Engine failure - costs?
Former Moderator
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 24,771
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From: Stanmore
The chain may well last longer than my 100k miles - I intend to keep the car longer term so it makes a bit more sense for me to change it, rather than keep on replacing TCTs annually at £150 a time (you can get them cheaper of course from the USA - mine worked out at £75 as I bought a few other parts at the same time.).
£1k is on the high side of what it might cost.
The parts should be around £200, and then it's down to labour/ancilliary costs - it might be worth asking Rob at Garage-R for a price.
There are plenty of cars still going strong at 120k miles-plus who haven't had the chain changed.
Look at it this way, it's probably a similar cost to replacing the roof.
Given the amounts people spend on putting new wheels, intakes, exhausts, coilovers and other largely un-necessary items, a few hundred for the timing chain replacement doesn't seem such bad value after all.
£1k is on the high side of what it might cost.
The parts should be around £200, and then it's down to labour/ancilliary costs - it might be worth asking Rob at Garage-R for a price.
There are plenty of cars still going strong at 120k miles-plus who haven't had the chain changed.
Look at it this way, it's probably a similar cost to replacing the roof.
Given the amounts people spend on putting new wheels, intakes, exhausts, coilovers and other largely un-necessary items, a few hundred for the timing chain replacement doesn't seem such bad value after all.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,532
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From: Midlands
The chain may well last longer than my 100k miles - I intend to keep the car longer term so it makes a bit more sense for me to change it, rather than keep on replacing TCTs annually at £150 a time (you can get them cheaper of course from the USA - mine worked out at £75 as I bought a few other parts at the same time.).
£1k is on the high side of what it might cost.
The parts should be around £200, and then it's down to labour/ancilliary costs - it might be worth asking Rob at Garage-R for a price.
There are plenty of cars still going strong at 120k miles-plus who haven't had the chain changed.
Look at it this way, it's probably a similar cost to replacing the roof.
Given the amounts people spend on putting new wheels, intakes, exhausts, coilovers and other largely un-necessary items, a few hundred for the timing chain replacement doesn't seem such bad value after all.
£1k is on the high side of what it might cost.
The parts should be around £200, and then it's down to labour/ancilliary costs - it might be worth asking Rob at Garage-R for a price.
There are plenty of cars still going strong at 120k miles-plus who haven't had the chain changed.
Look at it this way, it's probably a similar cost to replacing the roof.
Given the amounts people spend on putting new wheels, intakes, exhausts, coilovers and other largely un-necessary items, a few hundred for the timing chain replacement doesn't seem such bad value after all.
£200 for parts is nothing. If you do get a chance would you please point me in the direction of the exact parts needed. I may be able to get a friend of mine to fit it for a much cheaper price than that!
Former Moderator
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 24,771
Likes: 311
From: Stanmore
Originally Posted by lovegroova' timestamp='1307537658' post='20660918
The chain may well last longer than my 100k miles - I intend to keep the car longer term so it makes a bit more sense for me to change it, rather than keep on replacing TCTs annually at £150 a time (you can get them cheaper of course from the USA - mine worked out at £75 as I bought a few other parts at the same time.).
£1k is on the high side of what it might cost.
The parts should be around £200, and then it's down to labour/ancilliary costs - it might be worth asking Rob at Garage-R for a price.
There are plenty of cars still going strong at 120k miles-plus who haven't had the chain changed.
Look at it this way, it's probably a similar cost to replacing the roof.
Given the amounts people spend on putting new wheels, intakes, exhausts, coilovers and other largely un-necessary items, a few hundred for the timing chain replacement doesn't seem such bad value after all.
£1k is on the high side of what it might cost.
The parts should be around £200, and then it's down to labour/ancilliary costs - it might be worth asking Rob at Garage-R for a price.
There are plenty of cars still going strong at 120k miles-plus who haven't had the chain changed.
Look at it this way, it's probably a similar cost to replacing the roof.
Given the amounts people spend on putting new wheels, intakes, exhausts, coilovers and other largely un-necessary items, a few hundred for the timing chain replacement doesn't seem such bad value after all.
£200 for parts is nothing. If you do get a chance would you please point me in the direction of the exact parts needed. I may be able to get a friend of mine to fit it for a much cheaper price than that!
It is a lot of work - it's several pages of the service manual - 6-15 to 6-24 should give you an idea of what's involved. Lots of bits, including the water pump, alternator, sump have to be removed and replaced, valve clearances need to be redone - see the service manual for details - I think I've already mentioned it in the thread linked to in post #14.
IIRC, TGM quoted £400 plus bits-n-bobs to do the work, so it's definitely justified in terms of time taken.
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 8,076
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From: Costa del Cornwall
Elastic con-rods, only way. 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,112
Likes: 2
From: Banbury, Oxfordshire
If you do some searching on engine failures, virtually none were caused by timing chain failures (I'm special it seems), and quite a few were user error (i.e. low on oil/ignoring overheating/overreving). There's nothing to suggest timing chains are ticking timebombs, and all the evidence suggests that they nearly always outlast the rest of the engine.
About the only symptom of mine (apart from not running) was that the AA man couldn't get one of the spark plugs out. But that was after major internal badness.
About the only symptom of mine (apart from not running) was that the AA man couldn't get one of the spark plugs out. But that was after major internal badness.
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 10,652
Likes: 17
From: Market Harborough, Leics.
Quick update...
Had a call from ABP saying they have had a quick look and it seems that the piston(s) have definately contacted a spark plug(s)! Not to sure if they just removed a plug and came to that conclusion or actually took the head off but im heading over there this afternoon so should be able to get a proper update.
Had a call from ABP saying they have had a quick look and it seems that the piston(s) have definately contacted a spark plug(s)! Not to sure if they just removed a plug and came to that conclusion or actually took the head off but im heading over there this afternoon so should be able to get a proper update.
That happened to me on my first S. Spark plug looked like it had been hit by a piston but when the head was off you could see all the damage had been caused by the valve head bouncing around.
Its not uncommon for this to happen if the engine has been overreved at some point in its life.
Either way, the head and the block are know f*cked and you need to start looking for a replacement whole engine.
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2011
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Hope you can get it sorted
Andy's a good guy and looks after Honda enthusiasts.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 14
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From: Crewe / Ipswich
Thanks for all the advice guys. Not much has happened as I have only just got back from Le Mans (in a Meriva hire car courtesy of the breakdown people).
The car is still at ABP where they have looked into each cylinder to find that the damage is contained to cylinder 2 and it appears to be that a valve has hit the spark plug and not the piston (phew). They havent taken the head off to havea full inspection as I think that I will be doing this myself to determine the state of the internals.
I have just spoken to TDI-north and it seems that its going to cost me £750 in labour to replace the engine, then about £2000 for a used engine. The dielema is it financially viable to spend approx. 2750 on a car that I was intending to sell and can proabably only get £4500 for it?
Does anyone know how much the car would be worth as a non-runner for someone that wanted a project?
Its upsetting because the car is nearly imaculate (obviously appart from the engine).
The car is still at ABP where they have looked into each cylinder to find that the damage is contained to cylinder 2 and it appears to be that a valve has hit the spark plug and not the piston (phew). They havent taken the head off to havea full inspection as I think that I will be doing this myself to determine the state of the internals.
I have just spoken to TDI-north and it seems that its going to cost me £750 in labour to replace the engine, then about £2000 for a used engine. The dielema is it financially viable to spend approx. 2750 on a car that I was intending to sell and can proabably only get £4500 for it?
Does anyone know how much the car would be worth as a non-runner for someone that wanted a project?
Its upsetting because the car is nearly imaculate (obviously appart from the engine).