a new garage then you can probably get a new head gasket and waterpump and the cambelt for not too much. It's probably also worth checking the thermostat housing too.

Labour swapping the engine over will be the expensive bit and you'd still want to do the cambelt, water pump etc on that as they would be in an unknown state.

[rwbaldwin]

If your really have NO compression/resistance then it may be that the timing belt has skipped.

[cheezemonkhai]

If your really have NO compression/resistance then it may be that the timing belt has skipped.

That would be expensive....

Probably worth having a look at the belt to see if it's lost any teeth etc.

[rwbaldwin]

Some people are just born lucky. All the bits may not have come together. If it has just skipped a few notches it may be that the valves are open for part/most of the piston upstoke but closed before it bends them.

I don't catch that kind of luck. For me it would have be crunch, crunch, crunch.

[Weebl]

If your really have NO compression/resistance then it may be that the timing belt has skipped.

Just been out taking it all to bits, the timing belt is shredded. I am pretty sure most of the valves are bent too because we have the valve cover off and with the valves looking closed down the inlet I am getting air out the inlet.

Getting dark now so knocking it on the head for now till the morning, going to rip the head off tommorow and have a good look but if I cannot find a donk round here I will see if I can buy some valves, cambelt, water pump, headgasket etc.

Thanks for all the help sp far, any more would be greatly appreciated, especially compatible engine codes out of a VW (more likely to find a bent one of those out here) Would obviously do the cambelt and waterpump before fitting it.

[rwbaldwin]

Out of interest, did you have a metal impeller water pump?

[Weebl]

Out of interest, did you have a metal impeller water pump?

No idea mate, not taken it out yet. Just been reading up on the forum about the problems with the plastic impeller one, will definately make sure I get a metal impeller one to replace.

[rwbaldwin]

I wouldn't go for a metal impeller pump.

There are loads of different views on the subject, but this is how I see it:

Options are:

1: OE

2: Aftermarket - Composite Impeller

3: Aftermarket - Brass Impeller

4: Aftermarket - Cast Impeller

My opinions:

I would always change the water pump when I change the cambelt.

1. Upto 60k between cambelt replacement. Some OE pumps barely make to to 40k. No thanks.

4. If these go they take the timing belt with them (that's why I asked). No chance.

3. There are some very high quality brass impeller pumps (Hepu), but if you are going to change it when you change the belt do you need brass? No - unless you believe they are good for 120k.

2. In the US where dealers were getting killed by pump replacements, the area techs are unofficially recommending Ruville composite impeller pumps at every timing belt change to the dealers.

In the UK you can get these from these from any local GSF. This is what I would get.

[Weebl]

Quick Update:

Water pump came out this morning, plastic impeller in 3 pieces and seized rock solid to boot.

Stripped everything down ready to get the head off and was pretty much there by half 10, went to undo the head bolts and the 'normal' VW spline drive would not fit, lots of buggering about later and I find I need a 'Ribe' pattern socket.

Been all over the place trying to get one (over 300 miles) including a Skoda dealer, Seat dealer, VW dealer and Audi dealer and was mostly looked at like I was stupid. I did manage to get a new water pump and cam belt kit (SKF) and the new impeller looks very plasticy but after being quoted, with a straight face 'Maybe one week, maybe two' from the closest VW dealer I just jumped on any bits I could get. Still no Ribe pattern socket though.

I managed to get the head off eventually with a combination of torx bits, alan keys and a big hammer. I know this means I now need new head bolts but as my Nephew is flying over tommorow on holiday and he is bringing my valves and gasket, so I needed to know exactly what I needed, a set of head bolts on top of what I have already spent is pretty small.

Top tip, don't need anything doing to a car in France, they don't have any tools or bits and while they will order them, the delivery forecast will be in weeks or months.